Lesson MINI

LESSON MINI

The Life Cycle of Frogs

Grade:

K-2

Topic:

Animals

Unit:

Life Cycles

Overview

In this lesson mini, students learn about the main stages of a frog’s life: egg, tadpole, and adult frog. They explore how tadpoles go through metamorphosis, growing and changing into adult frogs.

Ideas for Implementation

Science

Literacy

Library media

Learning centers

Intervention or enrichment

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Key Vocabulary & Definitions

adult (noun): a fully grown person, animal, or plant

egg (noun): a small round or oval package made by some kinds of animals, such as frogs, that can become a new individual

frog (noun): a kind of leaping amphibian with no tail and usually smooth, wet skin

life cycle (noun): a series of stages through which living things pass as they grow into adults

metamorphosis (noun): a big change in body form that some animals go through to become adults

tadpole (noun): the life stage of a frog between an egg and an adult

Authentic Learning Extensions

Authentic learning opportunities for studying the frog life cycle involve real-world experiences and practical applications that help students understand the frog life cycle meaningfully. Here are some examples:

Classroom Observation: Research how to collect and raise frog eggs from egg to adult, and set up a habitat and observation area in your classroom. Make sure to get frog eggs that are native to your area, monitor and feed your frogs as they grow, and release them in a safe area near a water source.

Field Trip: Visit a local nature center or pond. Encourage students to point out ideal habitats for frog eggs, tadpoles, and adult frogs. Have students look and listen for frogs, frog food sources, and other evidence of frogs.

Choose Activity

LESSON MINI

The Life Cycle of Frogs

Activity

1:

Metamorphosis Sketch

By the end of the activity, students will be able to define key vocabulary related to the life cycle of a frog and represent it with artwork.

20-30

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Markers or colored pencils for students to share

Poster or chart paper (one per group)

Whiteboard or display

Resources

Implementation

Tell students that today they’ll learn about the life cycle of frogs and create word art to show what they learn.

Ask students what they know about how frogs grow and change throughout their lives, and what they want to know. Review the K-W-L instructional strategy and graphic organizer. Display the K-W-L graphic organizer within the strategy and fill out the K and W sections of the chart with what students know and want to know about frogs.

Separate students into groups, and assign each group one of the following vocabulary words: egg, tadpole, adult frog, and metamorphosis. If you have more than 4 groups, assign the same word to multiple groups.

Tell students that they’ll watch a video about frogs. Encourage them to listen carefully for information about their assigned word.

Play the Frog video. At 1:06, pause the video. Tell students that this next section is about the frog life cycle, prompting them to listen closely for their word.

Following the video, ask students what they learned about frogs. Fill out the L section of the K-W-L chart with their answers.

Ask each group to complete a Word Sketch for their assigned word. Follow the steps for implementation outlined on the Word Sketch instructional strategy. As students work, allow them to rewatch the frog video starting at 1:06, as needed.

When students have finished creating their word sketches, have them present their work in the following order: metamorphosis, egg, tadpole, adult frog. As each group presents, have them hang their art on a wall so that the metamorphosis art is at the top, and egg, tadpole, and adult frog are hung below, in order from left to right.

When all students have presented, briefly review the frog life cycle shown on the wall. When you describe frog eggs, show students the water beads, if using them. Allow each student to touch the beads. Highlight how the adult stage connects to the egg stage when adult frogs lay new eggs. Summarize the activity by saying something like the following:

Frogs go through big changes as they grow from an egg to an adult frog! These big changes are called metamorphosis. The first stage of a frog’s life cycle starts in the water: it is the egg stage. Frog eggs look like (these) little jelly balls floating in the water. Then, an egg hatches into a tadpole, which looks kind of like a fish. A tadpole swims in the water. Soon, tadpoles grow legs and get bigger. They lose their tails. Then, they are adult frogs. They can hop on land! Many adult frogs lay eggs in the water, and the life cycle starts over.

Differentiation and Variations

Definition and Example Starter: Provide each group with a concise definition and example sentence for their assigned vocabulary word, distributed on cards or digitally. This approach ensures foundational understanding, guides creative tasks, and illustrates practical usage, encouraging students to integrate these elements into their visual displays for enhanced retention and application.

