Frog Unit Study: Hopping to Learn

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A Frog Theme Makes Learning Fun!

Take trips to the frog pond, play games and sing songs, gobble up the insect words and swat the fly verbs.

This lens will give you dozens of ideas, resources, hints and tricks to create frog-themed activities for both homeschool families and classrooms.



Children will remember these lessons that allow them to manipulate objects and preferably get a little dirty in the process.

Froggy Table of Contents 

Hop Around this Frog Unit Study

Frog Lesson Plans

This Frog Unit Study has grown so large that it is beginning to grow tadpole lenses. You will find links to my other frog and frog related lenses throughout this lens. Each one will have even more ideas and activities to extend your Frog Unit Study. Enjoy your hop back and forth throughout the frog pond of ideas.

What is a Frog? 

A Scientist looks at Frogs

FrogFrogsFrogs

Photo Credit: Amphibian and Reptile Illustrations
by Gina Mikel, Scientific Illustrator



With over 3,900 species of tailless amphibians including the frogs and toads it may be impossible to choose where to start.

Amphibians

1. Zoologists classify frogs as Amphibia.

2. Scientists say that these Amphibians are poikilothermic because they are cold-blooded.

3. Frogs have skin instead of scales so they are not reptiles as some people think.

4. Most frogs and toads return to water to breed.

Frogs and toads are one of three types of Amphibians. Anura, also called Salientia, (frogs and toads), caudate (salamanders and newts) and caecilians (worm-like amphibians).

Frog

Photo Credit: Tadpoles and Frog Eggs
by Gina Mikel

.

Herps and Herpetology

Amphibians together with reptiles make up a larger group called Herps. The study of reptiles and amphibians is called Herpetology. Herp comes from the Greek word herpeton, which basically means "creepy crawly things that move about on their bellies."

A herptile is an individual herp. A person who keeps and breeds herps is called a herpetoculturist and the hobby is called herpetoculture.
What is a Frog?
There are around 3,900 species of tailless amphibians.
2nd Grade Frog and Toad Lesson
Compare frog and toad stories and make a venn graph
Frog - Wikipedia
The name frog derives from Old English frogga...

Frog Theme Classroom Set-up

Turn Your Classroom into a Frog Pond 

Classroom Frog Theme

Let's begin the transformation of your classroom with the bulletin board. The bulletin board that I suggest is a simple pond scene that can be transformed into a an interactive learning center that grows and evolves as you progress through the Frog Unit Study.

Frog BorderFrog Border
CattailsPond Bulletin BoardFrogs with Cattails
Frog BorderFrog Border

Photo Credit: Frog Pond used with permission.
Photo Credit: Frogs with Cattails From Clip Art Mountain
Photo Credit: Leap Frog Border From Decorating Haven

.

Bulletin Boards don't have to just be decorations on the wall. An interactive bulletin board can become another center for working on skills being taught in the classroom. The bulletin board above comes from Kindergarten Lessons, a wonderful resource for teachers of all ages. Patricia has taught kindergarten for many years and now writes web pages to help teachers make their classrooms a place of exploration, problem solving and creative thought processes.

Make a bulletin board with a pond and plants.

Put a blue rug in the reading area with green mats or pillows for lily pads.

Add brown blanket or Paper Mache to the Reading Nook (see Lemmings: Arctic Theme or River Otters: Playful Friends of the Woodlands for Reading Nook ideas).

Call your little frogs over and to start your day.

Circle Time for Little Frogs

Io e l'altro or Circle Time in Italian is a great way to start your day and help the children focus on the Frog Unit Study theme.

I like to use frog shaped paper for writing pond words on. I have them attached with push pins so that the children can take them to their desks when needed for spelling help.

Putting the words back reinforces the skill of ABC order.

Later the bulletin board becomes an ABC Center where the job is to put the frogs back into ABC order.
Kindergarten bulletin boards
Kindergarten bulletin boards can be valuable teaching tools, interactive learning spaces and a means of teaching your students about communication.
Life Cycle Word Mats: Frog
Frog Life Cycle Bulletin Board

This is an example of an excellent bulletin board. The both pictures and the words are large enough for each child throughout the room to see. It is not cluttered so it is easy for a child to pick out the word that he or she is trying to spell and from a distance be able to copy it.

This Frog Life Cycle Bulletin Board gives all the most essential information about frogs in a clear, concise way.
Frog Bulletin Boards
Themed Bulletin Boards for the Music Classroom FROGS
Pond Pals Bulletin Board
Here is another wonderful idea for a bulletin board with a pond, frogs, dragon flies and cat-o-nine tails.
Hoppin' Good Books Bulletin Board
Frogs with their accordion feet dangling down hold books that your class has read and enjoyed.
Bulletin Board of a Frog Pond
Look at this Frog Pond bulletin board. The teacher sketched the pond and the students filled in with sponge paint. Easy and cute. The class is studying the pond, so later the children will add pond stories to their bulletin board.
Our Classroom
Leap into Reading

Every time we finish a book we move a frog on the frog board.We need to read at least 25 books by June.

This is an excellent example of an interactive bulletin board.

The Frog Pond Rug 

A Gathering Place for Frogs and Toads

Frog and Toad are Reading

Photo Credit: Frog and Toad Alone
from Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel



The Frog Pond Rug is the place to gather for Circle Time Stories, Morning Meeting and other Frog Group Activities.

