Need some ideas!!!!!

Hey everyone! I need some ideas for a "hands on" class that I will be giving for some kids. I will be bringing a sample of my snakes, frogs, and maybe some lizards. I find that kids learn better if they can touch it or do it. Ideas need to be fun and easy. Age range is 8-13-"ish". Someone please help me!!!!!!! Thanks.

First make sure you are covered in case of any bites from the animals. Usually home owners insurance should cover you. After that just have fun and let the kids get excited. I set up a questionaire that I follow when I teach kids, if they fill in the questionaire they get extra credit for it. If you PM me your e-mail addres I can send you a copy of my questions. Also they will be asking about the snake movies like Anaconda and such, so laugh and be a goon, you will do great. I teach a 5th grade class every year and it is a blast.

Originally Posted by cat0623

Hey everyone! I need some ideas for a "hands on" class that I will be giving for some kids. I will be bringing a sample of my snakes, frogs, and maybe some lizards. I find that kids learn better if they can touch it or do it. Ideas need to be fun and easy. Age range is 8-13-"ish". Someone please help me!!!!!!! Thanks.

8-13ish is a good range, but I would still be wary of handing off something small...they just don't have a good grasp of pressure and tend to SQUEEZE. Also, if you bring frogs - make them just for show. I usually talked a bit about how long reptiles have been around, why they are different from other animals, and the role they play...then as I take out individual animal to show I tell how they get their food, where they live, how big they get, etc. make it interactive - ask them questions (don't play stump the schoolkids, it's too easy and not much fun for them - the exception to this is how to tell a snake from a lizard...what do lizards have that snakes don't. It's sort of a trick question, but I'll entertain guesses via PM if anybody wants to play, lol.).
And bring a container of hand wipes or waterless handwash stuff.

I could get more specific if you said what type of things you keep (and might bring), and how much time you want to fill.

I will probably be bringing my redtail boa, ball python, garter, leapord gecko, tiger salamander, bull frog, leapord frog, chubby frog, and possibly a bearded dragon. I am giving this class at a botanical garden. They want me to show simularities and differences in native and non native species. Looks like I may have to do some field collecting before class. Sara

Obviously, you will have to figure out your time frame and base the material and animal presentations on that. I always include some basic natural history (you can go as detailed as you or the audience can bear, lol). As for the stated objective - an easy way to attack this is to compare/contrast colubrids with boids (you can discuss venomous also, and approach lizards in the same way). Discuss how they find and catch prey (ambush, thermoreceptors, active hunting); reproduction - live vs egg, maternal incubation vs a nest; life span. Junkyard is right - have fun with it. As I said previously - get the kids involved...talk to them and ask them questions. .