Compare Reptiles and Amphibians
By ColorWillow
Look closely at a snake, sea turtle, frog and axolotl. Use picture clues and short facts to compare two animal groups without guessing from where they live.
Print the project sheets
Choose the paper size loaded in your printer. Print at actual size (100%) so the pieces match the measurements in this guide.
What you will need
- Matching A4 or Letter paper; crayons or colored pencils; ruler. For cutting, child-appropriate scissors and adult help. Glue is optional.
Look for picture clues
The four-page file contains instructions and facts, four observation cards, a comparison board and a reference. Point to a shell, legs, tail or feathery gills before coloring.
Meet the two animal groups
Snakes and sea turtles are reptiles; frogs and axolotls are amphibians. Reptiles have scales or scutes. The snake’s drawn patches are markings, not a scale-counting diagram.
Use facts as well as pictures
An axolotl is a salamander that usually keeps external gills and lives in water. A sea turtle living in water is still a reptile. Moist skin cannot be proved by looking at a line drawing.
Group and compare
Use the facts to put the snake and turtle together, and the frog and axolotl together. Say one similarity and one difference. Use whole cards without cutting; do not catch or handle live animals.