How about singing 5 Green and Speckled Frogs or playing one of the frog games below.

Children could take turns being the Five Green and Speckled frogs sitting on the log and jumping into the pond as everyone sings the song. Others could keep track of the math problems being sung about by holding up sentence strips with the number problems for 5-1=4, 4-1=3 etc.

Frog Pond Rug

Nature Carpet (4'5" x 5'10")

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Five Little Frogs

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Help the Frogs Catch the Flies 

An Interactive Bulletin Board for Hungry Frogs

Interactive Bulletin Boards turn wall decoration into another learning center. This bulletin board of frogs gets kids actively matching frogs and flies, numbers and math facts.

Use red bias tape and push pins to make long frog tongues reaching out from the frogs to the Fly that matches.

Bulletin boards need not be just decorations on the wall. By making the bulletin board interactive, you now have one more learning center.

Homeschoolers might consider using a display board for a bulletin board. Mount your Hungry Frogs learning center on one side and a frog related math calendar on the other. When you are finished for the day they fold up easily and can be put in a closet to easily turn your classroom back into a dining room.

Frog Pond Math Bulletin Board 

Frog Bulletin Board Ideas

More Frogs on the Bulletin Board 

Interactive Bulletin Boards to keep the Frogs Hopping

Create Bulletin Boards that are not only attractive, but also interactive. Bulletin Boards that invite students to actively participate in a game or hands-on activity also become student activity centers where students can learn as well as look.

Cover your Bulletin Board with an old blue sheet (or just paint one). Have the kids experiment with blue and yellow paint in the art center. Cut these paintings to add grasses and leaves to your board. Have children trace around their hands to form leaves and write the name and author of books they have read and then attach to the edges of the board. Use brown crayons to do rubbings of tree trunks and cut them out for tree trunks, branches etc.

Photo Credit: Frogs with Cattails
From Clip Art Mountain

.
Frog Bulletin BoardFrog Pond interactive Bulletin Boards. Every Monday put a different problem on the board. Example: word problem for math, editing a sentence for writing, social studies question, draw the 3 kinds of levers for science...etc. The students then write their answer down on a frog shaped paper, put their name on it and staple it on the bulletin board.

At the end of the week correct them all. Those who got the problem right get their frogs put into a fish bowl. The teacher draws a name out and that person gets a reward. Kids loved it. This idea allows the teacher to put up bonus questions across the curriculum for the children to do in their spare time!

Though some may be tempted to tell the children that they can't change their an answer once it is written down, I find that the discussion that ensues when one child is trying to convince another of the correct answer is informative for both of them and requires that each one defends their own point of view.

As you add to the bulletin board, take the old pictures off and make them into class books. Put the books in the classroom library for the kids to read during silent reading time.

Frog Catching Butterfly, Including Life-Cycle of the Frog

Frog Catching Butterfly, Including Life-Cycle of the Frog
Buy at AllPosters.com

Frog Bulletin Board Ideas 

Bulletin Boards

Frog Bulletin BoardFrog Window Display

Photo Credit: Frog Classroom Display
from Classroom Ideas



Kim, a teacher of 27 years from Australia, has a site full of wonderful ideas for decorating your classroom. The frogs that hang from the window are made from painted paper plates folded in half. The legs are made from cardboard that has been folded accordion style.

Notice the small word wall of frog themed words. These will be handy when the children are writing about frogs.
Frog Bulletin Board Ideas and Decorations
Here are some frog bulletin board ideas for your classroom. You will pictures of hangin frog decorations as well as folded paper frogs sitting for display.

Bulletin Board Frogs 

Frog Bulletin Board Borders

Frog Bulletin Board

These are some of the most popular items for decorating your Frog Bulletin Board. I like to use borders to define areas that would not otherwise appear to be bulletin boards. I use these spaces to add more Word Walls.

BORDER FROG

Surround your frog bulletin board with these hopping frogs.

Amazon Price: $4.99 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Rainforest Frogs Wall Border - Blue (5 yards)

Rainforest frogs come in many brilliant colors. Use dry erase markers and let children practice writing their color words on the frogs.

Amazon Price: $19.99 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Whimsical Frogs Lily Pads Wallpaper Border

Sometimes a wide wallpaper border is just what you need for decorating your classroom.

Because this wallpaper is Vinal coated children could use it to write frog related vocabulary words.

This becomes another word wall that could surround your classroom with one more resource for saturated literacy.

Amazon Price: $11.95 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frog Number Bulletin Board Set

Frog Number Line. Numbered lily pads to count the days until the 100th day of school.

Amazon Price: $9.24 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Barker Creek LL-801CH Border Chart - Frog Chart

Enter code Q47UDXDE at checkout to get 40% off for a limited time.

Amazon Price: $18.32 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frog Word Walls 

Every Word in it's Place and Every Frog on it's Log

Write a long word such as amphibian on the frogs and have the kids look for small words using just the letters found in amphibian.

an
in
man
hi
pin

The children write the small words on cutout tadpoles and attach them to the Frog Pond surrounding the frogs. This activity will help the children focus on the letters in the word amphibian, promote learning of high frequency words and help them learn to read and write.

