Pond snakes are carnivores in the water. They eat fish, frogs, snails, fish eggs, insects and tadpoles. Cut out or draw pictures of different types of snake food and people food. Then, have the children categorize each picture as something a snake would eat, something a person would eat or something both would eat.
Pond snakes lay their eggs on land in the ground or in a hollow log. Explain that snake eggs are soft and rubbery, unlike chicken eggs. Perform an experiment with the children by placing a standard chicken egg into a cup of vinegar overnight. The next day, the egg shell will feel rubbery and squishy like a snake egg. Let the children pass it around and investigate for themselves.
Explain snake scales to the children and how they use their scales as armor to protect themselves against predators and rough terrain. Give each child a construction paper cut-out shield and different colored scraps of foil. Let them create their own colorful armor by gluing the colored foil onto the shield in any pattern they like.
Make a fun pond snake habitat with a tall sided cookie pan and a shallow bowl. Pour some green juice into the bowl as the pond. Place the "pond" on the cookie pan. Then, have the children smash chocolate cookies for the mud around the pond. Place some pretzel sticks around for sticks and logs. Then, have the children add gummy worms in the juice and in the mud to represent the snakes.