Wednesday, January 29, 2014
FOOD CHAIN/FOOD WEB - VOCABULARY QUIZ.
Tuesday, January 28, 2014
FOOD CHAIN/FOOD WEB - REVIEW
FOOD CHAIN - ACTIVITY
FOOD CHAIN REVIEW - ACTIVITY
REVIEW:
When we talk about the relationships among organisms in an ecosystem, the most important is how they relate to each other as predators and prey. The best means of illustrating these relationships is through food chains and food webs.
FOOD CHAIN REVIEW - ACTIVITY
REVIEW:
When we talk about the relationships among organisms in an ecosystem, the most important is how they relate to each other as predators and prey. The best means of illustrating these relationships is through food chains and food webs.
- Organisms interact with each other, and the most common interaction is within the structure of a food chain in which one organism is the food and energy source for another organism.
- All food chains start with plants as producers because they can photosynthesize and capture sunlight energy.
- Animals are consumers and eat either plants or each other.
- Several food chains can be interwoven to create a food web in which many organisms interact with each other.
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
CORAL REEF FOOD WEB - GROUP ACTIVITY
YOU AND A PARTNER WILL WORK ON THIS ACTIVITY TOGETHER. TAKE NOTES & DISCUSS EACH QUESTION & FACTS TO REACH YOUR GOAL.
CORAL REEF ACTIVITY
CORAL REEF ACTIVITY
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
Monday, January 20, 2014
ANIMALS - VERTEBRATES
What are VERTEBRATES?
VERTEBRATES - VIDEO
Vertebrates are animals that have a backbone or spinal column, also called vertebrae. These animals include fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles.
How are they classified?
Vertebrates are classified by the chordate subphylum vertebrata. Invertebrates are any other animal that is classified outside of that class.
Are there a lot of vertebrate species?
There are currently around 65,000 known species of vertebrate animals. This sounds like a lot, but vertebrates are only around 3% of all the animals on Earth. Most of the animal species are invertebrates.
What are some vertebrate animals?
Vertebrate animals can be either warm-blooded or cold-blooded. A cold-blooded animal cannot maintain a constant body temperature. The temperature of their body is determined by the outside surroundings. Cold-blooded animals will move around during the day between the shade and the sun to warm up or cool down. Cold-blooded animals are ectothermic, which means outside heat. Reptiles, amphibians, and fish are all cold-blooded.
Warm-blooded animals are able to regulate their internal temperature. They can sweat or pant to cool off and have fur and feathers to help keep them warm. Warm-blooded animals are called endothermic, meaning "heat inside". Only birds and mammals are warm-blooded.
Big and Small
The smallest vertebrate is thought to be a tiny frog called the Paedophryne amauensis. It only grows to about 0.3 inches long. The largest is the blue whale, which can grow to over 100 feet long and 400,000 pounds.
Fun Facts about Vertebrates
Fishes are some the most interesting and varying types of animals in the animal kingdom.
What makes a fish a fish?
All fish are cold-blooded animals that live in the water. They have backbones, fins, and gills.
Types of Fish
Fish come in more varieties than any other group of vertebrate animals. There are 32,000 different species of fish. There are three major types or classes of fish including jawless, cartilaginous, and bony fish. An example of a jawless fish is the lamprey eel. Sharks are cartilaginous fish and the blue marlin is a bony fish.
Fish vary in all sorts of colors and sizes. Fish can be as large 40 ft long to 1/2 inch long. There are some animals that live in the water and we may think of as fish, but really aren't classified by scientists as fish. These include whales, dolphins, octopus, and jellyfish.
They Breath Water
All fish have gills that allow them to breathe water. Just like we use our lungs to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide from the air, the gills of a fish perform a similar function from water. So fish still need oxygen to live, they just get it from the water instead of the air.
Where do they live?
Fish live in nearly every large body of water in the world including streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans. Some fish live on the surface of the water and some live in the very depths of the ocean. There are fish that live in fresh water and others that live in salt water.
What do they eat?
