How much do you really know about reptiles? In this reptiles unit study for kids, get ready to be astonished as I share a little peek into our Remarkable Reptiles Family Unit Study.
Did you know that all reptiles shed their skin? Even crocodiles and alligators? Or that the smallest snake in the world could curl up on a coin, while the largest is as long as a school bus?!
This is only the beginning! Get ready to be amazed as we discover more about reptiles with hands-on fun!
What is a Family Unit Study?
But first… what exactly is a Family Unit Study?
This reptiles unit study for kids, like all of our ever-growing library of unit studies, takes one big theme—Reptiles—and breaks it down into ten manageable, bite-sized learning topics. This format gives you the freedom to dive into learning at a pace that works for your family. Perhaps you do one topic per day, perhaps one per week. Whatever suits your fancy! You can learn about reptiles and explore a topic from start to finish in about 1-2 hours each.
Dive in and watch the sparks of wonder ignite. Watch the child-led learning take off. Watch what happens when children are engaged in what they are learning!
Each of the 10 topics includes:
- an interesting fact,
- a discussion question,
- informative information,
- a curated YouTube video,
- a recommended book,
- a math or literacy enrichment question (with three difficulty levels),
- and an ultimate-can’t-be-beat hands-on activity!
Plus, all subjects are covered across the 10 topics! Geography, History, Science, Social Studies, Music, Art, Health, Literacy, and Math.
When everything connects across subjects, learning just makes more sense. Kids remember more, understand better, and actually enjoy the process. It’s the kind of learning that really sticks. 🙌
Before we slither into all things reptiles, I wanted to share a little something to make your homeschool days just a bit easier (because we all need that, right?).
Our Mini Homeschool Toolbox is a simple, go-to resource filled with helpful printables – like math charts, number lines, and writing supports – to keep your days organized and your lessons running smoothly.
It’s completely free and so handy to have on hand as you move through your homeschool routine. Simply enter your email address below, and a copy will be instantly delivered to your inbox.
Remarkable Reptiles Family Unit Study
Let’s take a closer look! Here are the 10 topics included in this unit study, plus a preview of the activities you’ll explore together.
Topic #1: What is a Reptile?
Reptiles are a class of animals that have vertebrae (a backbone), dry scaly skin, and usually lay soft-shelled eggs. Reptiles need to breathe air and are cold-blooded, which means they need to seek out warmth and heat from their environment. To explore exactly what a reptile is, we look at some reptiles in-depth, focusing on many things—such as the animal tracks they make! With a printable animal tracks game, we discover exactly why and how reptiles make the tracks they do.
Topic #2: Reptiles are Cold-Blooded
Reptiles are cold-blooded, which means they need to absorb warmth from the sun through their body. As we explore what it means to be cold-blooded through our unit studies readings and videos, we always finish with a culminating hands-on activity. For this section on reptiles being cold-blooded, we explore various temperatures and how they fluctuate using rocks.
Topic #3: Scales or Scutes?
Reptiles are different than other animals for several reasons, one of which is their dry, tough skin. Most reptiles have very dry skin covered with scales or small bony plates called scutes. Using some beautiful reptile silhouette printables, we cover these printables with salt dough and use a toothpick or bubble wrap to make scutes and scales! This artwork turns out gorgeous!
Topic #4: Sea Turtles and Laying Eggs
Sea turtles are incredible reptiles that journey back to the very beaches where they were born to lay their eggs – before tiny hatchlings emerge and somehow make their way to the sea all on their own. Using vinegar and an egg, we make our own ‘soft-shelled’ reptile eggs and explore the chemistry that is taking place as we do!
Topic #5: Alligators Vs. Crocodiles
Alligators and crocodiles look very similar to one another, but they are, in fact, quite different and cannot interbreed. We research and discuss similarities and differences between alligators and crocodiles by comparing snouts, location, habitats, teeth, size, color, speed, behavior, and more!
Topic #6: Turtles
A turtle’s shell is made up of bony plates called scutes. Each year, the turtle grows bigger scutes. Inside each scute, you can see growth rings, very similar to the rings found inside a tree. Count the rings, and you can determine approximately how old a turtle is! Using playdough, we discover how exactly scutes grow with a turtle!
Topic #7: Lizards
There are about 6,000 species of lizards in the world, and they really do live all over the world! Lizards can be found on all continents except for Antarctica. They are a varied species, ranging from iguanas to geckos to monitors! As we explore lizards, we create our very own out of beads! This handwork project builds fine motor skills, hand dexterity, patterning, math skills, and more.
Topic #8: Snakes
While it might be tempting to think of snakes as having no bones since they slither and slide so well, they actually have hundreds, even more than humans! After learning all about snakes, you can enjoy a movement-based activity to explore reptile-inspired yoga poses like snake, lizard, and turtle while practicing balance, calm breathing, and relaxation. It’s a playful way to connect learning with movement and mindfulness.
Topic #9: Tortoises
Tortoises are fascinating land-dwelling reptiles with strong, sturdy legs and protective domed shells that help them thrive in tough environments. As a special type of turtle, they invite us to explore what makes them unique – and why not all turtles are quite the same. You will have some fun exploring symmetry through tortoise-themed activities, building spatial awareness as you complete patterns at different levels.
Topic #10: Joan Proctor, Dragon Doctor
Joan Proctor, known as the “Dragon Doctor,” was a passionate scientist who helped people see reptiles in a whole new way and better understand how to care for them. In this activity, your child will choose a reptile to research and create their own “All About My Reptile” profile, bringing their learning to life in a fun and meaningful way.
And there you have it, the 10 bite-sized learning topics that make up our great big Remarkable Reptiles Unit Study for kids! I hope you will pop on over to check it out and consider purchasing it for you and yours.
Remarkable Reptiles Unit Study
Grab the full Reptiles Unit Study right here:
https://shop.howweelearn.com/products/family-unit-study-remarkable-reptiles
xo
Sarah
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