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Museum Educator-led Programs
Pre & Post Visit Resources
Reptiles Up Close

Grades 1-2

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Program Description and Frameworks
Program Outline
Key Terms and Concepts
Classroom Activities
Print and Web Resources
Go to Aquarium: Reptiles Gallery Page

Click here for printable version of all resources listed above

Get up close as museum educators handle turtles, snakes, and lizards. Observe each animal’s adaptations for survival. Get to know an array of exotic reptiles: watch them eat, crawl, and slither.

Location: Aquarium
Length: One hour
Grade: 1 - 2

Massachusetts Frameworks
Science and Technology/Engineering Strand 2; Standard 1, 2, 3, 6, 8

Science and Technology/Engineering Strand 3; Standard 3

New York Standards
Standard 4 Science The Living Environment 1, 3, 5, 6

Introduction
Students are introduced to the characteristics of reptiles and the five different reptilian groups: turtles, snakes, lizards, crocodilians (alligators and crocodiles), and tuataras.

Live Animal Live Demonstration
Live animal demonstrations give students the opportunity to see animals up close and to interact with them. The demonstrations explore the unique characteristics of each animal and cover the following topics: protection, shedding and basking, habitat, feeding, senses, special adaptations, and reproduction. The demonstrations include at least one turtle, one snake, and one lizard.

Conclusion
A quick discussion at the end reviewing the characteristics of a reptile and the five reptilian groups.

• The 5 major groups of reptiles are turtles, snakes, lizards, crocodilians (alligators and crocodiles), and tuataras.
• Reptiles are ectotherms, meaning outside sources such as the sun or the shade control their body temperatures. Most reptiles lay soft leathery eggs. Reptiles that do not lay eggs develop eggs inside their bodies, where the eggs hatch, and then the live young are born.
• Reptile young are smaller versions of their parents, unlike amphibians, which must go through stages of development before becoming an adult.
• Reptiles have dry, scaly skin, which they shed as they grow, unlike amphibians, which have moist, wet skin that they are able to breathe through. There are three types of turtles: turtles, terrapins, and tortoises. Turtles usually have webbed feet and live in the water. Tortoises do not have webbed feet and live on land. Terrapins live in brackish water (a mix of salt and fresh water) and salt marshes. Reptiles have unique ways of protecting themselves; for example, some lizards can lose their tails, chameleons are well-camouflaged, and turtles have hard shells.
• Reptiles can be found in many different parts of the world.
• Many reptiles do not hear as we do, but instead sense vibrations from the ground.
• Many reptiles are able to smell and taste with their tongues through a special organ located in the roofs of their mouths called a Jacobson’s organ.

Key Terms Used During the Program
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• Amphibian
  an ectothermic, smooth-skinned animal with a backbone (a vertebrate), which usually hatches as an aquatic larva with gills and then transforms into an adult with lungs.
• Basking
  to lie in the sun for warmth which also helps to remove mites and algae from the body.
• Carnivore
  an animal that eats meat.
• Ectothermic
  an animal that uses outside sources such as shade or the sun to control its body temperature.
• Habitat
  the place a plant or animal lives.
• Herbivore
  an animal that eats plants.
• Jacobson’s organ
  the organ found at the roof of the mouth in some animals, like snakes, that relays tasted particles in the air to the brain.
• Mite
  a very small arachnid that is mainly parasitic to animals and plants (lives and feeds on them); it is related to spiders and ticks.
• Omnivore
  an animal that eats both plants and meat.
• Prehensile tail
  a tail that can grasp, hold, or wrap around an object, such as a branch.
• Reptile
  an animal with a backbone (a vertebrate) that is ectothermic, has scales, breathes air using lungs; most lay eggs.
• Scutes
  the shedded pieces of a turtle’s shell.
• Shedding
  when an animal loses either its scales, skin, or fur, allowing for new growth.
• Webbed feet
  feet that have skin between each toe that improves the animal’s ability to swim in water.

Reptile Charades
Assign each of your students a reptile: a turtle, snake, lizard, or crocodile. Each of the students will have to have their classmates guess their animal using charades or by answering yes or no questions about their reptile. Another version of this is to have the children sit in a circle and ask each students to create a body movement that they think represents a particular reptile. Put all these movements together into a Reptile Dance. Add some fun music for the kids to dance to.

