Educator's Guide to the Assembly Program: ALIVE! www.reptilesAlive.com ©ReptilesAlive! LLC 1/14 Educator’s Guide to the Assembly Program: “Desert Reptiles Alive!”

Program Overview “Desert Reptiles Alive!” introduces students to a world of extremes. Extreme heat, extreme cold, extreme droughts, and floods all occur in . Deserts are home to many unusual , including a variety of reptiles. Join us in learning how reptiles have adapted to survive in ever changing conditions.

This guide provides materials that will aid students in getting the best out of the “Desert Reptiles Alive!” program, and includes: desert and facts; vocabulary; and suggested resources and activities which can be adapted for different grade levels.

Below is a list of possible animals your audience might meet during this program: Depending on the duration of your program, students will meet 5-6 animals (30 minute show) or 7-8 animals (45 minute show). For more details on individual animals, visit http://reptilesalive.com/animals/animals.htm

1. Amphibians American Toad or African Bullfrog

2. Invertebrates Haitian Brown Tarantula

3. Bearded Dragon Blue Tongued Skink Leopard Gecko Savannah Monitor Sudan Plated Uromastyx

4. Snakes www.reptilesAlive.com ©ReptilesAlive! LLC 2/14

California King Snake Kenyan Sand Boa Pacific Gopher Snake Western Hognose Snake

5. Turtles Leopard Tortoise Russian (aka Central Asian) Tortoise

Deserts Around The World

Every continent has deserts. is one big desert. Types of Deserts

Deserts are habitats characterized by an extremely low annual rainfall (250 mm or 9.84 in.). Deserts cover more than 20% of the planet’s surface and no two deserts are the same. While there are many ways to classify deserts, with varying specificity, it is simplest to categorize them into four basic types: hot & dry, semi- arid, coastal, and cold. Hot & Dry www.reptilesAlive.com ©ReptilesAlive! LLC 3/14

Hot and dry deserts are hot all year with little seasonal change. Rain may occur seasonally but is typically extremely heavy and brief. These deserts are usually either rocky or sandy, making it challenging for plant life to survive. Semi-arid Semi-arid deserts have a slightly higher humidity than hot and dry Deserts come in many different forms but deserts, mostly caused by dew fall, or most are predominantly sand. overnight condensation. These deserts also tend to have a reliable winter rainfall. Soil conditions are sandy or rocky, similar to hot and dry deserts. Coastal Coastal deserts are found in coastal locations in the tropical regions of the world. These deserts are highly variable because of where they are situated, and while some may have relatively high rainfall, this category also includes the world’s driest desert (see below). They are also characterized by long summer conditions and a brief but notable cool winter season. These deserts can be found to support a high diversity of life. Cold Cold deserts are classified by low temperatures all year, often dropping below freezing during the winter months. These deserts experience relatively more rainfall than other deserts but the primary source of moisture is snow. Most of these deserts occur near the and Antarctic circles or at high elevations. Because of the low temperatures, only hardy plant life, such as grasses and mosses, can survive.

Extreme Conditions The in Chile is the driest place in the world. The desert as a whole tends to get rain only once every 100 years. This causes the average rainfall to drop below 1 cm per year. There are even some places in the desert that have not experienced rain in over 400 years. The Atacama is also the highest desert in the world at an elevation of 13,000 feet above sea level. Despite all of these extremes, there are people living in the Atacama. The hottest place on the planet is the Dallol Depression, a desert in Ethiopia. Everything about it seems unwelcoming, as there are huge sulfur flats, active www.reptilesAlive.com ©ReptilesAlive! LLC 4/14

volcanoes, earthquakes and blazing sunlight. The highest temperature ever recorded there was 145° F. It may be surprising, but a desert also holds the world record for the coldest temperature ever recorded. The entire Antarctic continent is an enormous cold desert by definition. The lowest The Antarctic desert is cold, barren, and extreme. temperature ever recorded there was -129° F. The world’s largest desert is widely accepted as the . Occupying most of northern Africa, this desert measures approximately 3.5 million square miles, about the same size as the United States. However the Sahara is not truly the largest desert in the world. By definition, the largest desert is the Antarctic continent, covering 5.3 million square miles of land. Despite its appearance, the Antarctic receives less precipitation per year than the Sahara.

