Have children write a fictional story about a reptile or amphibian. They may choose to compose a new story, write about an experience they had, or use the animal they will research in the Science Connection section below to write their story. This is a good time to give children a lot of room to write whatever they like.

Science Connection
Have each child select an animal from the text that he or she finds interesting and find out three-to-five interesting things about the animal. Provide books or have children use the Internet to research their animals. When they are finished, have them give presentations to the class about the animals.

If possible, you can invite a guest speaker who works in a zoo or another reptile and amphibian-related field.

Reading Independently
Have children read the book independently or with a partner. You can also encourage them to read other books of their choice at the appropriate level.