Meet the cold-blooded champions. Komodo dragons, caimans, bullfrogs, waterfall toads — these reptiles and amphibians have evolved extreme skills to survive as ectotherms, relying on their environment instead of their own body heat. We've put together a collection of BBC video clips all about cold-blooded animals (see Related Resources below). Watch them, then take the Kahoot to see what stuck.
The tricks are surprisingly specific: basilisks use a rapid leg motion to run across water without sinking, while waterfall toads — which can't leap like most frogs — have their own clever way of dodging predators. Explore how these cold-blooded creatures have adapted to thrive, and pick up some solid vocabulary along the way.
Travel across the islands of Indonesia with this colorful one-page fact file for Grades 3–8. Students will explore Indonesia’s geography, history, culture, wildlife, and government while learning about thousands of islands, volcanoes and coral reefs, tropical rainforests, unique animals such as Komodo dragons and orangutans, and the traditions of Indonesia’s many cultures.
You can use this fact file to:
- Introduce a geography or social studies unit
- Support nonfiction reading practice
- Compare countries and cultures
- Complete map and research activities
- Prepare students for projects or presentations (use our country report template!)
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)
Kyan conquered his fear of the dragons to help his friends! Pretend you are in a parade and do your best dragon dance. Color the lanterns to complete the pattern.
Aw, look at these little critters. Just snip, roll and stick to make a butterfly, dragonfly, or a ladybug. Too easy! You'll need your own popsicles sticks. Here's what you'll do:
- Cut out the bits on the page. Glue the wings to the sticks first! Then roll and stick on the bodies. Make sure to leave a gap at the top of each stick for the head.
- Roll the heads into smaller loops and tape shut. Then curl the antennae (feelers!) around a pencil and glue them on top of the heads.
- Tape the heads at the top of the sticks. Ding ching! Say hello to your bug friends!
Grab a pencil and draw or write a story. Think about:
- Who's in the story? Fairy Bluey, Donkey Dad, Horse Mum, or Motorbike Bingo
- Where does your story take place? Uncle Stripe's pool, the beach, Bluey's school, the backyard, or in a cool forest
- What's in the background? Mountains or trees
You can also decide if there are scary bits, Humpty Dumpty, talking trees, a dragon, treasure, horses, or anything else you can imagine!
Get ready to meet the cold-blooded superstars of the animal kingdom! This BBC playlist slinks, scuttles, and snaps through the fascinating lives of cobras, turtles, lizards, and alligators. Whether it's the mesmerizing hood dance of a cobra or the alligator's toothy grin, these clips are perfect for sparking curiosity (and maybe a little squeamishness) in your classroom. Warning: May cause students to say "Whoa!" and "Ew!" in equal measure.
Join Bluey and Bingo in the great outdoors. Match close-ups to the right bug (walking leaf, dragonfly, and ladybug), put leeches in size order from smallest and biggest, and fill out a fun spotting chart on your next nature walk. Can you find a plant, creature, bird, and stick or pinecone? Draw them!
The article "Komodo Dragons: Nature’s Giant Venomous Predators" from BBC's Discover Wildlife delves into the biology and ecology of the world's largest lizard. It covers their impressive size, unique venomous bite, dietary habits, reproductive strategies, and the threats leading to their endangered status, including habitat loss and climate change.
The article "Could Fire-Breathing Animals Really Exist?" from BBC's Science Focus discusses the scientific plausibility of fire-breathing animals, inspired by the dragons in House of the Dragon. Evolutionary biologist Henry Gee explains how certain chemical reactions and fire-resistant materials could theoretically enable an animal to breathe fire.
The article "Iron-Coated Teeth: The Secret of Komodo Dragons" from BBC's Discover Wildlife reveals that Komodo dragons have iron-coated serrated teeth, allowing them to efficiently rip through prey. The discovery sheds light on the hunting techniques of these giant lizards and may even offer clues about the feeding habits of ancient predators like the T. rex.
In Olms in the Caves of Slovenia, narrator Sir David Attenborough discusses the strange creatures that are found in the caves in Slovenia: olms. They are some of the most specialized creatures on the planet. They can breathe in both air and water and can survive without food for a decade. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In How Plants Thrive in Extreme Conditions, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes plants that thrive in some of the harshest places on Earth. The dragon’s blood tree in Socotra uses its unique shape to catch the morning mist and water its roots, while the desert rose stores water in its thick trunk and grows right out of bare rock. Meanwhile, the red mangrove tree survives salty water by filtering out most of the salt through pores, showing how nature helps plants adapt to tough environments! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.