Some fish eat plant life. They may scrape algae off rocks or eat plants that grow in the ocean or sea. Some fish, called predators, prey on other fish and animals. The shark is a noted predator that hunts for prey. Other predators lay in wait for their prey by hiding in the sand or rocks in order to ambush their prey.
Groups of fish
A group of fish is called a school. Some fish gather in schools so they are harder to catch. A predator will get confused when attacking a school and sometimes can't catch any fish at all. A loose grouping of fish is called a shoal.
Biggest, Smallest, Fastest
A lot of people like to have fish as pets. There are special aquariums and food you can get to take care of your fish. They can be fun to have and also beautiful to look at. Although they are fairly easy to take care of as pets, you will need to do some work. You need to keep the aquarium clean and make sure to feed your fish the proper amount each day.
Fun Facts About Fish
The main characteristic of a bird is feathers. No other animal has feathers. Other important features for birds are wings and hollow bones. Birds also lay eggs, like reptiles, however they are warm-blooded, like mammals.
What are Feathers?
Feathers are mad of keratin. This is the same stuff that fingernails are made of. At the center of the feather is a hollow shaft called the rachis. Connected to the shaft are lots of thin branches called barbs. Off of the barbs are even smaller branches called barbules. All of these branches make a light structure that an gather air to fly.
How do birds fly?
Birds fly by flapping their wings and using air pressure to create lift under their wings. Just like airplanes do. The peregrine falcon is one of the fastest birds. It can reach speeds of well over 100 miles per hour when diving.
Feathers are important to birds because they keep them warm, help them to fly, and provide camouflage. Hollow bones also help in flying because they help make the bird light enough to fly.
Not All Birds Fly
Although an important characteristic of most birds is flying, not all birds fly. Some birds that don't fly are penguins, kiwis, and ostriches. Penguins actually spend a good portion of time in the water where they are prolific swimmers. Ostriches on the other hand are very fast runners. An ostrich can outrun a horse!
Types of Birds
There are all sizes of birds. Hummingbirds are some of the smallest birds, while ostriches are some of the biggest. Different types of birds eat different things. Some birds feed on plants, some birds eat insects, and still others eat other animals like fish, snakes, or rodents.
Birds are also known for their massive migrating patterns. Some Birds will travel long distances each season to stay in a climate that is good for their survival. Birds are sometimes kept as pets. The most popular birds for pets are tropical birds like parrots. Birds also have a history of helping out humans in various tasks. They can carry messages (homing pigeons) and help hunt (falcons).
Fun Facts About Birds
Mammals are a particular class of animal. What makes an animal a mammal are several things. First, they must have glands that give milk. This is to feed their babies. Second, they are warm-blooded. Third, all mammals have fur or hair. Humans are mammals and so are dogs, whales, elephants, and horses. Most mammals have teeth with the exception of the ant eater which doesn't have any teeth.
Where do they live?
Mammals live in all sorts of environments including the ocean, underground, and on land. Some mammals, bats for example, can even fly.
Three Types of Mammals
Mammals are sometimes divided into three types based on how they give birth and take care of their young.
The largest mammal is the Blue Whale which lives in the ocean and can grow to over 80 feet long. The largest land mammal is the elephant followed by the rhino and the hippo (which does spend a lot of time in the water). The smallest mammal is the Kitty's hog-nosed bat. This bat is 1.2 inches long and weighs less than 1/2 a pound. It is also called the bumblebee bat.
Mammals Are Smart
Mammals have unique brains and are often very intelligent. Humans are the most intelligent. Other intelligent mammals include the dolphin, the elephant, the chimpanzee, and the pig. That's right, pigs are thought to be one of the smartest animals!
What do they eat?
Mammals that eat meat are called carnivores. Carnivores include lions, tigers, seals, and the largest carnivore mammal which is the polar bear. Mammals that eat only plants are called herbivores. Some herbivores are cows, elephants, and giraffes. Mammals that eat both meat and plants are called omnivores. Humans are omnivores.
