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Sun vs. Shade

Activity

How Lizards Regulate Body Temperature

Find a sunny spot and a shady spot. Stand in each for a few minutes, where do you feel warmer? Where do you feel cooler? Imagine you are a lizard and decide where you would want to spend most of your time. How might the weather or time of day change your decision?

Science Seed

Reptiles are ectothermic, which means they rely on their environment to regulate their body temperature. Many lizards bask in the sun to warm up and move into the shade to cool down. Some even change colors slightly to absorb more or less heat from the sun. Since lizards can not generate their own warmth like mammals and birds do, where they spend their time each day is critical for survival. By paying attention to how the sun and shade feel on our own skin, we can better understand how reptiles interact with their environment.

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

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join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.