Saturday, March 26, 2011

Snakes... Why did it have to be snakes?!?!?!

We are starting a unit on the Animal Kingdom. We began with reptiles, with a focus on...
Last Saturday, we went on a field trip to the Reptile Discovery Center in Deland, Fl.  Their website is down but the video shows you all you that it is about. We got to see a lot of reptiles; alligators, iguanas, turtles, and snakes. We watched them "milk" 4 species of snake; Corals, Rattlers, Cotton Mouths, and Cobras. It was so amazing. They also got to hold a young alligator and a Ball Python.

Normally we take a field trip after we studied a subject but this week didn't work out like that and I accidentally made a happy discovery. They are more eager to learn about a subject when they have already done the field trip. I gave each of my boys a book to read this week. Skittles got Usborne Discovery Snakes  which I got from my friend. I gave it to him to read on his own. It is not what I would consider a "living book" but how can a book about snakes EVER be boring? He LOVED it! He read it cover to cover and spent the whole week rattling off snake facts. (Pun there only kind of intended) It is also an internet linked book so he was able to go to the Usborne website and connect to other information on snakes. 

If  you want something a little more living, book wise I mean, don't worry, I did not mean a LIVE SNAKE. Mary Pope Osborne just released a book called Crazy Day with Cobras. It has an accompanying research guide like the Mummies one I told you about. We did not go that route for 2 very good reasons. First, we were already doing the Mummy book and research guide. I didn't want too much going on. Second, I had no idea that  there was a Magic Tree House snake book. Otherwise I might have waited a week until we finished our Egypt Unit and then let him dive into Crazy Day with Cobras. After all my 1st just LOVES Cobras for some reason. 

Twizzler and I read one of my very favorite children's books Verdi. If you are unfamiliar with the book, it is about a little vine snake who starts out yellow and does everything he can to not grow up and turn green. It was perfect for him. He has some serious Peter Pan issues. I never knew a kid who didn't want to grow up until I had one of my own. Aren't most kids in a rush to get bigger??? I always wanted to grow up. I remember childhood seemed to take forever. I don't understand why he doesn't want to grow up. He is obviously wise beyond his years but I can't tell him that. After all growing up is inevitable. Sorry, I forgot what I was talking about. Oh ya, Verdi has beautiful illustrations and is well written. Check it out!

Here are some other snake crafts and activities by DLTK Crafts.

Oh and BTW, in reference to the title of this blog, I LOVE snakes. I just love Indiana Jones quotes too.

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