Fun Facts About Mammals
Amphibians are a class of animals like reptiles, mammals, and birds. They live the first part of their lives in the water and the last part on the land. When they hatch from their eggs, amphibians have gills so they can breathe in the water. They also have fins to help them swim, just like fish. Later, their bodies change, growing legs and lungs enabling them to live on the land. The word "amphibian" means two-lives, one in the water and one on land.
Amphibians are Cold-blooded
Like fish and reptiles, amphibians and cold-blooded. This means their bodies don't automatically regulate their temperature. They must cool off and warm up by using their surroundings.
Growing up from Egg to Adult
Most amphibians hatch from eggs. After they hatch, their bodies are still in the larvae stage. In this stage they are very fish like. They have gills to breath under water and fins to swim with. As they grow older, their bodies undergo changes called metamorphosis. They can grow lungs to breathe air and limbs for walking on the ground. The transformation isn't the same in all amphibians, but they all go through some sort of metamorphosis.
Stages of a Frog
As an example of metamorphosis, we will look at the frog:
a) after hatching the frog is a tadpole with a tail and gills
b) it becomes a tadpole with two legs
c) a tadpole with four legs and a long tail
d) a froglet with a short tail
e) a full grown frog
Types of Amphibians
Amphibians have adapted to live in a number of different habitats including streams, forests, meadows, bogs, swamps, ponds, rainforests, and lakes. Most of them like to live in or near water and in damp areas.
What do they eat?
Adult amphibians are carnivores and predators. They eat a variety of food including spiders, beetles, and worms. Some of them, like frogs, have long tongues with sticky ends that they flick out to catch their prey.
The larvae of many amphibians mostly eat plants.
Big and Small
The largest amphibian is the Chinese Giant Salamander. It can grow to 6 feet long and weigh 140 pounds. The largest frog is the Goliath Frog which can grow to 15 inches long (not counting the legs) and weigh over 8 pounds.
The smallest amphibian is a frog called the paedophryne amauensis. It is also the world's smallest vertebrate animal. It is about 0.3 inches long.
Fun Facts about Amphibians
Reptiles are animals that are cold-blooded. Most reptiles lay eggs and their skin is covered with hard, dry scales.
What does cold-blooded mean?
Animals that are cold-blooded don't automatically maintain a constant body temperature. They have to lay out in the sun to keep their body heat up. This also means that reptiles don't burn as much energy keeping their body warm and, as a result, they don't have to eat nearly as much food as a similar sized mammal or other warm-blooded animal.
Types of Reptiles
There are many types of reptiles. The main categories are snakes, crocodiles and alligators, turtles, and lizards. Reptiles can be found on every continent except for Antarctica.
Biggest, Fastest, Smallest
There are a few major differences that separate reptiles and amphibians. Amphibians go through a larval stage, like the tadpole which turns into a frog. Reptiles don't do this. Also, their skin is different where reptiles have scales for skin, but amphibians have moist, glandular skin.
Some types of amphibians include frogs, salamanders, and toads.
Fun Facts About Reptiles
VERTEBRATES - VIDEO
Vertebrates are animals that have a backbone or spinal column, also called vertebrae. These animals include fish, birds, mammals, amphibians, and reptiles.
How are they classified?
Vertebrates are classified by the chordate subphylum vertebrata. Invertebrates are any other animal that is classified outside of that class.
Are there a lot of vertebrate species?
There are currently around 65,000 known species of vertebrate animals. This sounds like a lot, but vertebrates are only around 3% of all the animals on Earth. Most of the animal species are invertebrates.
What are some vertebrate animals?
- Fish - Fish are animals that live in the water. They have gills that allow them to breathe under water. Different species of fish may live in fresh water or salt water. Some examples of fish include the brook trout, the great white shark, lionfish, and the swordfish.
- Birds - Birds are animals that have feathers, wings, and lay eggs. Many, but not all, birds can fly. Some examples of bird species include the bald eagle, the cardinal, the flamingo, ostriches, and the red-tailed hawk.