The world’s smallest desert is a semi-arid desert in , Canada known as Carcross Desert. The desert is approximately 1 square mile of shifting sand .

Diversity Deserts can be surprisingly diverse habitats. Many plants and animals have learned to survive in the harsh and extreme conditions. The two most important factors to consider when determining if life can exist is the amount of energy and water. Energy in its most basic form is light from the sun. Plant life uses the light energy to process nutrients into usable building blocks. Without plant life, animal life cannot exist. Water is also critical even in small quantities. All communities of life must begin with the energy of the sun being processed by plant life. This is because plants turn the light energy into a usable form called sugar. Plant-eating animals, called herbivores, can consume plants and process the sugar energy to be used in their own bodies. Meat-eating animals, called carnivores, survive by consuming other animals and processing the energy. These different categories of life are called trophic levels. The plants are called producers because they produce the usable form of energy. Herbivores are known as the primary consumers, being the first consumers of the usable energy. Carnivores fill the remaining levels of consumers (secondary, tertiary, etc.) www.reptilesAlive.com ©ReptilesAlive! LLC 5/14

because they get the energy second hand from consuming either herbivores or other carnivores.

Trophic levels are kind of like a food chain but also explain how energy moves through a community. This system is not perfect. As can be observed in any habitat, plants are significantly more plentiful than top predators. This is because energy from each trophic level is lost in two ways. The first way occurs due to the natural production of heat by every living organism. Heat is energy and dissipating heat is not passed to the next trophic level because it is not consumed. The second way is when a plant or animal dies and is not consumed. None of the energy in the body is passed to the next trophic level. Some of this energy, however, is recycled into the system because of decomposers breaking down the body and consuming the energy.

Plant Adaptations There are many ways that plants manage to survive in such a dry and hot environment. Some plants thrive all year, while some become dormant for most of www.reptilesAlive.com ©ReptilesAlive! LLC 6/14

the year. Some plants have also evolved to combat the depleting weather conditions. One of the ways that plants have adapted to the desert is by limiting their growing season. Some of these plants only survive for a single growing season. Their seeds germinate (activate) during the first rainfall of the wet season. These seeds are heat and drought resistant and can survive for years waiting for the rain. During the Desert flowers all bloom at the same time shortly after a heavy rain. wet season, these plants grow quickly, bloom and die. The short growing time still allows for the plant to be pollinated and produce seeds. Other plants utilize the same growing season but instead of dying at the end of the wet season, they go into a dormant state. During their dormancy, they shunt all activity and energy production below ground into their root system. A whole category of plants, known as xerophytes, have an adapted structure to conserve and store water. Most of these plants are in the cactus family and do not have leaves. This is because leaves have a large surface area, and the more surface area a plant has, the more water it loses through evaporation. Instead, cacti have spines that not only protect it from herbivores, but also aid in moisture Cacti are perfectly adapted for the harsh collection. Cacti also have large shallow desert conditions, root systems that collect as much water as possible when it rains. All of this water is stored inside the stem of the plant in a fleshy cavity protected by a waxy outer layer. The final group of plants, called phreatophytes, have adapted powerful root systems that go deep into the earth to reach moisture. These roots often end at the water table or just above it. Most phreatophytes are bushes or trees, which can live for hundreds of years. Because these plants have leaves, they had to evolve to prevent water from escaping. One of the ways is to develop smaller or waxier leaves. Another way is to control the microscopic pores to only open at night, when the temperature is lower. www.reptilesAlive.com ©ReptilesAlive! LLC 7/14

