Based on Amazing Snakes!
by Sarah L. Thomson
Grades: K-2

Amazing Snakes Vocabulary Worksheet (PDF)

About the book
Learning about the science of snakes has never been so thrilling! Did you know that if your mouth was like a snake’s mouth you could eat a watermelon whole? This book is filled with fascinating facts about snakes that kids will enjoy. The vivid photography, provided by the Wildlife Conservation Society, brings many species of snakes to life and may leave a few readers with a chill!

Set the stage
Use the following to get students ready to read:
Tell students that Amazing Snakes! is a nonfiction book about a real subject. For younger children you may need to discuss the difference between fiction and non-fiction books. Ask students what facts they already know about snakes. Review with younger children that a fact is something that is known or proved to be true.Together create a list of species of snakes that the students already know. As you read, check the species found in the book off your list. Explain to students what the Wildlife Conservation Society is and how it protects endangered animals. The WCS studies how animals live, protects wilderness areas, and teaches people about animals and what they need to survive. Find out more about the WCS on the title page of the book.

Review
After reading the book, discuss the following with students:
Review how many species of snakes you listed earlier that were found in the book. Remind students that there are more than 2,000 species of snakes in the world.Test students' comprehension of the book by asking how many snake habitats they can recall: ocean, jungle, trees, underground, desert and even your own backyard. Discuss with students some of the ways snakes can be useful to us and our environment. (A snake’s venom can be used as medicine; snakes rid many areas of unwanted vermin; snakes are a food source for other animals, etc.). Ask students to recall some facts they learned about snakes from the book. Create a web diagram on the board to record students' answers. Don’t miss these interesting facts from the book:

• Snakes do not chew.
• Snakes do not blink or have eyelids.
• Snakes don’t need their parents to survive.
• Some snakes eat crocodiles.
• Some snakes are almost as long as a school bus.