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![]() Students will understand the following:
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![]() For this lesson, you will need:
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![]() Adaptations for Older Students: Have older students do more in-depth research on snake anatomy, accompanying their field guide pages with labeled diagrams, as well as pictures. |
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![]() You can evaluate your students on their field guide pages using the following three-point rubric: Three points: description well organized, complete, and error-free Two points: description lacking in organization, incomplete, with some errors One point: description disorganized, vague and sketchy, with numerous errors You can ask your students to contribute to the assessment rubric by determining what types of information should be included in each description. |
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![]() Herpetologist's Heyday Divide your students into small groups, and send each group on a fact-finding mission. Assign each group a different basic herpetology concept. These may include, among others, the latest first aid for snakebites, the uses of snake venom, snakes of North America, venomous snakes, constricting snakes, snake reproduction, and snake biology. Ask each group to investigate its herpetology concept and prepare a HyperStudio or PowerPoint presentation for the rest of the class. Alternately, you can ask the groups to prepare an illustrated written report, which can then be combined with the materials developed in the "Snake Field Guide" activity. Snake Symbolism Throughout history, snakes have symbolized a wide variety of ideas for different cultures and groups, from Native American tribes to the American Medical Association. Have your students research snake symbolism at different periods in history, being sure that each student chooses a different snake symbol. What have snakes stood for? Where do they appear in culture, politics, religion, and other areas? When research is complete, each student should prepare a brief description and illustration of the symbolic snake he or she has studied. The class can then work together to categorize their results by the qualities and ideas the symbols have embodied throughout history—some of which include eternity, evil, health, and change—and create a class compendium of snake symbols. |
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![]() Herp Help Lenny Flank, Jr. Howell Book House, 1998. Don't look to Martha Stewart if you're thinking about inviting a reptile or amphibian into your home—Lenny Flank would make a much better host! More than a basic introduction to reptilian biology, this book tells the interested hobbyist how to house snakes, feed them, and breed them in captivity. It also provides an appendix of useful resources for the budding herpetologist. The Fascinating World of Snakes Angels Julivert. Barron's, 1993. This compelling, detailed book describes the physical characteristics, habits, and natural environment of various kinds of snakes. |
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![]() The World of Snakes Includes information, visuals, quicktime videos. The Electronic Zoo Resources and links to related sites for different types of snakes. World Famous San Diego Zoo A database of facts and descriptions. Snake Quiz A fun quiz identifying a snake every week. Responses can be entered online. |
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![]() Click on any of the vocabulary words below to hear them pronounced and used in a sentence.
Context: A snake's brill becomes milky white in appearance, clouding its eyes, when the snake is ready to slough its skin.
Context: A snake uses its Jacobson's organ to literally taste the air.
Context: Nocturnal snakes prefer to do their hunting after the sun goes down.
Context: Using its pit organ, a snake can track a quick moving rodent almost effortlessly.
Context: A snake often rubs up against a rough rock to begin the process of sloughing its skin.
Context: The venom of some snakes can do incredible damage to unsuspecting prey. |
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![]() This lesson plan may be used to address the academic standards listed below. These standards are drawn from Content Knowledge: A Compendium of Standards and Benchmarks for K-12 Education: 2nd Edition and have been provided courtesy of theMid-continent Research for Education and Learningin Aurora, Colorado. Grade level: 6-8, 9-12 Subject area: science Standard: Understands the genetic basis for the transfer of biological characteristics from one generation to the next. Benchmarks: Benchmark 6-8: Knows that reproduction is a characteristic of all living things and is essential to the continuation of a species.
Benchmark 6-8:
Benchmark 9-12:
Benchmark 2:
Benchmark 3:
Benchmark 6-8:
Benchmark 9-12:
Benchmark 9-12: |
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![]() Mary C. Cahill, middle school science coordinator, Potomac School, McLean, Virginia. |
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