Nature Net’s Pre- and Post-Filed Trip Materials
Subject: Reptiles and Amphibians
Level: Elementary School
Introduction
Reptiles and amphibians are collectively known as "herps." This word comes from Herpetology, which is the study of reptiles and amphibians. Lizards, snakes, turtles, and crocodiles are the most common living reptiles. Common amphibians include frogs, toads, and salamanders. In Wisconsin, the most common reptiles and amphibians are frogs, toads, turtles, snakes, and salamanders.
Vocabulary
Cold-blooded: An animal not being able to internally maintain a constant body temperature. Amphibians and reptiles, along with fish and all invertebrate animals (like insects) are cold blooded. Many cold-blooded animals raise their body temperature by warming themselves in the sun. As their body temperature rises, they gain energy and become more active.
Metamorphosis: A process that many amphibians go through as they change from juveniles to adults. Among frogs, this process occurs as they grow from an egg into a tadpole, and then as the tadpole changes into an adult frog.
Warm-Blooded: Animals able to maintain a constant body temperature, independent of the temperature around them. Mammals and birds are good examples of warm-blooded animals.
Amphibians: A cold-blooded vertebrate animal that usually has smooth skin, and lays jelly-coated eggs in water. Most amphibians go through the process of metamorphosis. Frogs and salamanders are good examples of amphibians.
Reptiles: A cold-blooded, dry-skinned vertebrate animal that usually has scales, and typically lay eggs on land. Reptiles do not go through metamorphosis, rather their young hatch as tiny versions of the adults. Lizards, snakes, and turtles are examples of reptiles.
Concepts
-Both reptiles and amphibians are characterized as being cold-blooded. This means that they can't control the temperature of their bodies internally and take on the same body temperature of their surroundings. Cold-blooded does not mean that their blood is actually cold.
-Most herps shed their skin, usually several times in one year depending on the rate of growth. Snakes are an example of a herp that sheds its skin often.
-Some herps use their tongues to smell their surroundings.
Suggested Post-Visit Activities
After your visit to some of the Nature Net sites, you can explore herps further by having a "herp count" on your school grounds or local pond. For more information on this contact the Madison Audubon Society.
Suggested Readings and Websites
For Teachers:
Ranger Rick's Nature Scope, Let's Hear it for Herps!, National Wildlife Federation, 1987.
Natural History of Amphibians and Reptiles of Wisconsin. Vogt, Richard Carl. Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee. 1981. (Out of Print)
For Students:
Creepy Crawly Things: Reptiles and Amphibians, National Geographic Society, 1974.
Herps Puzzle
Are the animals listed on the puzzle below reptiles or amphibians? A reptile is a cold-blooded vertebrate animal that has scales and usually claws. Reptiles lay their eggs on land.
Amphibians are cold-blooded vertebrate animals that have smooth skin, and lay their eggs in water. These animals need to be in or near water to survive. Their young go through a process called metamorphosis to grow into adulthood.
You have to decide whether the animals listed in the center of the page are reptiles or amphibians. Draw a line to the side you think is correct, and then draw a picture of that animal. An example has been done for you.
| Reptile | Animal: | Amphibian |
Frog
Turtle
Salamander
Crocodile
Snake
Toad
Lizard
Chameleon