Reptile Haiku
As a class, brainstorm a list of all the words you can think of that have to do with reptiles. Having some images of reptiles to show students may help generate some ideas. Students can then select words from the list to create a haiku, a poem that has 3 lines. It does not need to rhyme, but the sounds of the words are important. It should have 5 syllables in the first and third lines and 7 in the second line.

Viewing the Wild in Your Classroom
Students will enhance their observation skills as they watch a live animal over the web, seeing how it moves, eats, and interacts with its habitat. Click here for complete directions.

Use the Berkshire Athenaeum’s on-line catalogue to search for these print resources in Central/Western Massachusetts.

Print Materials for Students

Florian, Douglas. Lizards, frogs, and polliwogs. New York: Harcourt, Inc., 2001. An interdisciplinary book, which can be used to combine literature and science in your curriculum. Includes poems about individual reptiles and amphibians, such as the tortoise, gecko, komodo dragon, and gila Monster. It is also a nice book to use when discussing the difference between amphibians and reptiles.

Lauber, Patricia. Snakes Are Hunters. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 1988. A fact-filled storybook about snakes, including the different species of snakes found around the world, how snakes eat, and more. This is a Reading Rainbow Book.

McCarthy, Colin. Eyewitness: Reptile. 1991. New York: DK Publishing, Inc., 2000. Learn about reptiles through wonderful pictures and great facts. A good book for teachers as well.

Print Materials For Educators

Burton, Dr. Maurice and Robert. Encyclopedia of Reptiles, Amphibians & Other Cold-Blooded Animals. Spain: BPC Publishing Ltd., 1984. Includes information about particular species as well as information about the evolution of amphibians and reptiles.

King, F. Wayne. The National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians.London: Alfred A. Knopf, 1979. Includes information about anatomy, habitats, life cycles, movement, and defense to help the reader identify more than 160 of the most fascinating herpetological species from North America.

Tyning, Thomas F. Stokes Nature Guides: A Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles. Boston: Little, Brown and Company, 1990. An introduction to the similarities and differences between amphibians and reptiles. Includes information about local species such as characteristics, breeding, feeding, and other interesting facts.

Zug, George R., Laurie J. Vitt, Janalee P. Caldwell. Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles. 1993. San Diego: Academic Press, 2001. This book features information about evolution and morphology, reproduction, physiological ecology, behavior, population, and taxonomy.

Web Materials for Students

American Museum of Natural History
Activities for all age groups that students can either do individually or together as a group. Also includes printable, informative articles. A good resource for educators as well.

National Geographic
A great site for students who would like to learn more about specific animals. Includes fun facts, maps, video, and audio clips.

National Wildlife Foundation’s Kidzone
Categories for various age groups from ages 1 and up. Includes games, activities, book reviews, coloring pages, recipes, and lots more. A great resource for parents and educators as well.

Web Materials for Educators

eNature.com
This site has many useful tools for studying the native wildlife in your area. Some features include lists of endangered species in each state, field guides with clear images and specific information about each species, and zip code guides that provide identifying images and information about the organisms that live in your neighborhood. Guides are available for reptiles and amphibians, as well as mammals, birds, plants, trees, butterflies, insects, sea shore life, fish, and more.

MassWildlife's State Reptiles and Amphibians List
A list of the reptiles and amphibians that live in Massachusetts including species that are endangered, threatened, and are considered special concerns. Also includes a large reptile bibliography.

Smithsonian National Zoological Park
Includes fact sheets and articles pertaining to individual species, conservation, and nutrition.

The University of Michigan Museum of Zoology Animal Diversity Web
This siteincludes pictures of reptiles, specimens, skulls, sounds, classification, and information about the animals.

National Geographic
A great website for educators to keep up-to-date on news stories, conservation, and information about animals from around the world. Also includes a U.S. Local Wildlife Guide, crittercam, and an area for related links.

National Wildlife Foundation
Site includes NWF resources and program plans, which include background knowledge for activities, and planning materials for integrating conservation lessons into science, math, language arts, and art classes. Also includes online activities and a store for educators.

 

The Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent Federal grant- making agency dedicated to creating and sustaining a nation of learners by helping libraries and museums serve their communities supports the Berkshire Museum.

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