Frog Family
The Frog Family by Choux
Buy at AllPosters.com



Word Walls are a collection of words for
children to use to promote learning in
reading and writing.

There are several types of word walls that can be used in the classroom such as abc words, names,
high-frequency words, word families, etc.

For the Frog Theme, brainstorm a list of Frog Words with the children. These should be words that the children might use in their writing, are difficult for them to spell and are related to the frog theme.

frog
tadpole
pond
fly
ribbit
hop
jump

See Word Walls for more ideas.

When doing the Word Wall try the Frog Jumps Chant:

* Start standing up.
* As you say each letter crouch down a little farther.
* Jump into the air at the end as you say the word.

Photo Credit: Reading Frog on Photobucket

Froggy in the Mud Reading Nook 

Read All about the Frogs

This shows Froggy in the Mud Reading Nook at the beginning of the unit when it is still a Lemming's Winter Reading Nest.

Later we cover it with brown blankets to turn it into spring and then green for the grass of summer. We use rope lights to see inside to read.

We use the brown blankets again to turn it into a winter Froggy in the Mud Reading Nook.

Frog Reading Nook

Photo Credit: Milk Jug Reading Nook
on Flickr, Creative Commons.



After you have finished studying Lemmings you can turn your Igloo/Lemming Tunnel into a Hole in the Mud for all your little frogs to crawl into for a quiet reading time.

For directions on how to make the Milk Jug Igloo go to Lemmings and scroll down to The Lemming's Reading Nest

See other ideas for a Riverbank Theme by clicking on River Otters, Meadow Theme bluebirds, or Woodland Theme Mice.

Reading about Frogs

Frog Books for your Reading Pond 

Increase your knowledge of Frogs

The Reading Pond

Some of my favorite books about frogs, tadpoles, and other creatures that live in and around the pond are these.

We read a couple of picture books each day after Calendar time and a chapter book after lunch recess. We keep track of new information we learn about frogs on a chart near the rug where we read.

When choosing books to read aloud I look for large, clear, eye-appealing illustrations, authentic story lines that will teach something, in this case about frogs, and predictable sentence structure. The stories I read in the morning are ones that can be read in just a few minutes with the idea that later children will be able to pick these books up during Silent Reading and read them by themselves.

Froggy Fiction 

Imagine an new Froggy World

Froggy FictionJoseph Lyon has written a couple of original frog stories that would be wonderful read alouds for your class. You can preview The Other Side of Yore in PDF form but don't forget to return here for lots more frog ideas.

Journey with Frawg and friends on a tortoise shell boat through the magical lands of Terramore. Twelve masterpiece illustrations to embellish the fascinating story. To be read to children of all ages by people or amphibians 8 years and up.

Joseph Lyon sats that he wrote The Other Side of Yore for readers who would like to know more about the adventures of Frawg and Dr. Croaks' and their histories together.

These books would be a great addition to any Frog Library.

New Year's Day Frogs 

Happy New Year's Day Froggy

Frog Calendar

What could the frogs be up to for the New Year? It's fun to read the stories of Frog and Toad and then make up your own stories. Write down your stories, illustrate them and share them with your friends.

Frog Hibernation

Surviving the Cold From All about Frogs by SaskSchools.ca

In colder climates, real frogs are nestled down under the mud where the temperatures stay above freezing. Their breathing slows. The moisture in the mud keeps their skin damp. They are able to breathe through their skin. When the sun warms the pond in the spring, the frogs wake up and start looking for food.

Frog and Toad All Year (I Can Read Book)

Frog and Toad's saga gives a glimpse of what those rascals are up to all year long. They frolic together over four seasons, with a story for each celebration, plus one for Christmas.

Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frog in Winter (Frog series)

Amazon Price: (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Tales of the Frog Prince 

Write your own Fairytale Frog Story

When Spring comes the sunlight kisses the frog with warmth and the frog comes up out of the mud to mate and lay her eggs.

Frog Prince 1912

When you write about the Frog Prince let your imagination go wild. Make up stories of frogs, describe the castles they live in and the people or other creatures they encounter. Illustrate your stories and turn them into class books.

Nothing gets children reading faster than reading stories that they themselves have written and illustrated. Think of how proudly their grandparents will be to learn that the story that they are reading about frogs was written by their grandchild.
Plentiful as Blackberries: Steve Morrison Illustration: The Frog Prince
Steve Morrison has made an incredible series of pictures to illustrate The Frog Prince.

These might be used to help children recall the sequence of the story.
THE FROG PRINCE
A California Theatre Center Study Guide for Teachers and Students

The Frog Prince 

Kiss a Frog

Kiss a Frog

Photo Credit: The Frog Prince
on Flickr, Creative Commons.




No frog Unit Study could be complete without the tale of the Frog Prince. I like to have a variety of books about the Frog Prince that the children can read and compare. The puppets help in retelling the story. Some children like to hold the Frog Prince puppet as they read the tale and turn it back and forth from frog to prince as the story progresses.

I rarely recommend movies but the Fairy Tale Theatre's production of the Frog Prince is excellent. I highly recommend that you own a copy. My children watched these performances over and over. I like the fact that they are all done with real people playing the parts. It helps children see that they too can act out the parts in the story.

