ACTIVITY SHEET SCIENCE BEHIND LIZARD ADAPTATIONS Lizards are amazing animals that have unique adaptations to help them to survive in different environments, protect them from predators and find food. All lizards have scaly skin. The color and texture of their scales provide many lizards with camouflage, which helps them to blend in with their surroundings. This adaptation is important for them to avoid being caught by predators, but also helps them to hide from the things they want to eat. Some lizards have special adaptations that are specific to their particular species. The Giant Leaf-Tailed Gecko has a tail shaped and colored just like a leaf. This helps it to blend in on the forest floor or in the trees where they live. Some lizards, such as chameleons, change the color and patterns on their skin which make them a master of camouflage. Chameleons also have extremely long, sticky tongues which they can quickly extend to capture prey from a distance. Some lizards, such as skinks, can burrow underground. They have special clear eye scales that act as a window to help them to see and protect their eyes while moving around under the sand and dirt. Lizard feet are specially designed to help them to survive in their habitats. Desert lizards have feet with claws that are perfect for burrowing in the sand. Lizards who spend a lot their time in trees have claws to help them climb and hold on to branches. Geckos have special toe pads that help them to stick to things, enabling them to climb just about anything.
KEY TERMS • Adaptation - a body part or behavior that allows the animal to live in its habitat. • Burrow - a hole or tunnel dug by an animal. • Camouflage - an animals coloring or form, which enables it to blend in with its surroundings. • Environment - the surroundings in which an animal lives. • Pattern - a repeated design. • Predator - an animal that eats other animals. • Scaly - small, thin, overlapping plates that protect the skin of reptiles. • Species - a group of similar living things. 401 SW Second Street • Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 • 954.467.6637
ACTIVITY SHEET LIZARD TRACKER KEY TERMS • Invasive - a species that was introduced and is now overtaking the environment. • Native - a species that has always lived in Florida.
SUPPLIES • MODS printable • Pen
STEPS 1. Go outside. 2. Look in trees, under rocks and in small spaces for lizards. 3. Circle the lizards you see. 4. Did you see more native or invasive?
Link Skink (Native)
Green Anole (Native)
Curlytail (Invasive)
Iguana (Invasive)
EXPLORATION I wonder why lizards are important to my backyard. 401 SW Second Street • Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 • 954.467.6637
ACTIVITY SHEET MAKE YOUR OWN LIZARD MASK KEY TERMS • Habitat - where an animal lives in nature. • Adaptation - a body part or behavior that allows the animal to live in its habitat.
STEPS
SUPPLIES • • • • • •
Paper plate Scissors Markers Construction paper Straw or chopstick Tape
1. Cut your paper plate in half. 2. Use your scissors to cut out two eye holes from your plate, get help from a grownup if needed! 3. On the bottom (flat edge) of your mask, add teeth cut out from construction paper. 4. Use construction paper to add more lizard adaptations around the top (curved edge) of your mask. 5. Color your lizard mask however you like. 6. Tape your straw to the bottom of the plate so you can hold your finished mask up to your face.
EXPLORATION I wonder how claws, coloration and long tails help lizards to survive in their habitats. 401 SW Second Street • Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312 • 954.467.6637