Because plants are the base for any food chain, desert plants are under a great amount of pressure to deter herbivores. There are many tactics that have evolved. Some of the obvious adaptations are spines and thorns, which are very common in desert plants. Some of these plants have evolved to be foul smelling or to taste bad through special chemical combinations. Desert trees need to have extremely deep roots to retrieve enough water. Animal Adaptations Animals not only have to contend with the shortage of water in the desert, but also have to deal with the heat from the sun which also radiates up from the ground. Animals have a tolerance zone related to their body temperature and the temperature of the environment. Some have more ability to handle large temperature changes, but most need to stay within a certain temperature range. Most desert animals have adapted their behavior to a certain time of day in their environment. In most deserts, the days are hot and the nights are cooler, sometimes even below freezing. Animals that have adapted to the heat of the day will have ways to stay warm during the night temperature drops. Animals that have adapted to the night temperatures will seek shelter from the heat of the days. There are many different ways that animals have adapted to these temperature fluctuations. Most desert animals are active in the dawn and dusk time periods to avoid the temperature extremes. These animals are referred to as crepuscular. Burrowing owls are designed to spend an unusual amount of time on and under the ground. Night animals (nocturnal) often have excellent hearing and night vision for nocturnal hunting, and avoiding predators. They may also have the ability to capture water from plants and the air. Most of these animals avoid the heat in the day by burrowing below the surface. Subterranean temperature are significantly more constant that those of the surface. Animals that are active during the day (diurnal) also use burrows to avoid the highest temperatures and the low temperatures at night. Many of these animals www.reptilesAlive.com ©ReptilesAlive! LLC 8/14

have developed ways to dissipate heat through their appendages such as having long legs and ears. & Amphibian Adaptations Amphibians have had to make some dramatic adaptations to survive the dry conditions, due to their need for moist skin. Most desert amphibians stay in or close to permanent water sources. Some salamanders maintain their aquatic larval form for extended periods or even for life. Desert toad species have adapted hardened toes for digging deep (up to 3 feet) burrows and their bodies produce excess mucus to maintain moisture levels. With the limited rainfall, sources of water for reproduction are few and temporary. Desert amphibians must reproduce quickly and the young must go through a shortened metamorphosis. Most of these species have to change from Tortoises dig burrows that serve as homes for many other animals. aquatic stages to terrestrial stages within weeks. Desert reptiles have a number of different ways for regulating their temperature. The most common method is seeking shade from either a burrow or rock outcrops. Tortoises are known for digging large burrows that are used by many different species. Many animals also have unique ways of moving over the terrain. Most lizards tip-toe or speed walk over hot grounds, and some snakes move in a way that arches their body off of the scorching surface, but some reptiles can even “swim” under the sand. Finally, some species have the ability to change their Sidewinder rattlesnakes get their name color to control the amount of heat from the way they move across the sand. absorbed. As for the limited food and water, many animals have adapted to store food and water within their bodies. Most tortoises have developed large bladders that can store large amounts of water that can be filtered and recycled through the body. These tortoises are also known to recycle nutrients from their shells during periods with little food. Several lizard species store water and nutrients in fatty tissues. Some store this fat in their tails and others along their bodies.

Climate Change www.reptilesAlive.com ©ReptilesAlive! LLC 9/14

With the general warming of the planet, almost every kind of environment will change. Deserts can become even hotter and drier than they already are. This increase in extreme conditions is not the only thing that will make life harder in the desert. However, during the climate change process, not all environments will heat up. Some deserts will experience dramatic weather changes including increases in rain that will cause floods and landslides.

Activities Study Roots There are several ways that students can watch roots grow. Some may be more involved and time consuming than others. Here are some ideas! 1. As a class grow a bulb in a clear vase/bowl with pebble substrate. Using this idea, you will be able to grow a beautiful flower and also watch the roots extend to the water through the pebbles. 2. Each student can create a miniature greenhouse to monitor in the classroom or take home. Provide each student with a plastic sandwich bag, a paper towel, and a bean or sunflower seed. Wet the towel until damp but not dripping and insert inside the sandwich bag. Place the seed between paper towel and the side of the plastic bag. Zip the bag and watch the little plant grow!

Desert Burrows Many desert animals use burrows to seek shelter from extreme desert conditions. Your students can experience the advantages of burrow life in their own classroom. Use a storage tub to create a sandbox by filling it with play sand which can be found at hardware stores and garden centers. Use any kind of spotlight or reading lamp to simulate the sun and allow it to warm the surface of the sand. After a few hours, touch the surface to ensure that it is not too hot. Allow the students to feel the surface and then instruct them to sink their hand into the sand to feel the cooler temperature below. This can also be done in an outdoor sandbox on a hot day.

