A Visiting Lizard Prompts a Lively Discussion

By Nandini Bhattacharjya, Head Teacher

Oliver came to West AM one morning with a box in hand, excited to share the contents with his classmates. “I brought a lizard,” he said excitedly. “I found it in my back yard.” Joshua peered into the bug box. “What is this yellow thing?” he asked. “Is it a leaf or another kind of bug?” “It’s just a leaf,” Oliver said. “Did you touch it?” asked Joshua. “Yes,” said Oliver. “It was a little bumpy and scaly. That’s because it belongs to the reptile family.” 


Some of the children wanted to know how Oliver caught the lizard. “It was running and ran into a bag,” he said. “Then we put the lizard in the bug box. I named him Lizzie the lizard.” 


When it was time to feed Lizzie, Oliver put two crickets and a few mealworms into the bug box. Kiara looked and said, “He’s not eating. Maybe he ate earlier and is taking a break.” Oliver continued, eager to share more of what he had learned about Lizzie: “If you rub his tummy, he freezes for five seconds,” he said.


Joshua: “Does it bite?”
Oliver: “No.” 
Joshua: “But some lizards are poisonous.”
Arnold: “Look, there is a roly-poly in here too!”
Kristina, drawing: “I am drawing a sun for the lizard.”
Kaitlyn: “When we went to Mikey’s, we saw a lizard and it ran."

The lizard had not moved at all, and children were wondering if it was alive.
Arnold: “Look!” It squinted his eyes! I guess that means he is alive.” 
Charlie, peering into the box: “This is a lizard, not a salamander.”
Teacher: “How do you know that, Charlie?”
Charlie: “It’s a lizard because lizards have scales.”
Anna: “This is a lizard. I think I saw one a very long time ago at Hubbard Park. He was just moving around.”
Kaitlyn, drawing: “Once upon a time there was a lizard; he saw a bug and his tongue came to it to eat it. The lizard has a long tail.”
Arnold, moving his hand: “Yes, lizards have a long tongue, and it goes like this.”