Princess Frog Prince Topsy Turvy Doll

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Folkmanis Frog Prince Reversible Puppet

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A Frog Prince

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Faerie Tale Theatre: Tale of the Frog Prince [VHS]

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The Frog King 

The Princess and the Golden Ball

The Frog King

Photo Credit: The Frog King
are in the Public Domain (1884).



Be quiet, and do not weep," answered the frog, "I can help thee, but what wilt thou give me if I bring thy plaything up again?

Whatever thou wilt have, dear frog,said she - My clothes, my pearls and jewels, and even the golden crown which I am wearing.

The frog answered, ...
Grimms's Fairy Tales: The Frog King or Iron Henry - Candlelight Stories
The Frog King by Margaret Evans Price (1921)

Non-Fiction Frogs 

Frogs from Eggs to Tadpoles to Adults

Frog Life Cycle

These non-fiction books are ideal for classroom libraries, in the reading nook or in literacy bags. Children love to learn real facts about frogs, toads and amphibians in general. I look for books with plenty of illustrations and easy to read print. Guidebooks often have difficult vocabulary but their predictable format makes it much easier for children to obtain information from them than you might think.


Some children are fascinated about learning the scientific names for various frogs. As a Learning Center they can make their own guidebooks by drawing pictures of frogs found in guidebooks, copying the colors and markings and then writing their common and scientific names under each frog. Some children like to use a photocopied outline of a frog or a frog stamp instead of drawing the outlines themselves.

Guidebooks about frogs usually have the common name of each frog written in bold type and the scientific name in italics. Pointing this out to children makes it easier for them to find the names. Children love sharing their guidebooks with the class and at home with their families.

Froggy says it's time to Read 

Frog Story Hour

Frog Time

The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children. and
There is conclusive evidence to support the use of reading aloud not only in the home but also in the classroom: It is a practice that should continue throughout the grades.

-Jim Trelease
Green Frog with Timer
Set a read-aloud goal and use this plush friend to help meet that goal.

Thematic Unit: Frogs And Toads Gr 1-3 

Frog Books for Teachers

Teaching about Frogs

Frogs and Toads Thematic Unit

Biology lessons and activities make a great supplement to any classroom or home school life science curriculum.

Thematic Units provide activities for all areas of the curriculum.

Literature-based units and lesson plans, plus cross-curricular activities and worksheets, a culminating activity, management ideas, and a bibliography.

Reproducible units on Frogs and Toads.

Amazon Price: $9.99 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frog Theme Language Arts

Spring Peepers and Leopard Frogs Count Syllables 

Peeps or Ribbits File Folder Game Center

Spring PeeperCounting Syllables

Peeps and Ribbits: Counting Syllables

Different frogs make different sounds. Go to the links below and listen to the sounds of the Spring Peeper and the Leopard Frog. During the spring, go out to the frog pond and listen to the sounds that the frogs make.

Now let's all be frogs and learn about some frog words. The words we speak have different rhythms just as the different frogs have different calls. Demonstrate to the children the difference between one and two syllable words. As a whole group practice calling out peep for one syllable and ribbit for two syllables.

Peeps or Ribbits File Folder Game

Paste 2 lilypads, one on each side of an opened file folder.

Paste a Spring Peeper on the left with the words "Peep, I hear 1.syllable."

Paste a Leopard Frog on the right with the words "Ribbit, I hear 2.syllables."

Make a few cards with pictures of one and two syllable words on one side, the name of the picture with the number of syllables on the other.

The children say the name of the picture and clap it's syllables, place it on the correct lily pad and then turn it over to self-check.
Spring Peeper Frog - Frogs - University of Wisconsin Sea Grant
Learn about the Spring Peeper and the sound it makes. The drawing of the Spring Peeper (on the left) is by Gina Mikel.
Songs of the Frog
Learn all about how frogs make their calls as well as the words people around the world use to describe the sound of frogs.
Northern Leopard Frog
Get northern leopard frog profile, facts, information, photos, pictures, sounds, habitats, reports, news, and more from National Geographic.
Chiricahua Leopard Frog
The frog on the right is a Chiricahua Leopard Frog. It is is a medium sized, stout bodied frog with green-brown skin, many spots on its back, and pale yellow to white skin below.

Make your own Frog Games 

Deal out the Frog Cards

Frog Prince Game
As you learn more about frogs you can start to make up games that reinforce learning. Adapting traditional games to the theme is a great way to get started.

For example:

Concentration

1. Make decks of cards with two each of various kinds of frogs.

2. Print the names on the bottom of each card.

3. Make the cards from Card Stock. About 20 pictures per deck works well.

4. Using Card Stock means that you can print them on most printers.

If you chose to print the pictures on regular printer paper you can use various colors of Card Stock, a different color for each deck, to keep the decks separated.

If teaching a foreign language you could make the cards with parts of the body or frogs of different colors etc,

Frog in the Pond 

F is for Frog Matching letter Game

F is for Frog

Frog in the PocketLetter f for Frog

Make a bulletin board that resembles a frog pond and attach a few pocket protectors in the pond.

1. Write a capital letter on each of the frogs and insert it in a pocket protector (pool of water).

2. Write the small letter that accompanies it on the pocket protector.

3. Take out and shuffle the frogs.

4. Children match the frogs with the right part of the pool.

As the children learn the letters keep adding more pockets and corresponding frogs.

