Part 4: Lesson Plan: Holes, Reptiles and Amphibians

Learning about Reptiles (and Amphibians): In the desert climate of Camp Green Lake, there are not many animals who call it home. Although this book mentions few arachnids (scorpions and tarantulas), it mostly focuses on the yellow-spotted lizard. What is a reptile? How are amphibians different from reptiles? How are they similar?

Objectives: To expand the students’ knowledge about reptiles and amphibians, and to dispel any misconceptions they may have about the animals.

Materials: Herps survey and handouts (From Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies), paper for posters, construction paper or empty shoeboxes, markers and other art supplies

Directions:

1. See how much your class knows about reptiles and amphibians. Have the class share what they think reptiles are, what amphibians are, and common points both types of animals share.

Part One (Idea taken from Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies)

2. People often have misconceptions about herps. Have the students take the short survey about herps. Make sure the surveys are anonymous.

3. Write the results on the board. You can have the students make bar graphs and pie charts representing the results of the survey.

4. Discuss the students’ answers, using the “Survey Discussion Points.”

Part Two

5. Define what a herp is and give the students the Herps handout (“Reviled and Revered”).

6. Have them make a venn diagram in which they compare and contrast amphibians with reptiles.

a. At the bottom of the venn diagram, have them write a short paragraph describing a new piece of information they learned from the handout.

7. To help educate other about herps, split the class into groups of 3-4 students. Have each group make a poster to help dispel myths and negative opinions about herps.

8. Have the students present their posters.

9. Hang the posters around the classroom where visitors can see. (This makes a great open house display.)

Part Three (Idea taken from Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies)

10. In order to show what they have learned, have the students design an exhibit to display a herp of their choice. Exhibits must be educational. They must find a way to display herps and present information about the animals (such as physical characteristics, habitat, diet, how they are affected by pollution, and any other interesting facts they discover). The exhibit must also help educate people about the misconceptions about herps.

11. Create the exhibit two-dimensionally on a large piece of construction paper. Have the students choose from a wide variety of amphibians and reptiles. Let them do some research about each animal. More than one herp can be inside each exhibit.

a. They can use art supplies to decorate the habitat and print out pictures of each herp from the internet to glue onto the display.

12. Another idea for the display is for each student to choose a different herp and display it three-dimensionally by turning a shoebox on its side and gluing in pieces of habitat and the animal at different intervals so it looks more realistic.

a. Each student would still be responsible for writing the sign that goes with it, according to the guidelines above.

b. Students can also get into pairs or small groups to create one exhibit (using a larger box) with more than one herp in it (one per student). Each student would still be responsible for one sign that goes with their animal.

c. The teacher would then be able to gather all of the displays and make a class exhibit of the herps.

13. Remember that the reptiles have to have different places where they can warm up and cool down since they have to rely on external factors in order to regulate their body temperatures. Amphibians also need a place where they can stay moist.

14. When the students have finished making their displays, have the students present their animal to the class.