School Presentation

[muddoc]

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,

[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....

[BPelizabeth]

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....

....welcome to my husband's world....

[Evenstar]

....welcome to my husband's world....

Mine too.........

[Nasubi77]

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!

[kellysballs]

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