REPTILE KINGDOM

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REPTILE KINGDOM
Lesson for Grades 3-4

• By Diane Nigro

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ABOUT
LEARNING
REPTILES
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This lesson will help you understand.

• Reptiles have traits that distinguish them from
  other types of groups, such as mammals, fish, and
  amphibians.
• Reptiles are classified by their physical
  appearances.
• There are many different kind of species of
  reptiles that exist, 6000 to be exact.
• Some reptiles are venomous and others are
  harmless.
• Some reptiles are extinct.

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IMPORTANT VOCABULARY TO USE WITHIN THIS LESSON

• Cold blooded
• Definition animals that depend directly on
  sunlight to keep their bodies warm.
• Additional information Reptiles are cold
  blooded animals who depend on sunlight to become
  more active in their environments.

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VOCABULARY

• Reptile
• Definition Any cold blooded vertebrate of the
  class reptilia including tortoises, turtles,
  snakes, lizards, alligators, crocodiles, and
  extinct forms.
• Vertebrate
• Definition Animals with an internal skeleton
  made of bone. Their size and mobility often
  allow them to dominate their environments.
• These include primates, monkeys, amphibians,
  birds, fish, humans, and REPTILES.
• Extinct
• Definition no longer in existence lost or
  especially having died out and leaving no
  representatives.

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THE RAT SNAKE
THE TUATARA
THE BEARDED DRAGON

THESE ANIMALS ALL HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON CAN
YOU GUESS WHAT IT IS?!
THE TURTLE
THE CROCODILE
If you guessed REPTILES than you were RIGHT!!!
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LETS SOME FACTS REPTILES NAME
FUN ABOUT

• Reptiles Are VERTEBRATES
• Reptiles BREATHE air with lungs
• Reptiles have skin covered with SCALES
• Reptiles can be found in AQUATIC
  biomes
• Reptiles are COLD -
  BLOODED

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DID YOU KNOW REPTILES...
Eat 30 to 50 times less food than do birds and
mammals of similar size.
Are classified into FIVE families.
Have been on Earth for 200 million years!
Lay eggs while others give birth to live young!!!
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The Five Families
Lets name a few characteristics for each one.
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I am the largest group of reptiles
I evolved from the lizard
I cannot hear, walk, or blink
Two of my species are venomous
I prefer the coolest temperatures
My most common feature is my shell
I can be 3 ft. to 25 ft. long
I have a pineal eye in the center of my forehead
to distinguish between day and night
I range from ½ long to 6 ½ feet long
I have three families
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Do you know any reptiles that are extinct?
The original reptile DINOSAURS!!
HERES A HINT
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SOME REPTILES CAN BE DANGEROUS!
The Rattlesnake
The Gila Monster Lizard
CAN YOU NAME ANY???
GREAT JOB!
The Crocodile
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Physical and Behavioral Adaptations

• Turtles spend most of their lives in the water
  and have plated shells covering their bodies.
• Lizards have great vision and use their tongues
  to taste their surroundings. To avoid predators,
  the lizard plays dead.
• Crocodiles use their teeth chomping on prey, but
  a new set always grow in.
• Snakes can go a long time without eating, but
  when they do, their meal is usually another
  animal, e.g. mice
• The tuatara is similar to the lizard, but it has
  a third eye and an extra row of teeth.

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Since we know our reptiles so well Lets Play a
Game
Reptile Jeopardy
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DIRECTIONS

• The Class will be divided into two groups
• Categories will be given that have to do with
  each reptile you studied
• You MAY NOT use your notes
• You will have one spokes person for the team to
  say the answer to the fact
• Each answer must be in question form, for
  example, What is.?
• If the first team to answer does not get the fact
  right, the other team has the opportunity to go
  for the points.
• Control of the game goes to the team who answers
  the fact right
• GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!!!!

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Discussion Questions

• What group is considered to be the original
  reptile? CAN YOU NAME THE FIVE REPTILE
  FAMILIES?
• Reptiles have traits that distinguish them from
  other types of groups of animals, such as
  mammals, fish, and amphibians. Name at least
  three traits reptiles possess.
• Go back and reread the section on Crocodiles and
  Alligators in Chapter 3 of your textbook. Why are
  they both considered part of the reptile group?
  What makes them different from each other?
• The lizard and the tuatara have many similarities
  between them, can you name some of their
  differences?
• Remember that reptiles are cold-blooded animals,
  therefore, they need certain environments to
  survive. What environments do each reptile that
  weve studied live in, in order to live longer
  lives?

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HOMEWORK

• Read and Complete Discussion Questions assigned.
• Activity Sheet Reptile Crossword Puzzle
• Research your favorite reptile and bring in an
  interesting fact to share with the class.