- Mammals - Mammals are warm-blooded animals that nurse their young with milk and have fur or hair. Some examples of mammals include humans, dolphins, giraffes, horses, and spotted hyenas.
- Amphibians - Amphibians are cold-blooded animals. They start out their lives living in the water with gills just like fish. Later they develop lungs and can move to dry land. Amphibians include frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders.
- Reptiles - Reptiles are cold-blooded animals which lay eggs. Their skin is covered with hard and dry scales. Reptile species include alligators, crocodiles, snakes, lizards, and turtles.
Vertebrate animals can be either warm-blooded or cold-blooded. A cold-blooded animal cannot maintain a constant body temperature. The temperature of their body is determined by the outside surroundings. Cold-blooded animals will move around during the day between the shade and the sun to warm up or cool down. Cold-blooded animals are ectothermic, which means outside heat. Reptiles, amphibians, and fish are all cold-blooded.
Warm-blooded animals are able to regulate their internal temperature. They can sweat or pant to cool off and have fur and feathers to help keep them warm. Warm-blooded animals are called endothermic, meaning "heat inside". Only birds and mammals are warm-blooded.
Big and Small
The smallest vertebrate is thought to be a tiny frog called the Paedophryne amauensis. It only grows to about 0.3 inches long. The largest is the blue whale, which can grow to over 100 feet long and 400,000 pounds.
Fun Facts about Vertebrates
- The only mammals that lay eggs are monotremes such as the platypus and spiny anteater.
- There are reptiles that live on every continent except Antarctica.
- Most fish have skeletons make of bone, they are called bony fish. Other fish have skeletons made of cartilage. These include sharks and rays.
- Frogs can breathe through their skin.
- The shortest childhood of any mammal is the hooded seal. They are considered adults when they are just four days old.
- Vertebrates tend to be much more intelligent than invertebrates.
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What makes a fish a fish?
All fish are cold-blooded animals that live in the water. They have backbones, fins, and gills.
Types of Fish
Fish come in more varieties than any other group of vertebrate animals. There are 32,000 different species of fish. There are three major types or classes of fish including jawless, cartilaginous, and bony fish. An example of a jawless fish is the lamprey eel. Sharks are cartilaginous fish and the blue marlin is a bony fish.
Fish vary in all sorts of colors and sizes. Fish can be as large 40 ft long to 1/2 inch long. There are some animals that live in the water and we may think of as fish, but really aren't classified by scientists as fish. These include whales, dolphins, octopus, and jellyfish.
They Breath Water
All fish have gills that allow them to breathe water. Just like we use our lungs to exchange oxygen for carbon dioxide from the air, the gills of a fish perform a similar function from water. So fish still need oxygen to live, they just get it from the water instead of the air.
Where do they live?
Fish live in nearly every large body of water in the world including streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and oceans. Some fish live on the surface of the water and some live in the very depths of the ocean. There are fish that live in fresh water and others that live in salt water.
What do they eat?
Some fish eat plant life. They may scrape algae off rocks or eat plants that grow in the ocean or sea. Some fish, called predators, prey on other fish and animals. The shark is a noted predator that hunts for prey. Other predators lay in wait for their prey by hiding in the sand or rocks in order to ambush their prey.
Groups of fish
A group of fish is called a school. Some fish gather in schools so they are harder to catch. A predator will get confused when attacking a school and sometimes can't catch any fish at all. A loose grouping of fish is called a shoal.
Biggest, Smallest, Fastest
- The biggest, or heaviest, fish is the ocean sunfish which can weigh as much as 5,000 pounds.
- The longest fish is the whale shark which has been known to grow to over 40 feet long.
- The fastest fish is a sailfish which can swim as fast as 68 miles per hour.
- The smallest fish is the dwarf goby at only 9mm long.
A lot of people like to have fish as pets. There are special aquariums and food you can get to take care of your fish. They can be fun to have and also beautiful to look at. Although they are fairly easy to take care of as pets, you will need to do some work. You need to keep the aquarium clean and make sure to feed your fish the proper amount each day.
Fun Facts About Fish
- Whales can't swim backwards.
