Lesson Plan: The Snake That’s Eating Florida

Essential Questions

• How does human activity affect the natural world?
• What responsibilities do humans have in protecting nature from invasive species?

Literature Connection

• Nonfiction: Beware the Burmese Pythons: And Other Invasive Animal Species by Etta Kaner
• Nonfiction: They Are Here!: How Invasive Species Are Spoiling Our Ecosystems by Roland Smith 

Preview Text Features (10 minutes)

Guide students to locate the article in their magazines or at Action Online. Preview the text features by asking the following questions:

• Read the article’s title and subtitle, and look at the image of the python. What do you think it means for an animal to “take over” an area? Sample answer: When an animal “takes over” an area, that means it becomes the most powerful and can harm the animals that normally live there by using up food and other resources or disturbing the environment.
• Look at the map titled “Where Is the Everglades?” What is the Everglades and in which state is it located? Which city is it closer to: Orlando or Miami? The Everglades is a national park and is located in Florida. It is closer to Miami than to Orlando.

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

• Point out the vocabulary box. Read the words (wetlands, species, exotic, discarded, ecosystem) aloud and discuss their definitions.
• Play the Vocabulary Slideshow.

Make a Plan for Reading

Before students start to read, walk them through a reading plan:

• Set a purpose for reading by telling students that the article “The Snake That’s Eating Florida” explains how Burmese pythons are taking over Florida’s Everglades National Park.
• Point out the Pause and Think boxes. Tell students they can check their understanding of what they’ve read by answering these questions.
• Tell students that as they finish each section, they should think about how the text features on the page (e.g., photos, captions, and section headings) relate to what they’ve just read.
• Point out the activity at the end of the article, and tell students they’ll complete it after reading. Encourage them to keep the Think About It! question at the bottom in mind as they read.

Read the article. (Higher- and lower-Lexile versions are available on the Story page at Action Online. Click Presentation View to access an audio read-aloud.) Then discuss the following close-reading and critical-thinking questions.

Close-Reading Questions (25 minutes)

• What is the mood, or feeling, of the first two paragraphs of the article? How does this compare with the rest of the section, in which the author describes the fight between the snake and the alligator? Why do you think the author chose to start the article in this way? (author’s craft) The mood of the first two paragraphs is peaceful and hopeful. The article starts out describing the beautiful scenery in the park and what visitors were looking forward to seeing. The rest of the section has a scary, tense mood. It says the animals fought like “monsters in a horror film.” The author probably started the article this way to show how the pythons have disturbed the calm in the Everglades.
• Why did Burmese pythons become popular pets in the U.S.? How did they become a problem? (cause and effect) People wanted Burmese pythons as pets because they are tiny and cute as babies. They were also cheap to buy and don’t usually harm people. They became a problem when the babies grew into huge snakes that people no longer wanted and were let loose in the wild.
• In the section “Invasive Species,” why does the author say that Burmese pythons are the “kings and queens” of the Everglades? (interpreting text) The Everglades is the perfect environment for the Burmese python. The park has many animals for them to eat, and once they’re full-grown, nothing eats them. They are in charge, just like royalty.
• Look at the sidebar titled “America’s Invasive Species.” What problems do these species cause? Why is the sidebar included? (text features) These invasive species eat fruits and other crops that farmers grow, damage buildings, spread diseases, eat wild animals, and eat the food other animals depend on. The sidebar is included to show that we face problems with invasive species beyond Burmese pythons.
• The title of the last section is “What Can Be Done?” How does the author answer this question? (problem and solution) The author says that teams of scientists are trying to track and trap the snakes to control their population. Leaders have also created the Python Challenge, in which hunters capture the invasive snakes.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

• Do humans have a responsibility to solve problems, such as the python invasion, that they have caused? Why or why not? Sample answer: Yes, humans should be held responsible for fixing problems we have caused. The presence of pythons in the Everglades is largely due to human actions, such as releasing pets into the wild. We have a responsibility to protect nature. Ignoring the problem could lead to more serious harm, such as native species dying off.
• Florida’s Python Challenge encourages hunters to kill pythons as one solution to the python problem. Do you think hunting pythons is an OK thing to do? Why or why not? Sample answers: Yes, it’s OK to kill pythons in the Everglades because there are too many of them, and other animals are dying out as a result. At certain times of year, other animals are hunted for similar reasons./No, it’s not OK to kill pythons, even if it’s to protect other animals. The snakes were brought here by humans, and they have a right to live. Instead of killing pythons, we could try capturing and moving them as a way to keep native species safe.

• Have students work in pairs to complete the Spotlight Skill Workout: Text Evidence activity. As a class, discuss students’ answers and the Think About It! question.
• Have students work independently to complete our Sequence of Events Skill Builder, available in higher- and lower-level versions. (Click here to view all your Skill Builders for this article.)
• Writing prompt: Imagine you are a wildlife expert working in Florida’s Everglades to control the Burmese python population. Write a persuasive letter to the public asking people to help. Include details about why the python invasion is a problem, why the problem is hard to solve, and how the public can help.