Name Your Frogs 

A Frog by any other name would smell as sweet...

Name Games

NAME PUZZLES: Letter tiles for each child's name are put in a baggy with a name card. The child selects a baggy, puts the tiles in order and copies the name on a record sheet.

Macaroni FrogsNAME BINGO: The child and his/her partner take turns picking a child's name stick, reading it and covering that space on a name bingo card. Use macaroni frog counters to cover.

PET ROCK BULLFROGS: Paint fist sized rocks to look like frogs. Write of a student on each bullfrog. Children match the bullfrogs to fabric lilypads that have the student's last names on them.

Spell the Frog Words 

Frog Letters

Frog Pond Letter Game

Photo Credit: Frog Watercolor
on Flickr, Creative Commons.

Photo Credit: Scrabble Letters
on Flickr, Creative Commons.



Make word puzzles bags by writing words on Frog shaped note paper, laminating them and putting them in zippered Ziplock bags with the scrabble letters needed to spell them. They could also be stored in the frog tins seen below.

Kids take a bag at a time. Rearrange the letters to spell the words and then get another bag.

For a little harder version.

Write the word on the back and draw a picture of the word on the front.

Kids spell the word with the letters and then check the back to see that they are correct.

NOTE: Because Scrabble letters are all capital, I write the small letters on the back with a marker so that the children can read the words more easily.

SPELLING WITH THE FROGS 

They aren't just for counting!

-Write words that the children are learning to spell on card stock that has been cut in half. Children can use little PLASTIC COUNTING FROGS to cover the words.

-Try to find RUBBER STAMPS with frog for stamping their spelling words.

-Go out to the playground and write a word that the whole class is having difficulty with using SIDEWALK CHALK. Then have the kids jump on the shapes of the letters to form the word. They might even play leapfrog on the letters.

L For Leapfrog

Uptton, Clive
L For Leapfrog
Buy at AllPosters.com

Insect Words 

Hungry Frogs eat their Words

Frog Trashcan

Insect WordsInsect Words

At this center the children unscramble the insect words or add the missing letters and then feed the Insect Words to the Frog.
ENCHANTED LEARNING HOME PAGE
Enchanted Learning Software creates children's educational web sites and games designed to stimulate creativity, learning, enjoyment, and imagination.

Feed the Frog 

Feed the Frog
Feed the Frog
Teaching Sight Words from Creative Teaching

Jo made a Feed the Frog game for her homeschooled children to help them learn sight words.

The first child picks a bug out of a bag, says the word, and feeds the word to the frog If the child did not know the word, the other child or an adult could help.

If you pair up: one child who is struggling with the words, and another who knows all of the words then the one who is struggling can get hints from the other.

If the struggler is also asked to provide hints to the one who knows the words it will help him or her to focus on the words and practice using clues to remember the words.

Jo's children children made "ribbit" sounds as the frog ate, or made the frog burp after it ate all the bugs. SheI was okay with that because she knew if the frog was full, the children's minds were growing and filling up also (burp!).
Arcademic Skill Builders - Word Frog
Word Frog is an online game that provides practice in matching antonyms, synonyms, and homonyms.

The target word appears on the frog, with the word category underneath defining the relationship to be matched.

The words to be eaten by the frog appear on flies.

Frogs to Feed 

Frogs for the Insect and Frog Feeding games above.

With so many choices I am sure that you will be able to find the perfect frog for feeding. The small frog scrubby holder and the frog cup work well for centers using words written on small insect cards. The large laundry basket frog works well for a playground version where the words are written on beanbags and can be played by the whole class.

Ask the children to help you think up more games to use with these frog containers. What else would the frogs be eating?

Frog and Insect Words Slide Through  

Frogs eat Insect Words

Color and then cut out the frog. Color the frog and the insects. Cut out the strip of insects. Cut the insects apart and glue onto a longer strip leaving room to write the words for each of the frog's prey. Thread the strip through the frog's stomach. Children can practice reading the words as they feed the frog.(Frog Eating Activity)

This activity was inspired by Kiddyhouse Frog Activity.

Spelling Frogs 

Driving Frogs along the Spelling Words

brio Frogster

Form the train tracks into the shape of the letters in the word frog and let your child run the frogs along the letters while making their sounds.

Frog Word Games

Tactile Frog Words 

F is for FrogROFrog

Rough green scour pads make wonderful WorkMats for practicing spelling frog words. Cut them to resemble Lily Pads.

1. Set out a set of flannel letters and a list of words for the child to spell.

2. Child finds the letters to each word and puts it on the Lily Pad (Scour Pad).

3. After checking to make sure that it is spelled correctly, the child puts the letters back in ABC order.

Note: Keeping the letters in ABC order makes it easier to find the letters that you are looking for and reinforces the skill of alphabetical order.

NOTE: For younger children, put the letters to each word in an envelope and have them unscramble the word.

Note:The roughness of the pads makes it possible to attach them to the wall for those children who need to stand or move around while working. For children with ADHD you might have them find the letters while on one side of the room and then hop across the room to attach them to the lily pads.

