Activity
Title: 'Leapin' Lizards'
Subject
Area: History
Theme:
Crocodiles through Time
Grade
Level: 4th - 6th
Discover
the reptile left from the dinosaur age! Students will investigate
the history of the crocodile and its relatives. They will explore
crocodile habitats and their locations around the world.
Colorado
Standard(s) and/or Benchmark(s) addressed in this activity:
|
Grade
|
Content
Area
|
Standard
|
Benchmark
|
|
4th
- 6th
|
History
|
2-historical
inquiry
|
2.1
analyze historical data
2.3 have a knowledge of the past
to analyze the present
|
National
Standard(s) and/or Benchmark(s) addressed in this activity:
|
Grade
|
Content
Area
|
Standard
|
Benchmark
|
|
4th
- 6th
|
History
|
3-diverse
societies have changed
|
3.1
societies have been affected by contacts among diverse people
|
Introduction:
Crocodiles
are survivors from the dinosaur age. A crocodile then looked very
much like it does now. Crocodiles belong to a reptile family that
didn’t become extinct like most dinosaurs 65 million years
ago.
The features of the crocodile today are
very similar to what they were 15 million years ago. A crocodile’s
armor-plated skin is made up of tough scales called scutes. Those
are reinforced from bony plates just below the surface.
Prehistoric crocodiles were giants, some
up to 40 feet (13 meters) long! They preyed on other reptiles,
including small dinosaurs. Other prehistoric crocodiles were as
small as lizards.
Crocodiles have been honored throughout
history. Egyptians in the town of Crocodilopolis had a crocodile
god. The ancient Egyptian god of water, Sobek, was in the shape
of a crocodile. Alligators, from the same reptilian family as
crocodiles, got their name from ‘el lagarto,’ the Spanish
word for lizard!
The estuarine-or saltwater- crocodile
from Australia and Southeast Asia is the biggest of all crocs!
This massive croc is the only one to swim in the sea. They live
in estuaries along the coast and can grow BIGGGG! The largest
saltwater crocodile on record was 27 feet (9 meters) in length
and weighed two tons!
Ancient Aboriginal rock art depicts crocodiles
along with other sacred animals from the Dreamtime. According
to their ancient beliefs, the Aboriginal people imagine the spirits
of the dead live on in crocodiles and other animals and reptiles
native to Australia.
With the coming of European colonists,
crocodile habitats became crowded with humans. Both enjoyed the
living conditions along the Australian coastal areas. Unfortunately,
they couldn’t cohabitate as both were creating a problem
for the other! Not only did crocodiles hunt their prey from the
rivers as animals came to drink, they also have the ability to
leap as much as (3) meters (9 feet) out the water after a meal!
Crocs began feeding on livestock, and then humans nearly hunted
the crocs out of existence.
In 1972, crocodile hunting was banned
in Australia. It is believed that around 270,000 saltwater crocodile
skins and between 200,000 and 300,000 freshwater crocodile skins
were exported from Australia before the ban. To meet consumer
needs for their meat and their skins, crocodile farms now raise
crocs. Poaching of these reptiles has become less of a problem.
The croc farms have also become a major tourist attraction, especially
at feeding time!
Vocabulary:
- export
- poacher
- cohabitate
- estuary
- prey
- ban
Materials:
- a
roll of paper to use for a timeline
- markers,
colored pencilsclip art to supplement text
- clip
art to supplement text
- resource
material about crocodile habits and habitats
- journals
to record facts and data
Preparation:
- Locate
resources providing information about crocodiles, fact and fiction.
(Hint-Remember the crocodile in Peter Pan? Captain Hook certainly
does!)
- Investigate
a variety of timelines, identifying intervals that would suit
the subject of crocodile history from prehistoric times.
- Gather
the materials needed to create a class timeline.
Procedure:
- Research
the evolution of crocodiles.
- Determine
suitable intervals for a timeline of crocodile history.
- Create
a timeline depicting the development of crocodiles since prehistoric
time.
- List
the years of noteworthy events in croc history discovered in
class research.
- Supplement
the timeline with clip art, drawings, or photos to create visual
images.
- Share
the timeline with other classes. Develop math problems for classmates
to solve as they work down the timeline, discovering the students’
crocodile facts.
- Record
observations in student journals.
Analyze
and Conclude:
