Real Science Programs
This common American Toad uses its long sticky tongue to catch the insects that make up its diet.
The alligator snapping turtle's worm-like tongue serves as a built-in fishing lure. The turtle sits stone still, opens its mouth and wiggles its tongue to draw fish in close enough for the kill.
The Bullfrog is the largest frog in North America. It's favorite food is other frogs!
This Mexican Milk Snake looks like a venomous Coral Snake, but it is harmless. Even so, warning coloration protects the this snake from predators. When a harmless animal imitates a dangerous one it is called mimicry.
Scaly Squamates
Grade Levels 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Science Concepts Evolutionary relationships, Classification of animals, Adaptations to ecosystems, Predator and prey adaptations
Animals Featured Green Iguana, Bearded Dragon, Veiled Chameleon, Monitor Lizard, Boa Constrictor, Milk Snake, Hognose Snake, Black Rat Snake, Timber Rattlesnake, Northern Copperhead.
Squamata means scale and is the scientific name for the group that accounts for 95% of all living reptile species, the lizards and snakes. Although snakes and lizards have their differences, they are actually very closely related. This program uses live animals to explore the evolutionary relationship between snakes and lizards and examine a variety of adaptations including tails that fall off, tongues used for smell, and teeth that inject venom. The magic of video technology enhances this program with live close-up views of the leftover leg bones in the Boa Constrictor, video clips of the Skink’s tail falling off, and pictures of the Chameleon’s radical color changes. More information about the program is listed in the box to the right.
Grade Levels: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Science Concepts: Characteristics of animal groups, Animal life cycles, Adaptation and evolution, Reproduction and heredity
Animals Featured: Tarantula, Scorpion, Hissing Cockroach, Bull Frog, Slimy Salamander, Common Snapping Turtle, Monitor Lizard, Boa Constrictor, Green Snake, Corn Snake, American Alligator
Real live animals illustrate the incredible diversity of the animal kingdom in this awesome presentation that can be tailored to fit any age group. The program features live arthropods, amphibians and reptiles to compare some of the amazing adaptations and life cycles found in animals and to show how scientists group animals based on their similarities and differences. For example, amphibians lose water through their moist slimy skin while the dry scaly skin of reptiles is a waterproof . This is an adaptation to protect reptiles from drying out. The video technology enhances this program with live close-up views, videos clips and pictures. An ordinary tarantula can be transformed into a monster that fills a six-foot screen right before your very eyes! More information about the program is listed in the box to the right.
Grade levels: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Science Concepts: Comparing ecosystems, Adaptation and evolution, Human effect on ecosystems, Extinction, Animal diversity
Animals Featured: Green Iguana, Boa Constrictor, Monitor Lizard, Bearded Dragon, Garter Snake, Black King Snake, Black Rat Snake, Box Turtle, Softshell Turtle, Alligator Snapping Turtle, African Clawed Frog, Bullfrog.
Travel
from your own back yard to exotic ecosystems around the world with the
live animals featured in this exciting presentation . The hour-long
program compares different ecosystems and the animals that live in them,
focusing on adaptations that help animals survive in their environment.
It also examines human impact on the environment and extinction. Video
technology enhances this program with close up views of the adaptations
along with video and pictures that illustrate the different ecosystems and
habitats the animals live in.
Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Science Concepts: Predators and prey, Food chains and food webs, Adaptation and evolution, Inter-dependence
Animals Featured: Green Snake, Milk Snake, Corn Snakes, Green Iguana, Box Turtle, Hognose Snake, American Toad, Alligator Snapping Turtle, King Snake, Timber Rattlesnake, Copperhead
Energy
is an essential element of survival and wild animals are locked together
in a constant struggle to find food and to avoid being eaten.
This program focuses on the amazing adaptations
that that enable
predators to capture
prey and those
that protect prey from
predators.
Live animals are
used to bring these
adaptations to life, to
illustrate the food
chain, to
explain natural selection,
and to demonstrate interdependence.
The
video technology which enhances this program
includes
some awesome video clips of the animals eating and a live view of pond
plankton through a video microscope.
