Free First Saturday: Reptiles & Amphibians @ Home Activity Guide

Peruse these fun activities and videos you can enjoy at home – all about reptiles & amphibians!

What’s the difference between a reptile & an amphibian?

Sometimes the difference seems very obvious. When you ask someone “What is an example of a

reptile?” a common response is a snake. When you ask someone “What is an example of an

amphibian?” the first response is usually a frog. But once you start

looking into more examples, the differences can seem a little tricky –

like the difference between a lizard and a salamander – wait isn’t a

salamander, like the one pictured right, a lizard? It sure looks like a

lizard! But no, it isn’t. Take a look at the list below and see which

characteristics and which animals you think are reptile, which are

amphibian and which are shared characteristics. If you like, you can

copy the list onto another piece of paper, cut them out, and sort

them.

• Scaly and dry skin

• Smooth and slimy skin

• Eggs with leathery covering

• Eggs that are like jelly

• Ectothermic (cold-blooded)

• Lays eggs on land

• Lays eggs in water

• Spends a lot of their life in

the water

• Have a backbone

• Most have claws

• Do not have claws

• Breathe through skin

• Undergo Metamorphosis

• Turtles

• Alligators

• Frogs

• Snakes

• Toads

• Salamanders

• Lizards

• Eats plants

• Eats insects and other

animals

After you have made your guesses, check your answers on page 3.

Yellow-spotted Salamander

Which Skin is Tougher? Science Experiment

Investigate whether reptile or amphibian skin is tougher

using household items!

Supplies:

• “Make Your Own” Observation Sheet

• 2 Small plastic cups or glasses

• 2 hard-boiled eggs

• 2 different dark colors of food coloring

• Water

What to do:

1. Make an Observation Sheet to record your predictions. Include the questions listed below or leave

space to draw/color your observations.

2. Fill the cups halfway full of water, then color each one with a different dark food coloring.

3. Peel one egg carefully. Place the peeled egg in one of the colored cups

4. Place the egg with the shell on it in the other cup.

5. Now you need some patience! Wait 24 hours before you check on your eggs. You may store your egg

cups carefully in the fridge.

6. Remove each egg from the water, place on paper towels. Record your observations or draw a picture

or take a picture.

7. Peel the egg with the shell carefully. Now compare the eggs side by side. Which egg has absorbed

more of the food coloring?

8. Next, cut the eggs in half length-wise. Take note of how far the food coloring has penetrated the egg.

Compare both eggs and take notes or draw a picture. Don’t forget to record your thoughts and

observations on the recording sheet!

Questions to Include on your Observation Sheet:

Before you begin, what do you predict/think will happen to the

eggs? After 24 hours: What is happening now? How have the eggs

changed? Did the egg with the shell have the egg inside dyed at

all?

What this Experiment Shows: Reptiles have scales that cover their

skin for protection. Amphibian skin is smooth and breathable.

Pollution and chemicals in the air and water is never a good thing,

and it can affect amphibian skin to a greater degree than reptile

skin because it is so absorbent like the egg without the shell. Let’s

be mindful of pollution in our waterways and also the chemicals

we put on our lawns and plants – they can be very harmful to

amphibians.

Snakes of Georgia Resource

Take a few minutes to get familiar with the snakes of Georgia. Did you know

we have 46 native species and only 6 are venomous? Click here for more

information.

Virtual Animal Encounters

Meet & learn about our resident reptiles by clicking the YouTube video

links below:

Corn snake video

Red-eared slider turtle video

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Answers from Reptile or Amphibian? Page 1

Reptile – scaly and dry skin, leathery eggs, lays eggs on land, most have claws, snakes, turtles,

alligators, lizards

Amphibian – Smooth slimy skin, eggs that are like jelly, lays eggs in water, do not have claws,

breathe through skin, undergo metamorphosis, frogs, toads, salamanders and their cousins.

Both – Ectothermic, have backbone, spends a lot of time in water, eats plants, eats insects and

other animals