- A jellyfish isn't really a fish.
- A few fish, like the spotted climbing perch, are able to breathe oxygen from the air.
- Many fish have an internal air bladder that helps them to float. Those that don't, like sharks, must swim or they will sink.
- Baby sharks are called pups.
- An electric eel can produce a powerful jolt of electricity of up to 600 volts.
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Back to Animals
What is it that makes an animal a bird? The main characteristic of a bird is feathers. No other animal has feathers. Other important features for birds are wings and hollow bones. Birds also lay eggs, like reptiles, however they are warm-blooded, like mammals.
What are Feathers?
Feathers are mad of keratin. This is the same stuff that fingernails are made of. At the center of the feather is a hollow shaft called the rachis. Connected to the shaft are lots of thin branches called barbs. Off of the barbs are even smaller branches called barbules. All of these branches make a light structure that an gather air to fly.
Birds fly by flapping their wings and using air pressure to create lift under their wings. Just like airplanes do. The peregrine falcon is one of the fastest birds. It can reach speeds of well over 100 miles per hour when diving.
Feathers are important to birds because they keep them warm, help them to fly, and provide camouflage. Hollow bones also help in flying because they help make the bird light enough to fly.
Not All Birds Fly
Although an important characteristic of most birds is flying, not all birds fly. Some birds that don't fly are penguins, kiwis, and ostriches. Penguins actually spend a good portion of time in the water where they are prolific swimmers. Ostriches on the other hand are very fast runners. An ostrich can outrun a horse!
Types of Birds
There are all sizes of birds. Hummingbirds are some of the smallest birds, while ostriches are some of the biggest. Different types of birds eat different things. Some birds feed on plants, some birds eat insects, and still others eat other animals like fish, snakes, or rodents.
Birds are also known for their massive migrating patterns. Some Birds will travel long distances each season to stay in a climate that is good for their survival. Birds are sometimes kept as pets. The most popular birds for pets are tropical birds like parrots. Birds also have a history of helping out humans in various tasks. They can carry messages (homing pigeons) and help hunt (falcons).
Fun Facts About Birds
- An ostrich can run as fast as 43 miles per hour and grow as tall as 9 feet.
- Blue birds can't see the color blue.
- The hummingbird can fly backwards, but it can't walk.
- Condor shells are so thick, it can take a chick a week to break out from its shell.
- The egg of a kiwi can weigh as much as 20% of the mother's body weight.
- A pelican's bill can hold up to three gallons of water.
- Sometimes vultures eat so much they can't fly.
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Back to Animals
What makes an animal a mammal? Mammals are a particular class of animal. What makes an animal a mammal are several things. First, they must have glands that give milk. This is to feed their babies. Second, they are warm-blooded. Third, all mammals have fur or hair. Humans are mammals and so are dogs, whales, elephants, and horses. Most mammals have teeth with the exception of the ant eater which doesn't have any teeth.
Where do they live?
Mammals live in all sorts of environments including the ocean, underground, and on land. Some mammals, bats for example, can even fly.
Three Types of Mammals
Mammals are sometimes divided into three types based on how they give birth and take care of their young.
- Live young - Most mammals give birth to live young (instead of laying eggs like birds or reptiles). These mammals are called placental mammals.
- Marsupials - Marsupials are special types of mammals that carry their young in a pouch. Some marsupials include the kangaroo, the koala, and the opossum.
- Egg laying - A few mammals lay eggs, they are called monotremes. Monotremes include the platypus and the long-nosed spiny anteater.
The largest mammal is the Blue Whale which lives in the ocean and can grow to over 80 feet long. The largest land mammal is the elephant followed by the rhino and the hippo (which does spend a lot of time in the water). The smallest mammal is the Kitty's hog-nosed bat. This bat is 1.2 inches long and weighs less than 1/2 a pound. It is also called the bumblebee bat.
Mammals Are Smart
Mammals have unique brains and are often very intelligent. Humans are the most intelligent. Other intelligent mammals include the dolphin, the elephant, the chimpanzee, and the pig. That's right, pigs are thought to be one of the smartest animals!