Study Heat Absorption Some desert animals, such as bearded dragons, are known to change the tone of their skin to be darker or lighter for body temperature regulation. You can study this right outside! You will need two bottles (16 oz water bottles), two thermometers (large enough to stand upright in the bottles), and black and white paint or paper. Paint or wrap one bottle in white and the other in black. Fill each bottle three quarters of the way with water and place one thermometer in each www.reptilesAlive.com ©ReptilesAlive! LLC 10/14

bottle. Place these bottles outdoors in the sun. This would work best on a warm day.

Resources How can students learn more about reptiles & amphibians? There are many ways students can pursue their interest in animals and learn more about reptiles and amphibians. 1. Visit your local library for great books about herps. 2. Take a trip to a nature center, museum, zoo, or aquarium. Be sure to read the information about the animals on display. There are usually staff members available to answer your questions. 3. Check out nature and animal programs that are offered at nature centers, libraries and other venues across the area. Visit the website of your local nature center or library for a list of upcoming programs. 4. You can email animal questions to Reptiles Alive LLC: [email protected]

How can students help reptiles and other wild animals? The best way students can help reptiles and other animals is to educate themselves about wildlife and then teach others what they have learned. People are more likely to care for and respect animals they understand - education leads to conservation.

How can students become Zoologists or Herpetologists? A great link to learn about how one develops a career in herpetology is at https://ssarherps.org/all-about-herps/how-to-be-a-herpetologist/

Glossary A Abiotic - Any non-living thing.

Adaptation - Any change that improves a living thing’s chances of survival.

Amphibian - A category of animal that is characterized by thin skin covered in mucous, and part of life spent in water.

Aquatic - Having to do with water, usually referring to something that lives in the water.

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B Biotic - Any living thing.

C Camouflage - The ability of an animal to blend into the environment in which they belong.

Carnivore - An animal that eats meat exclusively.

Condensation - Water vapor collecting on a surface that is a cooler temperature than the air.

Community - A group of different species interacting in the same habitat.

Crepuscular - An animal that is active during the low light periods of the dawn and dusk.

D Decomposer - An organism that breaks down dead material

Defense Mechanism - Any adaptation that helps a living thing protect itself or prevent itself from being eaten or harmed.

Diurnal - An animal that is active during the day.

Diversity - The relative quantity of life in a given area or habitat.

E Ecology - The study of how living and non-living things interact.

Ecosystem - An area in which living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) things interact as a community.

Evaporation - When water changes from a liquid to a vapor.

Evolve - The gradual change in appearance or behavior of a species over hundreds of years.

G Germinate - When a seed starts growing roots and a stem. www.reptilesAlive.com ©ReptilesAlive! LLC 12/14

H Habitat - A space that includes all of the qualities necessary for an animal to survive, including shelter, water, and food.

Herbivore - An animal that exclusively eats plants.

Herpetologist - A scientist who focuses on the study of reptiles and amphibians.

Hibernate - The seasonal behavior of slowing body functions to conserve energy.

Humidity - The concentration of water vapor in the air.

M Metamorphosis - The life cycle or gradual dramatic change of an animal from birth to adulthood. Used to describe amphibians and most insects.

N Nocturnal - An animal that is active at night.

O Omnivore - An animal that can eat both plants and meat.

Organism - A living thing.

P Poison - A toxin that must be consumed, inhaled, or applied to the skin in order to do damage/harm. Differs from venom.

Precipitation - When solid or liquid water condenses and falls to the ground.

Pollinate - The act of fertilization in plants.

R Reptile - A category of vertebrate animal characterized by scaly skin and lack of thermoregulation.

S Scientist - An individual who asks questions and conducts research to find the answers. Research can be as simple as going to the library and reading a book. www.reptilesAlive.com ©ReptilesAlive! LLC 13/14

T Tadpole - An early life stage of the frog when the animal has no legs and a full tail for movement and fat storage. This stage is completely aquatic.

Terrestrial - Having to do with land, usually referring to something that lives on land.

Thermoregulation - The ability to maintain a steady or consistent body temperature.

Tolerance Zone - A range of conditions in which an organism can survive.

V Venom - A toxin that must penetrate the skin in order to do damage/harm. Differs from poison.

Vertebrate - Any living thing that has a backbone or spine (vertebrae).

Z Zoologist - A scientist who focuses on the study of living things, typically referring to large animals that can be seen without a microscope.

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