Introduction
Your teacher's aunt, the famous herpetologist Professor Slither, just returned from one of her adventures and brought back a treasure to share with your class - four baby snakes! While visiting your class, she receives an emergency phone call asking her to come help take care of a frog invasion in a remote African village. In a panic, she hands the snakes to your teacher and tells her to take care of them until she returns.
Your teacher, being a quick thinker, immediately puts you to work. You have four new baby snakes to take care of, and each one is a different kind! What will you feed them? What kind of habitats do they need? Most importantly, why would anyone want to save snakes? Are they actually important, useful animals?
Task
Task
 |
Your teacher has decided to make this snaky situation into an exciting event for the whole school. She wants you to create a snake exhibit to share all that you learn about these interesting reptiles. Your exhibit will include a poster showing the life cycle of a snake, a feeding sign for your snake, and a model of your snake in its natural habitat. As junior herpetologists, it will be your job to research one of the snakes and create the exhibit. Remember, your main goal is to find out if snakes are important, useful animals. |
Process
|
Create a poster about the life cycle of a snake Now it is time to learn about the life cycle of a snake. First, print out the graphic organizer. As you learn about the snake life cycle, use the organizer to write down ideas for your poster. Web site - Snake Life Cycle Book - Snakes (Nature Watch Series) by Barbara Taylor (You can buy it at Amazon.com) Create a poster that shows the life cycle of a snake. Make sure it covers five stages and that your poster is colorful. |
|
Step 3 - Choose a snake and create a model of the snake in its habitat. You need to pick one of the four snakes that Dr. Slither left with your teacher.
Go to the following web sites to learn about the habitat of your snake. Boa, an Encarta Encyclopedia Article Rattlesnake, an Encarta Encyclopedia Article Create a model of your snake in its habitat using a shoe box. You will need to find the necessary materials (rocks, grass, sand, leaves) to create a habitat where your snake could survive. Use clay, Model Magic, or craft dough to make a model of your snake. Paint it to look like your type of snake and put it in the habitat you created. |
|
Go to the following web sites to learn what your snake eats. The Belize Zoo - Boa Constrictor Make a feeding sign for your snake exhibit that tells what your snake eats. You can use a computer program like KidPix, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Publisher, Print Shop to create your sign; or you can create one just using paper and crayons. |
Step 4 - Make a feeding sign for your snake.|
Many people fear snakes and probably think your teacher and Dr. Slither are crazy for wanting to save four baby snakes. Using the information you have learned so far about snakes and information from the following web site, write a letter as a class to the local newspaper, telling why snakes are important, useful animals. |
Step 5 - So why would anyone want to save snakes?