Reptile Adaptation
Background
Iguanas can live high in the rainforest trees. They can climb straight up the side of a trunk and jump far from one branch on a tree to another. How do they climb so high? What parts of their body are adapted for climbing? Can you do this? Why not?
Has anyone ever seen a python? What does the python do to its food before it eats it? Is there anything we squeeze in order to eat it? (Fresh squeezed orange juice)
Anyone ever see an alligator? Did you know that they eat mostly fish? What do use to catch fish? Can you catch fish with your mouth? What do you use to catch fish?
Ever heard of a chameleon? They cannot run very fast. How do they hide from predators? What can you do to blend in with your surroundings?
Project
We talked about the different kinds of animals and they adapt to their environments, but how do we adapt to ours? Has anyone ever lived in a warm place and then moved to a cold place or lived in a cold place and moved to a warm place? What did you have to do differently? What if you were told that you were going to go and live in the jungle, but you weren’t going to live in a house? You have to live with one of the four animals listed.
Iguana
Python
Alligator
Chameleon
Split up into small groups.
You are going to have to make some changes. Research the animal you must live with. Describe what you will need to do in order to adapt to the group to survive. What food will you eat, how will you protect yourself, and where will you live?
Conclusion:
Have groups discuss with the class what they found.
Then ask class these questions.
Did you have to move to a different climate?
What was different about the animals environment than your own?
Were there things that were the same?
Did you learn anything new about the animal you researched?