What do they eat?
Mammals that eat meat are called carnivores. Carnivores include lions, tigers, seals, and the largest carnivore mammal which is the polar bear. Mammals that eat only plants are called herbivores. Some herbivores are cows, elephants, and giraffes. Mammals that eat both meat and plants are called omnivores. Humans are omnivores.
Fun Facts About Mammals
- A giraffe's tongue is 20 inches long. They use it to clean their own ears.
- A hard working mole can dig a hole up to 300 feet deep over night.
- A whale's heart beats very slowly. As slow as once every 6 seconds.
- Beavers can hold their breath for up to 15 minutes.
- Drivers actually kill more deer than hunters do.
- There are over 4,200 species of mammals.
- Even though it has a hump, a camel's spine is straight.
- Cheetahs can run as fast as 70 miles per hour.
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Back to Animals
What are amphibians? Amphibians are a class of animals like reptiles, mammals, and birds. They live the first part of their lives in the water and the last part on the land. When they hatch from their eggs, amphibians have gills so they can breathe in the water. They also have fins to help them swim, just like fish. Later, their bodies change, growing legs and lungs enabling them to live on the land. The word "amphibian" means two-lives, one in the water and one on land.
Amphibians are Cold-blooded
Like fish and reptiles, amphibians and cold-blooded. This means their bodies don't automatically regulate their temperature. They must cool off and warm up by using their surroundings.
Growing up from Egg to Adult
Most amphibians hatch from eggs. After they hatch, their bodies are still in the larvae stage. In this stage they are very fish like. They have gills to breath under water and fins to swim with. As they grow older, their bodies undergo changes called metamorphosis. They can grow lungs to breathe air and limbs for walking on the ground. The transformation isn't the same in all amphibians, but they all go through some sort of metamorphosis.
Stages of a Frog
As an example of metamorphosis, we will look at the frog:
a) after hatching the frog is a tadpole with a tail and gills
b) it becomes a tadpole with two legs
c) a tadpole with four legs and a long tail
d) a froglet with a short tail
e) a full grown frog
Types of Amphibians
- Frogs - Frogs are amphibians of the order anura. They generally have a short body, webbed fingers and toes, bulging eyes, and no tail. Frogs are good jumpers with long powerful legs. Toads are a type of frog. Two species of frogs are the American bullfrog and the poison dart frog.
- Salamanders - Salamanders look a bit like lizards. They have skinny bodies, short legs, and long tails. Salamanders can re-grow lost limbs and other body parts. They like wet, moist areas like wetlands. A newt is a type of salamander.
- Caecilians - Caecilians are amphibians that don't have legs or arms. They look a lot like snakes or worms. Some of them can be long and reach lengths of over 4 feet. They have a strong skull and a pointed nose to help them burrow through dirt and mud.
Amphibians have adapted to live in a number of different habitats including streams, forests, meadows, bogs, swamps, ponds, rainforests, and lakes. Most of them like to live in or near water and in damp areas.
What do they eat?
Adult amphibians are carnivores and predators. They eat a variety of food including spiders, beetles, and worms. Some of them, like frogs, have long tongues with sticky ends that they flick out to catch their prey.
The larvae of many amphibians mostly eat plants.
Big and Small
The largest amphibian is the Chinese Giant Salamander. It can grow to 6 feet long and weigh 140 pounds. The largest frog is the Goliath Frog which can grow to 15 inches long (not counting the legs) and weigh over 8 pounds.
The smallest amphibian is a frog called the paedophryne amauensis. It is also the world's smallest vertebrate animal. It is about 0.3 inches long.
Fun Facts about Amphibians
- Most amphibians have thin, moist skin that helps them to breathe.
- Amphibians are considered vertebrates as they have a backbone.
- Frogs swallow their food whole. The size of what they can eat is determined by the size of their mouths and their stomach.
- Frogs cannot live in salt water.
- All amphibians have gills, some only as larvae and others for their entire lives.
