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Took both my snakes to my youngest son's 4th grade class today for a presentation. As pessimistic and cynical as I am, I have to admit this trip to school gave me some hope. The kids were quite sharp and knowledgeable, and most were unafraid as usual. There was only one "chop the head off a snake if I see one" kid, and only one girl who sat at the back of the room due to fear. The other 24 were engaged and eager to learn. I also had to do an unplanned presentation to the AG class, since their teacher happened to walk by and see what I was doing in my son's class. Turns out she loves snakes and has a gray banded king snake! And as I was signing out, the receptionist at the main office wanted to see the snakes, and she asked for my phone number for her neighbors to call me to remove snakes instead of butchering them on sight, which she said they've been doing. Here are some pics.

Question and answer session before showing the snakes, the kids
were very attentive...

Mendoza's debut. I like to use the map to throw in some geography. The kids found Argentina on the map before I could!

Mendoza did pretty well, he didn't even hiss with all the activity and petting going on. (I was expecting to take a bite.)

The kids love Jack, he's getting to be a regular...

This picture says it all..

Great post! Thanks for adding the pictures. I bet those kids love the snakes. I wish we had snake demos when I went to school, lol.
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Aubrey Ross

©
www.SlipstreamSerpents.com

check out that white board- metacognition? in 4th grade? things have changed in the fourth grade...

oh, and great job educating the kids and fighting against that "cut the head off every snake on sight" attitude. i also wish we had had something like that in my school.
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-Chris
cdohna.googlepages.com
1.0.0 WC SD Gopher Snake, Max
1.0.0 CB Albino Banded Cal King, Manny
0.1.0 CB BRB, Mucalinda

Way to go Ed!!!

>>Took both my snakes to my youngest son's 4th grade class today for a presentation. As pessimistic and cynical as I am, I have to admit this trip to school gave me some hope. The kids were quite sharp and knowledgeable, and most were unafraid as usual. There was only one "chop the head off a snake if I see one" kid, and only one girl who sat at the back of the room due to fear. The other 24 were engaged and eager to learn. I also had to do an unplanned presentation to the AG class, since their teacher happened to walk by and see what I was doing in my son's class. Turns out she loves snakes and has a gray banded king snake! And as I was signing out, the receptionist at the main office wanted to see the snakes, and she asked for my phone number for her neighbors to call me to remove snakes instead of butchering them on sight, which she said they've been doing. Here are some pics.
>>
>>Question and answer session before showing the snakes, the kids
>>were very attentive...
>>
>>
>>Mendoza's debut. I like to use the map to throw in some geography. The kids found Argentina on the map before I could!
>>
>>
>>Mendoza did pretty well, he didn't even hiss with all the activity and petting going on. (I was expecting to take a bite.)
>>
>>
>>The kids love Jack, he's getting to be a regular...
>>
>>
>>This picture says it all..
>>
>>

Great job, Ed! Thanks for posting the pix. I'm glad it went well!

Since they took your phone number for the snake-killing neighbors, it sounds like you may even get the chance to save the lives of snakes sometime in the future (LOL, as a super snake hero you could get a costume with the S formed by the image of a snake).

Which one of the kids in the picture is yours?

I've been taking my snakes out to the Renaissance Festival every weekend lately (in my long skirt and bodice), but it's hard to get photos of that, since they haven't invented cameras yet.
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Renee
1.0 BRB (Loki)
2.0 amel & anery corns (Foxfire & Daguerre)
0.1 blood python (Duchess, arriving later this month)
1.1 Cats (Nightshade & Cuzzy)

Thanks. Not sure about the Sssssuperman outfit, cause I guess I'd have to wear a holster with spaghetti tongs in it.

My son, ironically enough, is the one in the upper center (blue and red striped shirt) who looks like he's sleeping.

You need to get some pics at that Renaissance Festival, sounds like you could snap some classics.

Thanks,
Ed

>>Great job, Ed! Thanks for posting the pix. I'm glad it went well!
>>
>>Since they took your phone number for the snake-killing neighbors, it sounds like you may even get the chance to save the lives of snakes sometime in the future (LOL, as a super snake hero you could get a costume with the S formed by the image of a snake).
>>
>>Which one of the kids in the picture is yours?
>>
>>I've been taking my snakes out to the Renaissance Festival every weekend lately (in my long skirt and bodice), but it's hard to get photos of that, since they haven't invented cameras yet.
>>-----
>>Renee
>>1.0 BRB (Loki)
>>2.0 amel & anery corns (Foxfire & Daguerre)
>>0.1 blood python (Duchess, arriving later this month)
>>1.1 Cats (Nightshade & Cuzzy)

Very cool! I'm glad the boys were well behaved, but then again, who's expect anything less from Jack. hehe..

Are you going to the Raleigh show this weekend? I'll be there all weekend showing dogs, but you know I'll be hitting the reptile show before my saturday ring time!
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Julie

www.[url ban]/gfx

Julie,

I didn't even know there was a show this weekend, so
thanks for asking. I'll have to check my schedule, this
might be a good excuse to get out of some yard work.

If I remember correctly, you show Australian Cattle dogs???
Hope you get the Blue Ribbon!

Thanks,
Ed

>>Very cool! I'm glad the boys were well behaved, but then again, who's expect anything less from Jack. hehe..
>>
>>Are you going to the Raleigh show this weekend? I'll be there all weekend showing dogs, but you know I'll be hitting the reptile show before my saturday ring time!
>>-----
>>Julie
>>
>>www.[url ban]/gfx

Many, many times and it never gets old. Took snakes to the kids classes K-6 and again in 7th for science.

Congrats and keep up the good work, planting the seed for a new generation of herpers!!!!
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
26.49 BRB
20.21 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats