What It's All About
There are more than 8,000 kinds of reptiles and more than 6,000 kinds of amphibians. Box turtles can live well over 100 years, frogs can breathe through their skin, and the European olm can go ten years without eating. Herps are extremely adaptable and have a lot to teach people about sustainability.
Radical Reptiles
All reptiles have three things in common: they are covered with dry scales (they're not slimy), most come from eggs, and they can't maintain their own body temperature like humans. Many reptiles make people cringe, but one of the most popular reptiles is the chameleon. Chameleons are long, flat lizards that live mostly in trees. They move very slowly as they hunt for insects to eat. When a chameleon spots an insect, its tongue shoots out to catch it. Two cool things about the chameleon's tongue: it moves so fast humans can't see it and it's extremely long — one and a half times the length of a chameleon's body. What if your tongue were that long?
Does anyone know what makes a chameleon extra-special? It can change colors! Many people think the chameleon changes color to blend in with its surroundings in order to hide from predators, but that's not true. Chameleons change colors according to their moods, when they are angry or scared.
Reptile eggs are not hard like chicken or bird shells. They are soft and rubbery. If you want to see and feel what they are like, soak a hard-boiled egg in vinegar overnight. The next day, the egg will be soft like a reptile's.
It is true that many herps look much like their habitat. Sometimes it is really difficult to spot them. Have your students be herps by trying to find where they can blend into the background based on the color of their clothing.
They might be able to blend in with the walls or floor of the classroom. You can also take them outside to try to match their surroundings. Another idea is to give them warning that they should dress to match their environment the next day. Ask them to try to wear clothing that helps them blend in with their surroundings.
Amphibian Alphabet
Amphibians are cold-blooded like reptiles, but that's where the similarities end. Amphibians are broken into three categories: salamanders, frogs, and caecilians (see-SIL-ee-ans). Amphibians have moist skin and they lay eggs without shells. Some amphibians give birth through their back, and some can live without lungs. These types of amphibians, and many more, are known as evolutionarily distinct because they are so strange and have developed such amazing adaptations over time. Learn about more of these creatures at www.edgeofexistence.org/amphibians.
Reptiles and amphibians have historically been the villains in old folklore. You can find illustrations of this and additional information about herps at www.livingunderworld.org/caudata. Why do people fear herps? What kinds of stories have created this fear?
Have each child select a letter of the alphabet and then find an amphibian whose name begins with that letter (you may need to fudge a little with the letter X). They should draw a picture of the amphibian, write its name in large decorative letters at the top, and then write some of the crazier facts about the animal at the bottom. Make a cover for the alphabet book and bind it. For smaller children, you can print pictures of the amphibians, write their name on the picture, and write the first letter of their name in uppercase and lowercase in the corner. Can they identify the letters? Can they put the letters in alphabetical order? Can they spell words with the letters?
