School Presentation

I'm going to take my beardies and my ball to my kids' school for a brief presentation. What information about balls would you include if you were addressing 3rd and 4th graders?

I'm thinking about using that opportunity to teach the kids how to identify the 3 or 4 venomous snakes that are indigenous to our area, but I may be spreading myself too thin.

The main point of the whole presentation will be about doing thorough research on any animal before bringing it home as a pet.

Whatcha think?

Thats cool... Here ya go..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_python

just kidding!! :D

Well, I would keep it pretty simple for 3rd and 4th graders. You're right that talking about the venomous snakes might be too much. Good idea though and you can be prepared to talk about it a little if a child asks the question.

Some things I would talk about are where these reptiles are found in the wild (do you have a map you can put up to show them?) and what they eat in the wild and in captivity and how that might be different and how their metabolism is different from ours allowing them to only eat once a week. Plus some interesting facts like how a bp's eyes "blue" before shedding, how they constrict their prey, etc.

3rd and 4th graders are pretty easy to entertain - you should have fun!

I'd also talk about their "smelling" differences, and how they can "see" heat. Bringing in a complete shed is also really fun. You could ask them were their lungs are and then show them were the snake's lungs are, and how long they are, too.

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Originally Posted by musicalKeyes

I'd also talk about their "smelling" differences, and how they can "see" heat. Bringing in a complete shed is also really fun. You could ask them were their lungs are and then show them were the snake's lungs are, and how long they are, too.

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Excellent ideas!

Here's a few other tidbits (at least about bp's - don't know anything about beardies, lol):

Bp's can see uv light and so a rat's urine lights up to them. They can detect differences in temperature of .02* celsius thanks to the heat pits on their nose. They can pick up the most minute of light sources so they can see clearly even in the pitch dark. Their urine is solid waste because their bodies have to conserve water in a dry environment. They don't have eyelids - their eyes are covered with special "eye cap" scales.

I talk about where they come from....and how they live and what they eat and of course how they eat. I also bring up the whole venemous thing and not poisinous. (totally spelled those wrong...sorry :rolleyes:) I also take the time to talk about being a good pet parent and doing their research on their pets to find out their true needs. Kids at that age are very computer literate!!

Also and this is a biggie....YOU WILL GET THIS QUESTION AND HERE IS WHAT YOU SAY...

Little Johnny - how do you know its a boy or a girl?

You - The same way you know you are a boy or a girl!!

Seriously....I get this question everytime and the first time my eyes went like this...:O..ummmmm. :rofl: That is the best and easiest answer. Trust me you DO NOT want to get into a hemipenes convo with 3rd and 4th graders.

You will also get do they bite? I just let them know everything has the capability to bite...including crickets. If that is the only way to defend yourself...then what do you do. But that my snakes and beardie are very ppl friendly and we have never had that issue unless you smell like a mouse!!;) I also talk about how our skin stretches as they grow but scales do not therefore they shed...blah blah blah. You get the picture.


Evenstar....I totally did not know that about beardie lids...so cool!! Also beardies have a six sense...called the Jacobson sense. It is in the top of their mouth...hence they touch things with their tongue and then touch the roof of their mouth. I think that is soooooooooo awesome!!

Michelle, were you referring to the "eye cap" scales in regard to the beardie eye lids? If so, I meant that about ball pythons - not beardies, lol! ;) I don't know a thing about beardies. I've never kept them. Sorry if my post wasn't clear!

That's very cool about the Jacobson sense though! Interesting that cats and dogs will "smell" things with their tongues too! Learn something new every day!

LoL!

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

Michelle, were you referring to the "eye cap" scales in regard to the beardie eye lids? If so, I meant that about ball pythons - not beardies, lol! ;) I don't know a thing about beardies. I've never kept them. Sorry if my post wasn't clear!

That's very cool about the Jacobson sense though! Interesting that cats and dogs will "smell" things with their tongues too! Learn something new every day!

LoL!

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omg too funny...:rofl:...I got my lil beardie out and was like...wow...that is so cool. Looks like an eyelid....:rofl:

Trust me...this was another one of my exceptional blonde moments!!

I have 4 nephews ranging from the 5-9 age area. And the one thing that blows all of their minds is how hey don't have eyelids hehe. Stuff like that and how they use their tongue to hunt and are able to do so in pitch black is really cool to them and also not too hard to understand for the the lower age levels. Just a couple things that worked for me!

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Originally Posted by BPelizabeth

omg too funny...:rofl:...I got my lil beardie out and was like...wow...that is so cool. Looks like an eyelid....:rofl:

Trust me...this was another one of my exceptional blonde moments!!

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:rofl: I can just picture you looking your beardie in the eyes and him going "what.....???" :rofl::8::rofl:

:gj:

We do this every year at my daughter and son's school. I have one question that you need to have the answer for, because we get it every year, and the first time I didn't know the answer.

Why is a snake's tongue forked? Man, I didn't have the answer to that, but I do now.

p.s. You would be amazed at what a 3rd/4th grader will know, and want to ask. As long as you don't get to heavy into genetics, they pretty much want to know everything you can research.

Good luck,

Ooo Ooo Ooo! I know I know!

A snake's tongue is forked so it can tell which way a rodent is traveling! No kidding!

Sorry, I'm a little slap happy after the beardie eyelid thing - that was just classic.... ;)

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Originally Posted by Evenstar

Ooo Ooo Ooo! I know I know!

A snake's tongue is forked so it can tell which way a rodent is traveling! No kidding!

Sorry, I'm a little slap happy after the beardie eyelid thing - that was just classic.... ;)

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:rolleyes:....welcome to my husband's world....:8:

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Originally Posted by BPelizabeth

:rolleyes:....welcome to my husband's world....:8:

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Mine too......... :rolleyes:

Hey, thanks everyone! I was pretty much going to cover what everyone has said, but I did learn a few tidbits from this thread! Onyx left me a beautiful full shed just last week, so I have a fresh one to show.

But to those of you who say keep it simple for 3rd and 4th graders...I don't think you realize how smart kids that age are! My own kids are 8 and 10, and I don't dumb down anything to explain to them, whether we're talking about the environmental effects of the oil spill or their algebra homework (yes, my 4th grader does algebra!).

Thanks again!

Alot of these points are really good. I do a rolling presentation (they bring a class or two then march them out and bring in another all day long!) each year at the local middle school. These kids are a little older but I also did presentations for our brownie troop. Here is what I do.

I talk about the natural history like, where they are from, what they eat, how they live, diurnal/nocturnal (you can use these terms just define them for the kids), weither they lay eggs or give live birth and how they (ball pythons) coil around the eggs. Then I talk about what they eat and how to keep them in captivity properly. I always use the real terms when I talk to the kids like the "pits on their noses" are called labial pits. Kids aren't stupid and can pick up vocab pretty quickly you just have to define the terms for them. Don't worry about hemipenes and reproductive organs if the kids haven't learned the how mammals reproduce it would be a little overwhelming for them (I think).

Definately bring a globe so you can show where the animals come from in relation to where they live. You can also talk about the weather where they are from in the natural history portion. Kids are really fun to do presentations for just keep in mind alot of the "questions" may be statements like their uncle shot a rattlesnake or what not.

I you need any help setting up the presentation just pm or email me and I will be happy to help you out.

kellysballs@me.com

Good Luck!
Kelly