Reptiles and Amphibians

Discovering the richness of the animal world is one of the most rewarding and pleasing experiences that you can introduce to kids. Animal classification is a great way to explore different animal groups and their unique behaviors. Learning to distinguish between different types of animals is not only great for science lessons but also a great way to introduce geography lessons into the classroom. Kids can explore habitats as well as different areas where animals live. 

Reptiles and amphibians may at first glance appear very similar to each other. Explicitly pointing out the differences between the two groups of animals is vital and it will lead to a deeper understanding rather than simply memorizing which animals belong to which class of animals. 

Providing your kids with the chance to draw amphibians and reptiles will help them to discover some differences and similarities between the two classes of animals. Amphibians such as frogs and toads can live both on land and in the water while reptiles such as snakes and alligators have lungs and an outer covering of horny scales or plates. They often lay their eggs on dry land while amphibians such as frogs and toads lay their eggs in the water. Amphibians are born with gills so that they can breathe underwater. Frogs and other amphibians such as newts and salamanders and the charming axolotls develop lungs and legs later in life. 

Learning about the origin of words can also help kids to classify animals. Amphibian comes from the Greek amphi which means both and bios. The perfect way to describe amphibians since they can live both on land and in the water. The word reptile comes from Latin reptilis which means creeping. If you spend time watching snakes and lizards you can understand why this is a suitable name for these creeping scaly animals.

If you have the opportunity to watch some reptiles and amphibians in their natural environment that is fantastic. Otherwise, a great exercise is to describe the skin of a reptile and an amphibian. How does it feel to touch a snake? Snakes are often described as slimy but their skin feels dry and scaly. Amphibians have thin and smooth skin. Their skin helps them with breathing. 

Read and discover the remarkable lives of these animals while you enjoy the weather warming up there are signs of spring starting to appear all around such as frogspawn in your local ponds! 

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April 2023 Products

April is such an inspiring month and many great things are happening both in the classroom and outside. Take time to explore how nature changes from blossoms and new leaves to warmer temperatures. There is a new energy in the classroom so make sure to take this energy and use it to explore our Earth, Climate Change, Easter and the remarkable world of Oviparous animals.

Taking place on the 22nd of April each year, Earth Day offers a wonderful opportunity to support kids thinking about their environmental footprint.  This year, the theme is “invest in our planet”.  You can talk with your kids about ways to encourage people to care and take responsibility for making our Earth a place that protects all species. How can we encourage businesses and governments to provide opportunities for everyone? How can you help? Big questions! Yet, sometimes little kids can come up with Big Ideas. The overall aim of Earth Day is to spread the message that it is important to take action and that everyone can do something. Use a fact booklet about Earth Day and Climate Change to encourage kids to learn and explore environmental issues. Make a display with poems about our Earth and writing samples. Art and craft activities are an important part of making the celebrations of our Earth extra special.

Easter falls in April this year. This a perfect opportunity to plan a project about oviparous animals. There are several ways that you can introduce oviparous animals to your kids. You can use fiction and/or fact books with easy-to-understand and clear explanations of oviparous animals. After a short introduction, kids can continue to learn more about oviparous animals using a fact booklet. 

Filling in a fact booklet with your own findings is exciting. A fact booklet is a perfect way to practice reading and if you have a child who is reluctant to write, they can draw oviparous animals and practice their drawing skills instead. How to draw Easter and How to Draw Oviparous animals are great ways to further enhance kids’ skills and confidence. Hope you have a wonderful April full of sunshine-y days. 

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