Meet the cold-blooded champions. Komodo dragons, caimans, bullfrogs, waterfall toads — these reptiles and amphibians have evolved extreme skills to survive as ectotherms, relying on their environment instead of their own body heat. We've put together a collection of BBC video clips all about cold-blooded animals (see Related Resources below). Watch them, then take the Kahoot to see what stuck.
The tricks are surprisingly specific: basilisks use a rapid leg motion to run across water without sinking, while waterfall toads — which can't leap like most frogs — have their own clever way of dodging predators. Explore how these cold-blooded creatures have adapted to thrive, and pick up some solid vocabulary along the way.
Travel across the islands of Indonesia with this colorful one-page fact file for Grades 3–8. Students will explore Indonesia’s geography, history, culture, wildlife, and government while learning about thousands of islands, volcanoes and coral reefs, tropical rainforests, unique animals such as Komodo dragons and orangutans, and the traditions of Indonesia’s many cultures.
You can use this fact file to:
- Introduce a geography or social studies unit
- Support nonfiction reading practice
- Compare countries and cultures
- Complete map and research activities
- Prepare students for projects or presentations (use our country report template!)
- Pair with videos, articles, or other informational texts (see Related Resources below)
Kyan conquered his fear of the dragons to help his friends! Pretend you are in a parade and do your best dragon dance. Color the lanterns to complete the pattern.
Aw, look at these little critters. Just snip, roll and stick to make a butterfly, dragonfly, or a ladybug. Too easy! You'll need your own popsicles sticks. Here's what you'll do:
- Cut out the bits on the page. Glue the wings to the sticks first! Then roll and stick on the bodies. Make sure to leave a gap at the top of each stick for the head.
- Roll the heads into smaller loops and tape shut. Then curl the antennae (feelers!) around a pencil and glue them on top of the heads.
- Tape the heads at the top of the sticks. Ding ching! Say hello to your bug friends!
Grab a pencil and draw or write a story. Think about:
- Who's in the story? Fairy Bluey, Donkey Dad, Horse Mum, or Motorbike Bingo
- Where does your story take place? Uncle Stripe's pool, the beach, Bluey's school, the backyard, or in a cool forest
- What's in the background? Mountains or trees
You can also decide if there are scary bits, Humpty Dumpty, talking trees, a dragon, treasure, horses, or anything else you can imagine!
Get ready to meet the cold-blooded superstars of the animal kingdom! This BBC playlist slinks, scuttles, and snaps through the fascinating lives of cobras, turtles, lizards, and alligators. Whether it's the mesmerizing hood dance of a cobra or the alligator's toothy grin, these clips are perfect for sparking curiosity (and maybe a little squeamishness) in your classroom. Warning: May cause students to say "Whoa!" and "Ew!" in equal measure.
Join Bluey and Bingo in the great outdoors. Match close-ups to the right bug (walking leaf, dragonfly, and ladybug), put leeches in size order from smallest and biggest, and fill out a fun spotting chart on your next nature walk. Can you find a plant, creature, bird, and stick or pinecone? Draw them!
The article "Komodo Dragons: Nature’s Giant Venomous Predators" from BBC's Discover Wildlife delves into the biology and ecology of the world's largest lizard. It covers their impressive size, unique venomous bite, dietary habits, reproductive strategies, and the threats leading to their endangered status, including habitat loss and climate change.
The article "Could Fire-Breathing Animals Really Exist?" from BBC's Science Focus discusses the scientific plausibility of fire-breathing animals, inspired by the dragons in House of the Dragon. Evolutionary biologist Henry Gee explains how certain chemical reactions and fire-resistant materials could theoretically enable an animal to breathe fire.
The article "Iron-Coated Teeth: The Secret of Komodo Dragons" from BBC's Discover Wildlife reveals that Komodo dragons have iron-coated serrated teeth, allowing them to efficiently rip through prey. The discovery sheds light on the hunting techniques of these giant lizards and may even offer clues about the feeding habits of ancient predators like the T. rex.
In Olms in the Caves of Slovenia, narrator Sir David Attenborough discusses the strange creatures that are found in the caves in Slovenia: olms. They are some of the most specialized creatures on the planet. They can breathe in both air and water and can survive without food for a decade. This video is excerpted from BBC’s Seven Worlds, One Planet, a series featuring remarkable animal behavior from all seven continents.
In How Plants Thrive in Extreme Conditions, narrator Sir David Attenborough describes plants that thrive in some of the harshest places on Earth. The dragon’s blood tree in Socotra uses its unique shape to catch the morning mist and water its roots, while the desert rose stores water in its thick trunk and grows right out of bare rock. Meanwhile, the red mangrove tree survives salty water by filtering out most of the salt through pores, showing how nature helps plants adapt to tough environments! This video is excerpted from BBC’s Life, a show that explores the remarkable strategies animals and plants use to ensure their survival.