Year 1 Science: Reptiles: dry, scaly skin
Part of the Year 1 Science animal groups chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Reptiles: dry, scaly skin
A reptile has dry, scaly skin. Its scales are hard and dry, not wet and smooth. Snakes, lizards, crocodiles and tortoises are reptiles. Reptiles breathe air with lungs. Many reptiles lay their eggs on land.
A snake has no legs. It slides along the ground. A crocodile has four legs and a long tail.
Key ideas
- A reptile has dry, scaly skin.
- Reptiles breathe air with lungs.
- Snakes, lizards, crocodiles and tortoises are reptiles.
- A snake has no legs. A crocodile has four legs.
Key words. The five groups are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. A clue is a feature we can see, like fins or feathers.
Method. Look for the clues, then match the animal to one group.
- Look at its skin. A reptile has dry, scaly skin.The skin is dry and scaly.
- Look at its legs. Snakes have no legs.It has no legs.
- Look at its fins. Fish have fins. A reptile does not.It has no fins.
- Match the clues to a group. Compare the clues with the five groups.This snake = reptile
- Write the answer. Reptile
Check. The clues fit the reptile group. ✓
Watch out. Scales are not only on fish. Check if the skin is dry and scaly, and check the legs.
Method. Count the legs one at a time.
- Look at the picture. Find every one, including the ones at the back.Find each leg: two at the front and two at the back.
- Count each one once. Say one number for each one, in order.1, 2, 3, 4
- Write the answer. 4
Check. Count again from the other side. You get 4 again. ✓
Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.
Method. Check Sam’s idea against the features of a fish.
- Read what Sam says. He says a snake is a fish, because it has scales.Snake = fish?
- Check the fish clues. A fish has fins and gills and lives in water.A snake has no fins and no gills.
- Decide who is right. A snake has dry scales and breathes air with lungs, so it is a reptile.No, Sam is not right.
Check. Scales are not enough. Look at all the clues. ✓
Watch out. A fish and a reptile can both have scales. Check the other clues.
Watch out
Watch out: a fish and a reptile can both have scales. Do not stop at one clue. A fish has fins and gills. A reptile has dry, scaly skin and breathes air with lungs.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Snakes and lizards are wild animals. Look at them in pictures or books, and never touch a wild snake or lizard. Let your child feel their own dry hands, then a wet one, to talk about dry and wet skin.
Exercise 4C Reptiles
Key words. The five groups are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. A clue is a feature we can see, like fins or feathers.
Method. Look for the clues, then match the animal to one group.
- Look at its skin. Reptiles have dry, scaly skin.The skin is dry and scaly.
- Look at its legs. Snakes have no legs.It has no legs.
- Look at where it lives. Many reptiles live on land.It lives on the ground.
- Match the clues to a group. Compare the clues with the five groups.This snake = reptile
- Write the answer. Reptile
Check. The clues fit the reptile group. ✓
Watch out. Scales are not only on fish. Check if the skin is dry and scaly, and check the legs.
Method. Think about what we know about animals.
- Read the question. Find the part that matters.What is a reptile’s skin like?
- Think of the fact. We found this fact on this page.A reptile has dry, scaly skin. A frog has smooth, wet skin.
- Write the answer. dry and scaly
Check. Say the fact out loud in your own words. ✓
Watch out. Look at the words of the question again, then think about the fact.
Method. Think about what we know about animals.
- Read the question. Find the part that matters.How many legs does this snake have?
- Think of the fact. We found this fact on this page.A snake has no legs. It slides along the ground.
- Write the answer. 0
Check. Say the fact out loud in your own words. ✓
Watch out. Zero means none. A snake has no legs at all.
Method. Count the legs one at a time.
- Look at the picture. Find every one, including the ones at the back.Find each leg: two at the front and two at the back.
- Count each one once. Say one number for each one, in order.1, 2, 3, 4
- Write the answer. 4
Check. Count again from the other side. You get 4 again. ✓
Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.
Method. Think about what we know about animals.
- Read the question. Find the part that matters.Do reptiles breathe with gills or lungs?
- Think of the fact. We found this fact on this page.Reptiles breathe air with lungs.
- Write the answer. lungs
Check. Say the fact out loud in your own words. ✓
Watch out. Look at the words of the question again, then think about the fact.
Method. Check the claim against a fact you know about animals.
- Read the claim. Decide what it says.A lizard is a reptile.
- Remember the fact. The facts on this page tell us the answer.Lizards are reptiles. They have dry, scaly skin.
- Write the answer. True
Check. If the fact is right, the answer is right. ✓
Watch out. Lizards are reptiles, like snakes and crocodiles.
Method. Look at each animal, and find the one with the clues.
- Look at the animals. Find the animal with these clues.It has dry, scaly skin and four legs.
- Find its letter. Each animal has a letter under it.The crocodile is A
- Write the answer. A
Check. The clues fit the reptile group. ✓
Watch out. Scales are not only on fish. Check if the skin is dry and scaly, and check the legs.
Method. Check Lily’s idea against the skin of an amphibian.
- Read what Lily says. She says a crocodile is an amphibian, because it can be in the water.Crocodile = amphibian?
- Check the skin. An amphibian has smooth, wet skin. A crocodile has dry, scaly skin.Smooth and wet, or dry and scaly?
- Decide who is right. The skin tells us the group.No. A crocodile is a reptile.
Check. Water is one clue. The skin is the clue that matters here. ✓
Watch out. Living in water is not enough. Look at the skin.
Method. Sort each animal into its group, then write the reptiles.
- Look at the snake. It has dry, scaly skin and no legs.snake = reptile
- Look at the frog and the dog. The frog is an amphibian and the dog is a mammal.frog and dog are not reptiles
- Look at the crocodile. It has dry, scaly skin and four legs.crocodile = reptile
- Write the answer. snake and crocodile
Check. Two animals are reptiles, and two are not. ✓
Watch out. A frog and a dog are not reptiles, even though they are animals.
Method. Think about what scales do for an animal.
- Look at the snake. Its scales cover its skin.Dry scales cover the skin.
- Think about what the scales do. Scales can protect the skin and help keep water in.They protect the skin.
- Write the answer. We can check our idea in a book.To protect its skin and keep water in.
Check. Scales help a snake, but we can check this in a book about snakes. ✓
Watch out. We must not touch a wild snake to find out.