By the end of the lesson, your students will understand the stages of a frog's life cycle and be able to explain each stage in their own words. Additionally, they will participate in hands-on activities to strengthen their understanding.
Let's dive into the world of frogs. Who here has seen a frog in real life? (Allow your students to raise their hands.)
Frogs are fascinating creatures. They don't just pop out of nowhere as fully formed, hopping amphibians. Like all living things, frogs go through a life cycle, which is a fancy way of saying they change and grow in stages.
To start things off, we'll watch a short video about a frog's life cycle.
Video: The Life Cycle of a Frog (3 minutes)
Discussion Prompt: What was the most surprising thing you saw or learned in the video? (Allow a few students to respond.)
Frogs go through four stages in their life cycle: egg, tadpole, froglet, and adult frog. Think of it like a superhero origin story. Each stage is like a different chapter in their adventure.
Frogs start their life as tiny eggs, usually laid in clusters called spawn. These eggs are super small and often look like clear jelly dots floating on water.
Why do you think frogs lay their eggs in water? (Allow your students to answer.) Answer: Frog eggs don't have a shell, so they must stay moist.
After a few days, the eggs hatch into tadpoles. If you've ever seen a tadpole, you know they look like tiny fish with long tails. They spend this stage of their life in the water, eating algae and growing bigger.
Picture a caterpillar munching on leaves, getting ready for its big transformation. Tadpoles are doing the same thing, just in the water.
Here's where things start getting interesting. As tadpoles grow, they sprout legs, their tails get shorter, and they look more like frogs. This in-between stage is called a froglet. It's like the awkward teenage years of a frog's life.
Finally, the tail disappears completely, and the froglet transforms into an adult frog. Now, it's ready to hop out of the water and explore the world. Adult frogs live both in water and on land, and they're known for their jumping abilities.
Now that we've discussed the life cycle, it's your turn to get creative and show what you know. You will make a Life Cycle Wheel that shows each stage of a frog's journey. This is a fun, hands-on way to remember what you've learned.
Scissors
Glue sticks
Markers/colored pencils
Brass fasteners
Cut out the four life cycle stages.
Color each stage of the life cycle.
Arrange your life cycle in order (Egg, tadpole, froglet, and adult frog).
Glue your life cycle stages onto your full-circle template.
Cut out your second circle, the one with the missing section. Place this on top of your complete life cycle template.
Push a brass fastener into the middle of the two circles to attach the papers. This will allow you to spin the top paper and reveal each life cycle stage.
Once you've completed your Life Cycle Wheel, you'll have a visual that shows how a frog changes from an egg to an adult.
Discussion Prompt: Why do you think it's important for us to understand the life cycle of animals like frogs?
Let's take a moment to reflect on what we've learned. Frogs undergo an incredible transformation, starting as tiny eggs and eventually becoming hopping, croaking adults. This process is called metamorphosis, and many other creatures, like butterflies, also undergo it.
To wrap up, I want you to turn to a partner and, using your Life Cycle Wheel, share your favorite stage of the frog's life cycle and why.
Write down one thing you learned today and one question you still have about frogs.
For homework, create a short comic strip that tells the story of a frog's life cycle. Include all four stages, and feel free to give your frog some personality. Maybe it's a superhero in disguise or a moody teen with lots of warts.
Written by Brooke Lektorich
Education World Contributor
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