The letters in the word FROG come from Mrs. Christian's 1st Grade Class Website where she uses the letters to highlight all of the wonderful activities she and her class will bo all year.

Alphabet Felt Set

Amazon Price: $19.95 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frog Unit Study Vocabulary 

Frog Words

These Frog Unit Study Vocabulary words could be used in a variety of activities to help children express their discoveries about frogs. What ways could you use these words to bring attention to them and help children remember how to spell them?

pond, egg, frog spawn, jelly, embryo, tadpole, head, tail, body, algae, hind legs, front legs, gills, lungs, insects, frog, hibernation, amphibian, land, water, cold blooded, webbed, enemies, camouflage

Put the Frog Words in ABC order.

1 point

Write the Frog Words on a Word Wall

Circle the words pointing out where the tails of s more...1 point

Divide piles of frog words by syllables.

1 point

Write each word on an index card and put in an envelope.

Kids cut apart letters and use as a puzzle.1 point

Swat the Verb Flies 

Frogs and Flies

Swat the Flies

Swat the Verb Flies: Make a deck of cards with a fly outline and a word written in the middle. Turn over a card. If it is a Verb, swat it. The first on to swat it gets it. The one with the most cards wins.

More fly related ideas can be found on my Old Black Fly lens below and Word Walls has more ideas for using fly swatters to read and write the room.

The Froggy Goggles can be used for Read the Room activities.
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Old Black Fly 

Frog related lenses

Here is my Unit Study about Flies. The frogs just eat them up. Frogs and flies just naturally go to together.

Check out more Word Wall ideas as well as pointers to go with them in my Word Wall Lens.

Frogs and the Writing Process

Frog Writing Center 

Writing about Frogs

Writing Process

The table and chair set inspires young frogs to write their life histories.

Provide plenty of paper, pencils, and frogs to observe. Novelty pens that are shaped like frogs or paper that is cut in a frog shape can also inspire writing.

Spend time writing every day. Write in all curriculum areas and don't forget to publish the best writing so that everyone can be inspired to write more.

The more you write about frogs the more you will learn about frogs because writing requires observation, deep thinking and accuracy in expressing your thoughts.

Writing about Frogs 

Understanding the Writing Process

Frog, Snail and Duck with Letter


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The following online description of The Writing Process by MIT's Online Writing and Communication Center will help anyone who is teaching the Writing Process help children go from the pre-writing stage all the way through to a published book or poem.

Throughout this Frog Unit Study, use this outline to brainstorm, draft, revise, edit and finally publish the stories and poems that you will be writing about frogs. Teach this process to the children and they will be not only prepared for writing papers in college but will be prepared for writing throughout life.

Hop, jump and leap into writing with the frogs...
The Writing Process
The Writing Process, part of the MIT Online Writing and Communication Center

Writing is a process that involves at least four distinct steps: prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing.

Frogs and The Writing Process 

Make Your Own Frog Story

What's up with the "IlluStory Make Your Own Story Kit" and why so many people are talking about it? You can use this kit to publish your child's frog stories.

Make Your Own Story

Most educators now use the Writing Process to teach children how to write.

Prewriting can involve going to the frog pond to observe frogs, watching the tadpoles in the classroom aquarium, drawing frogs, talking about frogs or reading about frogs.

Most people write several drafts of a story. Sometimes we try writing the story using different formats such as a poem, letter, short story, or newspaper article. We then share the various drafts with others in order to determine the form that works best for telling our story.

Once we have chosen the draft that seems to fit the story, the children begin to revise. With each revision they try to make their frog stories come alive, add intrigue and clarity to their stories. Again they share their revisions until the story pops.

Finally they edit their stories, checking for spelling, grammar, and punctuation before publishing their frog tales in a format that allows them to include it in the classroom library and allows others to check it out to share with their families at home.

Describing a Frog's form of Locomotion 

Choosing Words Carefully: Hop, Leap, or Jump

Pair of Frogs II

Wood, J. W.
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When writing it is important to choose your words carefully as in the following example. Discuss with the children the difference in the meaning of the words hop, leap and jump. Have everyone get up and try each of the movements, preferably in front of a mirror. Now sing the song Here we go Round the Mulberry Bush while substituting the words hop, leap and jump for different verses. Help the children feel the difference between these different words.

Now sit back down and talk about how each of these words might be used in a poem or story about frogs. Spend only a couple of minutes on this discussion before sending them off to silent writing time.

Frog under Water

Frog under Water
Flach, Tim
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hop/leap/jump away - WordReference Forums
Question:

Some frogs naturally freeze solid in winter, then thaw and hop away in the spring ... Scientists believe these frogs hold the secret for safer organ transplants.

I wonder if leap/jump away could substitute for hop awayThat is, are they the same in meaning?

Responce:

I have to warn you that I'm just making silly assumptions here:

To hop is used in many circumstances, including when there's no jumping involved.
Come now children, go to bed. Hop to it! ( = run along now!)

So I'm guessing this expresses the fact that they go as if nothing had happened - and although you should feel free to switch between those words, I'd keep hop.