Depth of Knowledge Questions: Before students begin their creative exploration of the vocabulary words, present each group with a set of Depth of Knowledge (DOK) questions tailored to their assigned word. These questions should encourage students to think beyond the surface level. For example:

What are the potential impacts of this concept in real-life situations?

How might this word be misunderstood or misused, and why?

Can you think of any historical or current events where this word plays a significant role?

Resource-Based Collage Creation: Encourage students to use a curated set of resources—either digital elements, like images and video clips, or physical materials, like magazines and newspapers—to create a visual representation of assigned words. Ask groups to assemble their collages on either digital platforms or traditional poster boards, incorporating diverse elements that depict the meaning and context of the vocabulary. Invite students to present their work, explaining the significance of each component.

Collaborative Teaching

Team Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Team Teaching strategy. In this model, both teachers deliver instruction together, often alternating or integrating their teaching styles seamlessly, sometimes referred to as “tag team teaching.” This collaborative approach provides students with multiple perspectives and teaching styles, enriching their learning experience. By modeling effective teamwork and communication, this approach demonstrates how different viewpoints can enhance understanding and create a dynamic and interactive classroom environment. Evidence indicates that team teaching can enhance student engagement and provide a richer, more diverse educational experience.

K-W-L Chart and Frog Video: One teacher facilitates the K-W-L activity as the other teacher listens, affirms student answers, and models possible answers. One teacher divides the students into groups and assigns each group a vocabulary word, and the other teacher plays the video and stops it at the appropriate time, directing students to listen especially carefully. Both teachers model watching and listening attentively.

Word Sketch: One teacher introduces the Word Sketch strategy. Both teachers visit students as they work to offer encouragement and support.

Debrief and Wrap-Up: One teacher invites students to show their work. The other teacher helps students who have shown their work hang it on the wall in life cycle order. Both teachers collaborate to review the life cycle as shown by the students’ display.

The Life Cycle of Frogs

Activity

2:

Life Cycle Hop

By the end of the activity, students will be able to recite the stages of a frog’s life cycle in order.

<20

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Crayons or markers for each student

Whiteboard or display

Resources

Implementation

Prior to the activity, prepare your classroom:

Cut out and mix up Frog Life Cycle Stages Picture Set

Place the pictures randomly on the floor in a big group, close enough together that a student can hop from one to another.

Tape all sides of every picture. Students will hop from picture to picture to show the order of stages in the frog life cycle, so it is important they are securely taped to the floor.

Introduce the activity by telling students they will play a frog hopping game. Show the first The Life Cycle of Frogs Display. Ask the following questions:

What does this diagram show?

How are eggs different from tadpoles?

How are tadpoles different from adult frogs?

If needed, direct students to start looking at the diagram at the egg stage, then move around to the right.

Affirm that this chart shows a frog’s life cycle, or how a frog changes as it grows into an adult. Show each of the remaining Life Cycle of Frogs displays. Talk to students about each stage as it is labeled. Ask these questions:

How did the frog change between the last stage and this stage?

How is this stage different from an adult frog?

Point out that there are in-between pictures, too. Just as kids don’t wake up one day as full-grown adults, tadpoles don’t suddenly become adult frogs. They change over time. It takes a few months. For example, a tadpole grows front legs, then back legs. Then, a young frog loses its tail before it’s an adult.

Keep the last labeled Frog Life Cycle display up where students can see it. Bring students’ attention to the pictures on the floor, and tell them how to play the game:

One student will be a frog, guiding the other students through a frog’s life cycle. That student will start by crouching like a frog on an egg picture of their choice. The other students will say “Egg!” and ball up their bodies like frog eggs.

The student will hop like a frog to a tadpole picture of their choice. The other students will say “Tadpole!” and swim around like tadpoles.

The student will hop like a frog to an adult frog picture. The other students will say “Adult!” and hop like adult frogs.

The activity will repeat for every student or for as many volunteers as time allows.

Encourage students to find different pictures to hop to and different paths around the pictures.

When all students have hopped around the pictures, ask the following questions:

What stages do frogs go through to become adults?

