Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake

 

Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake

 
INTRODUCTION:
Do you like to meet new friends? Well, I know I do. I just returned from an amazing adventure in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona and I met a sly, slithery fellow and I would love for you to meet him too. He is the Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake. He loves to hang out on rocks. Would you like to find out more about him? Let's take a little fact finding trip and find out what he eats, what he looks like, and what little baby Speckled Rattlesnakes are like. When you are finished learning a little bit more about him you can complete a super-fun activity and then test your knowledge about this desert creature. So, come with me to meet your new friend, the Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake. Are you ready?
 
 

WHO AM I?

I slither, I rattle, and I lie coiled in wait. I’m scaly, I’m poisonous, and I strike at my prey. I am a Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake.

WHERE DO I LIVE?

I live in rock-strewn deserts of four Southwestern states. I hang out by rocks and boulders; I think bushy plants, like sagebrush, are great.

WHAT DO I EAT?

I feast on small mammals, lizards, and birds. Would you like to join me? You can bring dessert.

HOW DO I LOOK?

I have a thin neck and a triangular head. I have some very sharp fangs that animals dread. I come in many colors to blend in with the land. So be careful in the desert and watch where you stand. I can be off-white, yellow, gray, tan or pink. I can be brown or almost black, even orange; what do you think? There’s a rattle at the end of my scaly tail. So if you hear it shake, find a different trail. 

HOW DO I REPRODUCE?
 
I carry eggs in my body, but I don’t lay them in a nest. My babies are born alive and very venomous. My babies’ poison is much stronger than mine. So if they invite you to play, you must decline. After two weeks my babies will shed all their skin. They will do the same thing again and again.
 
FUN FACT ABOUT ME:
You may not know it, but I’m very shy. So if you seldom see me that would be why. 
 
 

 

ACTIVITY FOR K - 3
Let's Make A Diorama!
 
 
Materials Needed:
Old shoebox or cardboard box
Sand
Rocks
Paint, Markers, Crayons, or Colored Pencils
Various art materials (refer to the diorama website below)
Make a diorama. If you don't know what a diorama is or how to make one, here is a good website to visit:
Make a Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake (out of the materials of your own choosing) and add it to your diorama.
Grades K - 1: Write 2 - 3 sentences about the Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake and attach it to your diorama
Grade 2: Find out one more fun fact (from books or the internet) about the Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake, write a 3-5 sentence paragraph about what you have learned about this desert creature and attach it to your diorama.
Grade 3: Find out 2 or more fun facts about the Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake, write two paragraphs about what you know about this snake and attach it to your diorama.
BE CREATIVE AND HAVE FUN!
 
WHERE CAN YOU FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ME?
You can find some more facts about me if you dare. Just go to your computer and look for me here:
or here:
or here
Comments