02/19 Chameleon

During this class time we learned about the Chameleon.  Most of the worlds Chameleons live on Madagascar.  The Chameleon's long tongue can move 13 mph and ends in a suction cup, both of these things help to catch insects to eat.   Also, one of the most interesting things we talked about is that contrary to popular belief the Chameleon does not change color for camouflage.  The Chameleon changes color to communicate mood, defend territories, or show off for a potential mate.

We looked at pictures and watched a video clip that highlighted many different types of Madagascar Chameleons.  The kids really enjoyed watching a clip that showed dinner time for a group of Chameleons.  We got to see lots of long, fast tongues finding their food.

For our project we made a color changing Chameleon with paper plates.

02/12 Aye Aye

This week in class we learned about the Aye Aye from Madagascar.  The kids learned about their BIG eyes, big ears, big bushy tail, and long finger that digs out grubs from trees.  The Aye Aye is nocturnal and lives in the trees, rarely coming to the ground.

The kids looked at pictures of the Aye Aye, watched a short clip of the Aye Aye in it's environment, and read a book called "Mission to Madagascar" about a child's adventure to find the Aye Aye in Madagascar.  They also colored a picture of an Aye Aye.

02/05 Giant African Millipede

For this class we learned about the worlds largest millipede - the Giant African Millipede.  We learned that they eat decaying plant matter, roll into a ball if feeling threatened, can protect themselves with a stinky smell, and have lots of feet!  We talked about the differences between a millipede and a centipede and learned that millipedes are okay to pick up, but centipedes are not. 

We watched a video to highlight how slowly they move and how their feet move in a wave-like motion.  We looked a pictures of Giant African Millipedes in the wild and kept as pets or in a zoo.  The kids especially enjoyed the picture of the millipede mustache!  We read parts of a book called "Millipedeology".