Which stage is your favorite? Why?

Who lays new frog eggs?

Emphasize that adult frogs lay new eggs, and those eggs hatch into tadpoles and then become adults that lay their own eggs. Point out that the process continues over and over again; that’s why it’s called a life “cycle.”

Give each student The Life Cycle of Frogs handout. Have students color and label the stages.

Differentiation and Variations

Line Them Up: For a warm-up to the game, print one set of the Frog Life Cycle Stages picture set. Tape them to the floor in a line and in order from egg to adult. Have students hop down the line as the class says and acts out each stage. This can lighten the cognitive load and give students practice with the content before increasing the challenge.

Mix It Up: For an extra challenge, or to make sure students aren’t simply mimicking their peers, challenge students to find egg, tadpole, and adult pictures that are different from the ones chosen by the student who hopped before them. If you notice that students are following the same path, move or switch a few of the pictures and challenge them to try again.

Frog Life Cycle Relay: For a briefer activity, tape one set of the Frog Life Cycle Stages picture set to the floor in a line and in order, from egg to adult. Have students line up at the egg picture so that they’re in line with the pictures. Time students as they do the activity, challenging them to go as fast as possible: Have one student at a time hop from picture to picture like a frog as fast as they can, shouting out the stage they’re on (e.g., “Egg!” “Tadpole!” “Adult!”). When they reach the adult picture, have them run back and tag the next student in line, saying “Adults lay eggs!” Then, have the next student take their turn. Continue until all students have finished. If you have time, play again, and challenge students to go even faster.

Collaborative Teaching

Parallel Teaching: For collaborative teaching and learning environments, this learning activity is well suited to a Parallel Teaching strategy. In this model, the class is divided into two groups, and each teacher delivers the same activity simultaneously to their group. This reduces the student-teacher ratio, allowing for more interaction and individualized attention. With smaller groups, students are more likely to participate actively and receive immediate feedback, which fosters a deeper understanding of the content and promotes a more engaging learning experience. Evidence suggests that small-group instruction leads to increased student engagement and improved academic outcomes.

Preparation: Each teacher prepares their classroom space by mixing up The Frog Life Cycle Stages picture set and taping the pictures randomly on the floor in a big group, ensuring they are close enough for students to hop between them and securely taped down.

Introduction to the Frog Life Cycle: Both teachers introduce the activity to their groups, explaining the frog hopping game. They show the first Life Cycle of Frogs display and ask the provided questions about the diagram, differences between eggs and tadpoles, and differences between tadpoles and adult frogs.

Detailed Stage Examination: Each teacher shows the remaining Life Cycle of Frogs displays to their group, discussing each stage and asking questions about how the frog changes between stages. They also explain the in-between stages, emphasizing gradual changes over time.

Life Cycle Hop: Each teacher explains the rules of the frog hopping game to their group and facilitates the game play. They encourage students to find different pictures and paths as they hop through the frog life cycle stages.

Debrief and Handout: After the game, the groups come back together. One teacher asks the debrief questions about frog life cycle stages, favorite stages, and who lays new frog eggs. The other teacher listens, affirms and models answers, and supports students. They then distribute the Life Cycle of Frogs handout for students to color and label.

The Life Cycle of Frogs

Activity

3:

Metamorphosis Puppet Show

By the end of the activity, students will be able to create and perform a brief skit about the life cycle of a frog.

30-40

Minutes

Materials and Resources

Materials

Crayons or markers

Glue stick (one per student or pair)

Popsicle sticks (three per group)

Whiteboard or display

Resources

Implementation

Prepare for the activity: Write the words metamorphosis, egg, tadpole, and adult on the board.

To introduce the activity, tell students that today they’ll be putting on a puppet show about a process some animals go through called metamorphosis.

Have students say the word metamorphosis with you. Acknowledge that metamorphosis is a big word! Tell students that, as with many big words, there are clues in the word that can help them figure out what the word means. Say the word again, emphasizing the word parts meta, morpho, and sis. Tell students that meta sometimes means “change”; morpho means “shape” or “form”; and when -sis is at the end of a word, it means “process” or “action.” Consider writing these meanings above the word parts on the board or chart paper. Ask students, “What do you think the word metamorphosis means?” Guide students to the meaning: the action or process of changing shape or form.

