Snakes & Lizards

DISCUSS & LEARN:

*Why are snakes covered with plates and scales?

*What is a vertebrae?

*Different ways snakes move.

*Why are snakes jaws not linked together? Do all snakes swallow their food whole?

*Which snakes have teeth? How many teeth?

*Can some snakes smell with their nose? What do all snakes smell with?

*Are snakes carnivores, herbivores or omnivores? What about lizards?

*Which snakes lay eggs? Which snakes give live birth?

*Learn which snakes are poisonous. Are there poisonous lizards?

*Why do snakes shed their skin?

*Learn how to take care of snake bites properly.

ACTIVITIES:

*Go to a pet shop and look at the different snakes and lizards. Compare the size, color, habitats, etc. of each of the snakes and lizards.

*Play-dough snakes: make snakes with play-dough.

*Make lizard prints out of paper or in the dirt. Follow the prints to... (you can make up a fun surprise, scavenger hunt, snack, etc.)

MAKE:

*Snake: Cut out a large circle from a piece of construction paper. Draw a spiral in the circle (the fatter or skinner the spiral depends on how fat, skinny, long or short your snake will be). Cut along the spiral. On one end draw a head. You can decorate your snakes body with marker to make scales.

*Egg carton snake: decorate a egg carton snake. Make it look like your favorite kind of snake.

*Snake length: you will need yarn and scissors. Find out the length of many different snacks. Cut the yarn to represent the length of your snakes. Which snakes are the longest? Smallest? Are there snakes taller than you or your parents? Are there snakes smaller than your foot?

*Pantyhose snake: stuff one panty hose leg with tissue or batting. Add eyes and a tongue. You can draw on the snake with marker to decorate it.

*Check out all of these snack crafts here.

BOOKS:

Don't Take Your Snake For a Stroll by Karin Ireland

The Dangerous Snake and Reptile Club by Daniel San Souci

Snake Alley Band by Elizabeth Nygaard

Hide the Snake by Keith Baker

Slithery Jake by Rose-Marie Provencher

The Greedy Python by Eric Carle

Little Skink's Tail by Janet Halfmann

Leon the Lizard by Hollie Stockman

SONGS:

BOA CONSTRICTOR SONG

I'm being swallowed by a boa constrictor,

Boa constrictor, boa constrictor.

I'm being swallowed by a boa constrictor,

Now what do you think of that?

Oh no, he's got my toe

Oh gee, he has my knee

Oh my, he's up to my thigh

Oh fiddle, he's up to my middle

Oh heck, he's up to my neck

I'm being swallowed by a boa constrictor, boa constrictor, boa constrictor.

I'm being swallowed by a boa constrictor.

No! No! No! (In a high squeaky voice)

LIZARD FINGER PLAY

(One hand is in a fist to make a lizard; your pointer finger quickly moves in and out to act like a tongue. The five fingers on the other hand are the bugs that will disappear when the lizard eats them.)

5 little bugs on the forest floor,

Along came a sticky tongue lizard...slurp!!!

Now there are 4

4 little bugs on a kapok tree,

Along came a sticky tongue lizard...slurp!!!

Now there are 3

3 little bugs without a single clue,

Along came a sticky tongue lizard...slurp!!!

Now there are 2

2 little bugs ran a ton,

Along came a sticky tongue lizard...slurp!!!

Now there is 1

1 little bug knew that he was done,

Along came a sticky tongue lizard...slurp!!!

Now there is none.

HAVE YOU SEEN A LIZARD, A LIZARD, A LIZARD?

sung to: "Have You Ever Seen a Lassie"

Have you seen a lizard, a lizard, a lizard?

Have you ever seen a lizard all dressed up in pink?

With pink eyes, and a pink nose.

And pink legs and pink toes.

Have you ever seen a lizard all dressed up in pink?

Have you seen a lizard, a lizard, a lizard?

Have you ever seen a lizard all dressed up in white?

With white eyes, and a white nose.

And white legs and pink toes.

Have you ever seen a lizard all dressed up in white?

Have you seen a lizard, a lizard, a lizard?

Have you ever seen a lizard all dressed up in purple?

With purple eyes, and a purple nose.

And purple legs and purple toes.

Have you ever seen a lizard all dressed up in purple?

Have you seen a lizard, a lizard, a lizard?

Have you ever seen a lizard all dressed up in blue?

With blue eyes, and a blue nose.

And blue legs and blue toes.

Have you ever seen a lizard all dressed up in blue?

RECIPES:

Cup of dirt: check out my recipe here, scroll to the bottom.

Rice crispy snacks: shape rice crispy treats into snakes.