• Warm-blooded animals have fire in them and cold-blooded have ice in them.
Jordan McGirt, grade 2, James Cole
• Maybe their attitudes are different.
Sonja Geddes, grade 5, Burnett Creek
• Cold-blooded animals are reptiles. When they are cold they fall asleep; warm-blooded animals don’t.
Zelek Barrett, grade 3, Edgelea
• Cold-blooded animals have blue blood, and warm-blooded have red blood.
Anna Lilly, 2/3 multiage, Battle Ground
• Cold-blooded animals live outside. Warm-blooded live in a home, and they stay warm.
Antonio Smith, grade 3, Edgelea
• Cold-blooded animals, like a snake, are cold and mean. Warm-blooded animals, like a dolphin, are warm and loving.
Alexandra Props, grade 4, New Community School
• When they fight, the cold-blooded always kick warm-blooded animals’ butts.
Noah Wykoff, grade 2, James Cole
• Warm-blooded animals are always "heated." Cold-blooded have to heat themselves by warming themselves up in the sun; if they get too warm they have to cool themselves down by swimming in water or finding some shade. So, warm-blooded animals heat themselves — it is automatic.
Max Scanlon, grade 4, Klondike
• Cold-blooded animals don’t feel pain, and warm-blooded animals do feel pain.
Lawrence Southern IV, 2/3 multiage, Battle Ground
• Cold-blooded animals are what temperature the weather is.
Abram Ritchie, grade 3, Edgelea
• Cold-blooded animals can survive even when it’s really hot or really cold. If warm-blooded animals stay outside too long, they could die.
Caelyn Berninger, 2/3 multiage, Battle Ground
• I think the animals are in a freezer and in an oven.
Gabe Meiser, grade 2, James Cole
• Cold-blooded animals have to bask in the sun to warm up. Warm-blooded animals warm-up from their food.
Trevor Wells, grade 1, Cumberland
• Warm-blooded animals have fur or feathers.
Claire Scott, grade 4, New Community School
• The cold-blooded animals are not pets so they get cold in the winter. Warm-blooded animals are pets so they are in a house, and they do get warm in the winter.
Brinley Melchi, 2/3 multiage, Battle Ground
• Cold blooded-animals have to stay in the sun to heat their blood, and warm-blooded animals have to stay in the cold to colden their blood.
Durya’ Minor, grade 3, Edgelea
• Cold-blooded animals are vegetarians and live in medium temperatures. Warm-blooded animals are not vegetarians and live in warm, hot, and cold temperatures.
Elizabeth Wilcoxson, grade 1, Cumberland
• Warm-blooded animals produce heat.
Caleb White, grade 4, New Community School
• Cold-blooded animals were born cold and warm-blooded were born blooded.
Kasey Wheeler, grade 2, James Cole
• Cold-blooded animals live in warm places and warm-blooded live in cold places.
Gigi Ascarelli, grade 1, Cumberland
• Most warm-blooded animals live on land, and most cold-blooded live in the water.
Nia Westfall, grade 4, New Community School
• Cold-blooded animals are always the same temperature as it is outside, and warm-blooded are always warm.
Asra Foley, grade 2, James Cole
• Cold-blooded animals get their heat from temperature, and warm-blooded make their heat from their body.
Carlos Garcia, grade 3, Edgelea
• Cold-blooded animals are mammals and warm-blooded are not mammals.
Halle Wise, grade 3, New Community School
• Warm-blooded animals have thicker skin to keep warm air from escaping.
Anna Henderson, grade 5, Burnett Creek
• Cold-blooded animals live in the winter. Warm-blooded animals live in the South.
Lakshitha Sudhakar, grade 1, Cumberland
• Warm blooded animals hate cold water, cold blooded animals love cold water.
Chloe Jarrard, grade 3, Edgelea
• Some don’t have any bones and some do have bones.
Alexa Perez, grade 5, Burnett Creek
There’s only one rule: Know Mr. Ruhl’s answer:
“Warm-blooded” animals have mechanisms in their bodies that work to keep their temperature at a fairly high, constant level. This allows them to be active in all kinds of climates. Being warm-blooded takes a lot of energy though, so they have to eat often to supply the food (fuel) needed to maintain that high, constant temperature. This is why winter birds around a feeder seem to eat continuously! “Cold-blooded” animals can’t maintain a constant body temperature. They depend on the heat in their environment to warm them, so they are only able to be active in warmer environments. Their advantage is that they don’t need as much fuel. This is why some snakes can go months without eating!
Joe Ruhl has shared the joys of science with young people for 35 years. He teaches biology, honors biology, genetics, and science research at Jefferson High School.
DON’T PANIC: This isn’t your average quiz. It’s a creative writing exercise that encourages guessing. There are no rules except one — Know Mr. Ruhl’s answer each week. Read it, discuss it, remember it. But first try to come up with your own explanation. We’re looking for answers that are original and sincere.