Frog Book Fabric 

Cover your Frog Book in Frog Fabric

Make covers for your Frog Books using cereal boxes covered in Frog Print cloth. Be sure to press them with heavy books so that they dry flat.
RJR Fabrics Leap Frog Lily pads
Frog Fabric

Frog Shaped Book 

Use a Frog Shaped Cookie Cutter

Frog Shaped Book

Use a frog shaped cookie cutter to trace around the frog. Staple the pages together and you have a Frog Shaped book for all your frog stories and tales.

If you make the front and back covers from old cereal boxes the book will last longer. They could be painted and covered with tissue paper and decorated to look like a frog.

Spray them with hairspray as a fixative then use polyurethane to protect them.
The Frog Store
Frog housewares make great frog gifts for the frog lover and frog collector. We have frog cookie jars and a wide variety of kitchenwares. Find all sorts of frog gifts, frog collectibles, frog toys, frog jewelry, and more at the Internet's largest all-frog gift shop!

Frog Life Cycle Booklet 

The stages in a Frog's Life

Frog Life Cycle Booklet

1. As you learn about frogs write sentences on a chart.
2. Reread the sentences with the children often so they can remember what they say.
3. These sentences can be used to copy into the Frog Book.

Coloring pages of frogs can be colored and cut out to make Frog Shaped Books.
Frog Life Cycle Booklet
In this activity, lower-elementary children create a frog-shaped booklet on the life cycle of a frog.
Hop to It - Irish Frog Survey - Frog Crossword Game
Crossword of the Frog Life Cycle
Frog Shape for Making a Book
Color this simple drawing of a frog, or trace and cut out to make a great student shapebook.

Frog Poetry

Write a Frog Poem 

Frog Poetry

What do frogs do in the winter? Maybe they are writing poetry.

Children love to go into the reading nook to write poetry. They pretend that they are frogs in the mud, waiting for spring with nothing to do but dream of summer and write poetry.

Frog Poem

Contented Frogs Poem 

Poem of Happy Frogs

Contented Frogs Poem
The Frog Store
This page comes from a 14-page antique reproduction booklet. It includes lots of wonderful frog illustrations and 8 frog poems.

One of them, "Contented Froggies", ends with I tell you this story that you may see, How happy a Frog and his wife may be.

Frog Poetry Contest 

Announcing the SAVE THE FROGS! 1st Annual Frog Poetry Contest!

SAVE THE FROGS!

Amphibian populations worldwide are in the midst of a mass extinction crisis, yet most people are completely unaware! We need your help in getting the word out.

This contest will raise awareness of the amphibian extinction problem by getting people involved and interested.

The best frog poems will be used in a book of frog poetry that will be sold to raise money for amphibian conservation efforts. This book will feature artwork from our concurrent 1st Annual Frog Art Contest.
Frog Poetry Contest | Cash Prizes
1st Annual Frog Poetry Contest. Held by SAVE THE FROGS! Nonprofit Organization to raise funds and awareness for endangered frogs.

Frog Outlook 

Persistent Frog

Keep Swimming

Persistent FrogTwo frogs fell into a deep cream bowl.
One was an optimistic soul.,
but the other took the gloomy view.
"We'll drown," he lamented without ado.
And with a last despairing cry,
He flung up his legs and said "Goodbye."

Quote the other frog with a steadfast grin,
"I can't get out but I won't give in,
I'll just swim around until my strength is spent,
then I'll die the more content."

Bravely he swam to work his scheme,
and his struggles began to churn the cream.
The more he swam, his legs a flutter,
The more the cream turned into butter.

On top of the butter at last he stopped.

What is the moral? It's easily Found. If you can't hop out, keep swimming around!

-Author Unknown

More Frog Poetry 

Frogs keep the Bugs at Bay

Frog Poem by Becca Rapelje
My Frog Poem

by Becca Rapelje

I had a little jumping frog.
I trained to come and go.
We enjoyed each other's company.
and I often told her so.
She lived out in my garden,
in a clump of grass you see.
And she ate the bugs and insects.
that often bothered me.

Visit Becca's site to read the rest of the poem.
Frog Hop Finger Play
from Tony Mitton, in My Hat and All That

Includes a frog puppet to color and cut out.

Frog Finger Pupplt"Frog Hops"
One hop, two hop,
I'm a little frog,
Three hop, four hop,
Hopping on a log.
Five hop, six hop,
That's the way to hop.
Seven hop, eight hop,
Wheeeeee%u2026 PLOP!
Bilingual Poems about Frogs, Toads and Crocodiles
Programs in English and Spanish about frogs, toads, and aquatic animals.
Estaba la rana cantando

Frog Estaba la rana cantando
debajo del agua,
cua cua;
cuando la rana se puso a cantar,
vino la mosca y la hizo callar:
la mosca a la rana
que estaba cantando
debajo del agua,
cua cua.

The Singing Frog

(English translation by Paola Ferate-Soto.)

The frog was singing under the water, cua cua
When the frog started to sing,
The bug came and made him stop.
The bug to the frog under the water,
Cua cua.

Keeping a Frog Diary 

Frog Diary

Keep observations of frog pond activities in a diary on a daily, hourly or weekly basis. These observations over time will begin to reveal the secret lives of the frogs.

Children love to help with observing and recording. After keeping a frog diary for a year or so, children love to read about what happened the year before and compare it with the activities they observe this year.

These observations can be turned into graphs, charts, dioramas or puppet shows. Be sure to take lots of pictures to add to your Frog Diary. Then add artwork, boarders and scientific drawing.

