Lizards

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

Lizards are reptiles.

This means they are cold-blooded, have scales, lay eggs, and are vertebrates.

When an animal is cold-blooded, it needs to find ways to regulate its body temperature. For example, if a lizard gets too cold, its body will slow down; when this happens a lizard will bask in the sunlight to warm up. If the lizard gets too hot, it will find shade to cool its body down.

Lizards have scales just like snakes, turtles, alligators, and crocodiles. Their scales help protect them from predators.

All reptiles lay eggs. This means lizards hatch from eggs and lay eggs.

Finally, lizards are vertebrates. This means they have a backbone.

Lizards can be found all over the world. They are found everywhere except Antarctica. It is too cold for lizards to live there. Look at the picture of the lizard below. What do you notice about the colors of the lizard? Share your answer with your parent or teacher.

You may have noticed its bright orange, green, and blue scales. Lizards come in all different shapes and sizes. Some lizards, like bearded dragons, have excellent camouflaging abilities. They are a light tan color. This allows them to blend in with their desert environment. Some lizards, like chameleons and anoles, will change their color based on their mood, temperature, and health. For example, a chameleon will turn its scales to a darker color to help it warm up. Its dark scales absorb more sunlight than when its scales are a light color.

Lizards can regenerate, or regrow, their tails. Geckos are a great example of lizards that can regrow their tails. If a gecko is in danger, it will break part of its tail off and make a run for it!

Why do you think a lizard might want to lose its tail? Discuss your answer with your parent or teacher.

The reason lizards lose their tails is to distract their predators. The wiggling, detached tail distracts predators while the rest of the lizard escapes. After the lizard's narrow escape, the lizard will spend weeks regenerating (regrowing) its own tail.

Lizards can be herbivores (plant eaters), carnivores (meat eaters), and omnivores (plant and meat eaters). Each lizard has a different type of diet. For example, an iguana is an herbivore. Iguanas eat plants like lettuce, kale, carrots, and peas. Most lizards eat plants, insects, small mammals, and eggs. If you have ever owned a pet lizard, you might have fed it crickets! Crickets are a popular food source for lizards in the wild and lizards in your home!

Tell your parent or teacher one example of something lizards eat, then move on to the next section.