Frogs and Lifecycles
Observe and record the lifecycle of frogs

General Objectives: The Student will:
Observe the four developmental stages of frogs
Be able to identify five major breeds of frogs.
Gather information on frogs using the Internet and with teacher support.
Listen to frog sounds
Use listening skills to evaluate literature related to frogs
Use a variety of objects and manipulatives to count and add.
Understand the use and process of camouflage by participating in a teacher-created game. Retell stories in proper sequence
Observe the dietary habits of frogs
Demonstrate number concepts
Use frog manipulatives to reinforce addition concepts.
Develop classifying and sorting skills.

Resources: Books: Jump Frog Jump by Kalan with accompanying cassette, Frog and Toad series by Lobel, Fantastic Frogs by Robinson, Working Frog by Parker, Froggie series by Priceman, Lyfecycles by The Learning Workshop; Video: Muppet Sing-a-long;

Websites: Frog facts-

www.csu.edu.au/faculty/commerce/account/frogs/frogs.html,
www.freakyfrogs.com 
http://allaboutfrogs.org/funstuff/colorme.html,Diet
http://allaboutfrogs.org/weird/general/mouth.html|
http://www.frog.simplenet.com/froggy/sounds.html, www.naturesounds.com/frogs/frogs.html
http://frog.simplenet.com/froggy/books.html Materials: live tadpoles, frog counters, construction paper for lily pads, beanbag frog, teacher-created math sheet, stamp pad, KWL chart, Frog photographs and illustrations, drawing paper, computer, TV, VCR, pencils, markers, and or crayons, pine straw, flowers, green construction paper for frog patterns, string and hole punch.

Language Arts:

Read Jump Frog Jump for pleasure and analysis. After completing the story direct the students through a KWL chart. Reread the story and dramatize the story using stick puppets. Repeat these procedures with several books on the literature list. Use centers to create the puppets. Frog and Toad series will primarily be used for enrichment for upper ability children.

Math:

These activities can be done in groups or centers. Use frog counters for sorting and classifying. Repeat the activity using photographs and illustrations. Leap Frog Game, Teacher-created game. Have the student stand in a designated spot and toss the beanbag frog to a numbered lily pad. Chart the numbers. Add the numbers on the chart and the child or team with the most point wins.

Ten Speckled Frogs: Distribute handouts with 10 frogs on it. Each frog has a number on it, have the students use stamps to place the correct number of "speckles" on each frog.

Use frog counters to count, sort and classify frogs according to size and/or color.

Social Studies:

Introduce the students to the class tadpole. Have the students discuss the naming of the tadpole. Instruct the students to observe and record the development and dietary habits of the tadpole/frog. Each day have the students observe the size, color and movement patterns of the tadpole (group). Use the Internet, books and resources about local frogs to tie this to the community and habitat.

Science:

Can you See Me?

Designate an area outside of the classroom as a habitat. Butterflies Place brightly colored frog manipulatives and naturally colored manipulatives in the area containing grass and pine straw. Divide students into predators and frogs. Frog students place their frogs in the habitat. Predator students "hunt" for frogs. Have students graph their hunt results. Discuss the findings and the need for camouflage in nature as a means of survival.

Arts:

Go to http://allaboutfrogs.org/funstuff/colorme.html and chose 5 frogs to color according to characteristics. Create leaping frogs puppets. Create the Hungry Frog Cups using a duplicated pattern and 10 or 12 beverage cups. The students will make puppets to retell the stories and to use in the singing of the songs. Learn the following songs: Five Little Speckled Frogs, Froggie goes a Courtin', and It's not easy being Green.

Culminating Activity: Create a presentation for other classes