- It is a myth that you can get warts from touching a frog or toad.
- A group of frogs is called an army.
- An Amphibian's skin absorbs air and water. This makes them very sensitive to air and water pollution.
- The world amphibian population is in decline.
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Back to Animals
What is a reptile? Reptiles are animals that are cold-blooded. Most reptiles lay eggs and their skin is covered with hard, dry scales.
What does cold-blooded mean?
Animals that are cold-blooded don't automatically maintain a constant body temperature. They have to lay out in the sun to keep their body heat up. This also means that reptiles don't burn as much energy keeping their body warm and, as a result, they don't have to eat nearly as much food as a similar sized mammal or other warm-blooded animal.
Types of Reptiles
There are many types of reptiles. The main categories are snakes, crocodiles and alligators, turtles, and lizards. Reptiles can be found on every continent except for Antarctica.
- Alligators and crocodiles look slow, but can move very quickly when attacking.
- Snakes are legless reptiles. They move along the ground by flexing their body and can move very quickly despite not having legs. Only a small percentage of snakes are poisonous. Many snakes are constrictors, meaning that they squeeze their prey with their bodies until the animal is dead or immobile. Then they swallow it whole. If the meal is large enough, a snake can go weeks or even months without needing to eat again.
- Lizards are similar to snakes, but with legs.
- Turtles are reptiles with a big shell to protect them. Some Turtles can live for more than 100 years.
Biggest, Fastest, Smallest
- The biggest reptile is the salt water crocodile. These reptiles can grow to 2,000 pounds and 12 ½ feet long.
- The Green Anaconda is the heaviest snake, while the Reticulated Python is the longest snake.
- The biggest lizard is the Komodo Dragon.
- The largest turtle is the leatherback turtle which can weigh 1,800 pounds with an 8 foot long shell.
- The smallest reptile is thought to be the mini chameleon from Madagascar which only grows to just over an inch in length.
- The smallest snake is the thread snake which can only grow to around 4 inches long.
- The fastest reptile is the spiny tailed iguana which can run up to 20 miles per hour. The fastest snake is the Black Mamba.
There are a few major differences that separate reptiles and amphibians. Amphibians go through a larval stage, like the tadpole which turns into a frog. Reptiles don't do this. Also, their skin is different where reptiles have scales for skin, but amphibians have moist, glandular skin.
Some types of amphibians include frogs, salamanders, and toads.
Fun Facts About Reptiles
- Crocodiles have been known to swallow rocks so they can dive deeper into the water.
- A frog (which is an amphibian) can not only breathe through its lungs, but also through its skin.
- Some snakes have over 300 pairs of ribs.
- The shell of a turtle is made up of a bunch of bones (around 60) all connected together.
- Turtles have no ears to hear with, but they are thought to have excellent eye sight and sense of smell. They can also feel vibrations from loud sounds.
- Lizards and snakes smell with their tongues.
DRAW A CONCEPT MAP OF THE VERTEBRATE CLASSIFICATION OF ANIMALS - project
MATERIALS FOR PROJECT
- plain paper
- pencil
- colored pencils
- ruler
- notebook paper
- plan out size of bubble & keep consistent
- use ruler to draw lines for connecting bubbles
- use notebook paper to do a rough draft
- you must show Mrs. Remis rough draft by Friday, 2/7 (10 points)
- turn paper landscape position; fold shutter style
- (Mrs. Remis will give you the paper after rough draft check)
- Start with the first bubble labeled = ANIMAL KINGDOM
- VERTEBRATE (bubble)
- WARM-BLOODED & COLD-BLOODED (bubbles)
- under each type of vertebrate class; add at least 2 bubbles for each specific main characteristics
- (hair, lay eggs)
- neatness is a must!
- color bubbles (use only color pencils!) - color each specific vertebrate class information same color
- (reptiles - red or birds - green)
- End the bubble flow an animal name (ape, cardinal)
- you may use your notes & this site to help you complete a thorough concept map
DUE DATE: FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14 - start of class - turn into class drawer
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