Tell students that today they will learn about (or review) frog metamorphosis, or the process of how frogs change their shape as they become adults.

Show the Metamorphosis Picture display. Tell students that this diagram shows how frogs change as they grow. Keep the display up as you read aloud or use the read-aloud feature to play the first paragraph of the “A Frog’s Life” section of the Frog article. Point to each stage of the frog life cycle as the article mentions it. Check for comprehension with questions like the following:

How do frogs start their lives?

What do they hatch into?

How are tadpoles different from eggs?

How are tadpoles different from adult frogs?

How long does it take for a tadpole to become an adult frog?

Tell students that now they’ll make a puppet show about a frog that is going through its life cycle, from an egg to an adult. Their puppet show will include all three main stages of a frog’s life cycle: egg, tadpole, and adult. When they’re done, they will present their puppet show to the class.

Separate the class into groups of three students. Give each group a Metamorphosis Puppet set. Have them cut out and decorate each image, with one student in the group working on one stage. Then, have the students glue the decorated images to popsicle sticks to make their puppets.

Invite each group to create a puppet show about a frog egg that hatches into a tadpole and goes through metamorphosis to change into an adult frog. Show students the key words written on the board or chart paper, and encourage them to use those words in their puppet show. Visit each group as they work, encouraging students to think about each stage and be creative.

Gather students back together. Have each group present its puppet show. After each show, you might ask questions like these:

When did you show metamorphosis in your puppet show?

How do frogs’ bodies change as they grow from an egg to a tadpole, and from a tadpole to an adult?

Listen to and affirm students’ answers, and congratulate them on their puppet shows.

Differentiation and Variations

Sentence Frames: Help students script their puppet shows with sentence frames such as the following:

I’m an egg. My size is ___. My shape is ___. I look kind of like a ___.

I’m a tadpole. Now my size is ___. One new body part I have is ___. Now I can ___.

I’m an adult frog. Now my size is ___. One new body part I have is ___. Now I can ___.

This lessens the cognitive load and helps students focus on the most important information about frog metamorphosis and life cycle.

Dramatize It: For an extra challenge, encourage students to add a storyline to their puppet shows, integrating what they know about the frog life cycle. For example, you can ask the following questions:

What is your frog’s name?

Does your frog like changing so much? Why or why not?

Do you think changing shape as you grow would be exciting, or scary? Why? How can you show that in your puppet show?

What can your frog do now that it has a tail?

What can your frog do now that it has four legs? Lungs?

Group Puppet Show: For a briefer activity, have your students decorate, cut out, and build their puppets. Then, instead of having each group perform separately, lead a whole-class puppet show in which all students participate simultaneously. You can narrate the story of frog metamorphosis, prompting students to raise and move their puppets at appropriate times. Then, repeat the game, keeping the same adult frog visible. Point out that the eggs eventually grow into adult frogs, which lay more eggs! This repetition helps students understand the cyclical nature of the frog’s life cycle. This group approach allows for a more collaborative experience and can be particularly effective for younger students or those who might feel shy about performing in smaller groups.

Collaborative Teaching

Introduction: One teacher writes the words on the board and introduces the activity. The other teacher guides students through saying the word metamorphosis and introduces the word-part meanings, leading students to discover the word’s meaning. The other teacher writes the word-part meanings on the board, listens to and affirms students’ answers, and provides support as needed.

Read-Aloud: One teacher displays the Metamorphosis Picture display, and the other teacher reads or plays the read-aloud of the first paragraph of the “A Frog’s Life” section of the Frog article. The other teacher points to the corresponding parts of the display as they are mentioned and then asks the comprehension questions.

Puppet Show Preparation: One teacher explains the puppet show activity, and the other teacher passes out materials and answers any questions students have. Both teachers visit students as they work, helping them plan their puppet shows.

Puppet Show Performances and Debrief: One teacher calls on groups to perform their puppet shows and helps them set up. The other teacher asks the subsequent debrief questions.

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