Lizards, Frogs, and Monkeys Oh My! Life Science by Adventure Learning

What the difference between an amphibian and reptile?  Why do birds have different beaks? What is a crustacean and what do jellyfish, coral, and sea anemones have in common?  Come find out the answer as we explore the world of animals using observation and hands-on experiences.  This class is designed to offer a complete semester worth of in-depth Life Science information.   Along the way, students will compile a living notebook of Life Science information. The class will begin with an informative slide show about the animal or group of animals we are studying with open mic for Q&A.  
*Each week a new topic is introduced  
* Students will receive information on how to implement hands-on experiments and activities that relate to our lesson.   
*Science vocabulary words will be added to our Science Notebook each week. 
* Every class will have directions with printable sheets for homework to be completed. 
*This is an interactive class and students will be sharing some of their completed homework . 
*No previous background knowledge is needed, only a love for learning!  

The list of topics will be ...
Week 1: Vertebrates
Week2; Mammals
Week 3; Large  & small monkeys/apes Marsupials
Week 4: Aquatic animals
Week 6; Birds
Week 7: Fish and fish anatomy
Week 8: Cartilaginous fish
Week 9: Amphibians and amphibian 
Week 10metamorphosis
Week 11: Reptiles & snakes 
Week 12;Lizards, Turtles, & crocodiles 
Week 13: invertebrates 
Week 14; Arthropods
Week 15: Insects and insect metamorphosis
Week16: Arachnids
Week 17: Crustaceans & Myriapods
Week 18: Mollusks & Cnidarians 
Week 19: Echinoderms & sponges 
Week 20: review 

vertebrate/invertebrate / internal vs external skeleton/ characteristics common to all mammals / how mammals regulate body temperature / mammal feet & function / the largest land mammal / the tallest land mammal / ruminants / primates/ ape intelligence / 3 groups of primates / difference between apes and monkeys / a prehensile tail

Fluke / blowhole/ why are dolphins and whales’ mammals? / difference between tails/manatee / whales/ marsupials/ nocturnal/ kangaroo facts / joeys / types of birds/ differences of mammals and birds/ how to identify birds / bird beaks & feet / types of bird feathers and functions / flightless birds

Birds digestive system/ crop / gizzard/ digestive system / owl pellet dissection / respiratory system/ fish / cold-blooded / gills / how fish breathe/ fins & anatomy of a fish / swim bladder /types of fins / nervous system of fish REVIEW weeks 1-3

Cartilage/ scavenger / parasite/ lamprey/ dangers to humans/ manta rays/ amphibians/ larval stage/ animal communication/ salamanders / metamorphosis/pollywog / tadpole / unusual amphibians/ stages of an amphibian/

Reptiles / initiating membrane/ hibernation/ four groups of reptiles/ dinosaurs/ snakes/ lateral undulation/ rectilinear movement/ venomous/ 3 groups of snakes/ snake’s sense of smell/ what a snake eats/ snakes vs worms/ identifying a dangerous snake/ rattlesnake

Lizards/ Gila monster/ large lizards/ animal camouflage/turtles & crocodiles/ carapace/ plastron/ where do turtles live? Where do tortoises live? / crocodiles/ turtle shells/ arthropods/ bilateral symmetry/ radial symmetry/ spherical symmetry/ asymmetrical REVIEW 

Arthropods/ segmented bodies/ exoskeleton/ chitin/ endoskeleton/ insects/ head/ thorax/ abdomen/ spiracle/ water skipper/ insect anatomy/ metamorphosis/ larva chrysalis /pupa/ nymph/ fireflies

Arachnid/ cephalothorax/spinnerets/ Scorpions/ ticks and mites/ tarantulas/ how do arachnids differ from insects/ crustaceans/ woodlouse/ scorpions/ myriapods/ millipede/ centipede/ five groups of arthropods/ common places to find arthropods

Mollusks, mantle, bivalve, gastropod, cephalopod, buoyancy/ three groups of mollusks, the nautilus, pearls, shell identification/cnidarians/ coral/ polyp/ symbiotic relationship/ life cycle of a jellyfish/ three common cnidarians/ man o war/ REVIEW 

Echinoderms/ regenerate/ water vascular system/ tube feet / circular canal/ 3 common echinoderms/ sponges/ pores/biomimetics /fiber optics/ what does a sponge eat? / sponge reproduction/ is a sponge an animal? /biomimetics

Worms/ flatworm/ roundworm/ segmented worm/ compost/ hydrothermal vent/ plume / hemoglobin/ beneficial worms/ harmful worms/ parasites/ chemosynthesis/ kingdom Protista/ protist/ flagellum/ sarcosine/ pseudopod/ ciliate/ cytoplasm/ euglena/ sporozoans/ bacteria/ moneran/ virus/ antibiotic/ vaccine/ antibiotic resistance

Louis Pasteur/ REVIEW GAMES week 1-21/ Life Science conclusion/ Final Assignment