Teacher sheet · Ages 6–7 · about 45–50 minutes
Scales or slime?
Lesson page: echoesof.science/school/reptiles-amphibians/ages-6-7/ · Pupil worksheet: echoesof.science/school/reptiles-amphibians/ages-6-7/print/
Learning aims
- Name some amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders) and reptiles (snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodiles).
- Reptiles have dry, scaly skin; amphibians have moist skin and can breathe through it.
- Frogs start life as tadpoles in water.
- Reptiles and amphibians warm up in the sun and cool down in the shade.
Lesson plan
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
| 5 min | Starter: show a picture of a frog and a lizard. What is the same? What is different? |
| 5 min | Set up the sponge experiment so it can wait. |
| 10 min | Read the text together. |
| 5 min | Reptile or amphibian? game on the board. |
| 5 min | Quiz. |
| 5 min | Later: check the sponges and talk about them. |
Materials for the experiment
- Two kitchen sponges or folded paper towels of the same size
- Cling film (food wrap)
- A cup of water
- A plate or tray
Safety: Use only clean tap water. Wipe up drips so nobody slips. Never put cling film near your mouth or nose.
Common misconceptions
| Pupils may think… | Actually… |
|---|---|
| Snakes are slimy. | Snakes have dry, scaly skin; amphibians like frogs have moist skin. |
| Lizards and salamanders are the same kind of animal. | They look alike, but a salamander is an amphibian with wet skin and a lizard is a reptile with scales. |
| A tadpole is a fish. | A tadpole is a young frog; it changes into a frog. |
Worksheet answers
- Drawing showing eggs (in jelly), a tadpole with a tail, and a frog with legs.
- Scales.
- To warm up: it gets its heat from the sun / its surroundings.
Quiz answers
- Which animal is an amphibian? A frog. Frogs, toads and salamanders are amphibians.[3]
- What covers a reptile's skin? Scales. Reptiles have dry, scaly skin.[3]
- What is a baby frog called? A tadpole. A tadpole lives in water and has a tail.[1]
- How can a frog breathe? Through its skin and with its mouth. Amphibians can breathe through their wet skin.[1]
- A lizard feels cold in the morning. What does it do? It sits in the sun to warm up. Reptiles warm up in the sun.[3]
Going further
Make a class poster of the frog life cycle with arrows. If your school has a pond, look (do not touch) for frog spawn or tadpoles in spring.
Sources used in this lesson
- [1] Biology 2e, 29.3 Amphibians (OpenStax (Rice University)): reliability High
- [2] Biology 2e, 29.4 Reptiles (OpenStax (Rice University)): reliability High
- [3] Reptiles and amphibians: introduction, distribution and life history (U.S. National Park Service): reliability High
Full list with links and a note on each source's reliability: echoesof.science/school/reptiles-amphibians/sources/
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