These diaries will be treasures that will be read over and over for years.
frog diary - January 2004
The Pond Diary 2004 January

1 January - A dull damp start to the new year, with an air temperature of 6C when I took this photograph at 10.45pm.

Tonight I could see six frogs in the ponds with a couple, like this one, out in the open, probably in response to the higher temperatures.

If you look at the larger image you will see that it seems to be 'blinking' its right eye. The frog's lower eyelid is a milky coloured translucent membrane, which you can see here partly covering the eye.
Frog Pond Diary
Take photos and add drawings to describe your frog observations.
Carleton College: Wall Charts: Frog Embryology
Frog Embryology

Frog Embryology
From original drawings by Mary R. McCracken

Industrial Waste in the Frog Pond 

Will the frogs survive?

Frog Bubbles
Frog Bubbles by Katie O



Read the true tale of terror on a walk through the Vermont woods very early in the spring.

STORY HOUR FOR LITTLE TADPOLES 

Little Frog Story Time

Gather 'round the Lilly Pad (rug) and listen to stories of Grandfather Frog. The following is from the book Old Mother West Wind by Thornton Burgess who wrote many such tales of the little creatures of the woodlands:

Why Grandfather Frog has No Tail

Old Mother West Wind had gone to her day's work, leaving all the Merry Little Breezes to play in the Green Meadows. They had played tag and run races with the Bees and played hide and seek with the Sunbeams, and now they had gathered around the Smiling Pool where on a green lily pad sat Grandfather Frog.

Grandfather Frog was old, very old indeed, and very, very wise. He wore a green coat and his voice was very deep. When Grandfather Frog spoke everybody listened very respectfully. Even Billy Mink treated Grandfather Frog with respect, for Billy Mink's father and his father's father could not re-member when Grandfather Frog had not sat on the lily pad watching for green flies.

Down in the Smiling Pool were some of Grand-father Frog's great-great-great-great-great-grand children. You wouldn't have known that they were his grandchildren unless someone told you. They didn't look the least bit like Grandfather Frog. They were round and fat and had long tails, and perhaps this is why they were called Pollywogs.

"Oh Grandfather Frog, tell us why you don't have a tail as you did when you were young," begged one of the Merry Little Breezes.

Grandfather Frog snapped up a foolish green fly and settled himself on his big lily pad, while all the Merry Little Breezes gathered round to listen.

"Once on a time," began Grandfather Frog, "the Frogs ruled the world, which was mostly water. There was very little dry land - oh, very little in-deed! There were no boys to throw stones and no hungry Mink to gobble up foolish Frog-babies who were taking a sun bath!"

Billy Mink, who had joined the Merry Little Breezes and was listening, squirmed uneasily and looked away guiltily.

"In those days all the Frogs had tails, long hand-some tails of which they were very, very proud in-deed," continued Grandfather Frog. "The King of all the Frogs was twice as big as any other Frog, and his tail was three times as long. He was very proud, oh, very proud indeed of his long tail. He used to sit and admire it until he thought that there never had been and never could be another such tail. He used to wave it back and forth in the water, and every time he waved it all the other Frogs would cry 'Ah!' and 'Oh!' Every day the King grew more vain. He did nothing at all but eat and sleep and admire his tail.

"Now all the other Frogs did just as the King did, so pretty soon none of the Frogs were doing any-thing but sitting about eating, sleeping and admiring their own tails and the King's.

Grandfather Frog"Now you all know that people who do nothing worthwhile in this world are of no use and there is little room for them. So when Mother Nature saw how useless had become the Frog tribe she called the King Frog before her and she said:

"'Because you can think of nothing but your beautiful tail it shall be taken away from you. Be-cause you do nothing but eat and sleep your mouth shall become wide like a door, and your eyes shall start forth from your head. You shall become bow-legged and ugly to look at, and all the world shall laugh at you.'

"The King Frog looked at his beautiful tail and already it seemed to have grown shorter. He looked again and it was shorter still. Every time he looked his tail had grown shorter and smaller. By and by when he looked there was nothing left but a little stub which he couldn't even wriggle. Then even that disappeared, his eyes popped out of his head and his mouth grew bigger and bigger."

Old Grandfather Frog stopped and looked sadly at a foolish green fly coming his way. "Chug-arum," said Grandfather Frog, opening his mouth very wide and hopping up in the air. When he sat down again on his big lily pad the green fly was nowhere to be seen. Grandfather Frog smacked his lips and continued:

"And from that day to this every Frog has started life with a big tail, and as he has grown bigger and bigger his tail has grown smaller and smaller, until finally it disappears, and then he remembers how foolish and useless it is to be vain of what Nature has given us. And that is how I came to lose my tail," finished Grandfather Frog.

"Thank you," shouted all the Merry Little Breezes. "We won't forget."

Then they ran a race to see who could reach Johnny Chuck's home first and tell him that Farmer Brown was coming down on the Green Meadows with a gun.

Why Grandfather Frog has No Tail by Thornton Burgess

The Adventures of Grandfather Frog 

Tale of a Wise Old Frog

Grandfather Frog"I guess I must wait until he falls sound asleep again," said Longlegs to himself.

But Grandfather Frog didn't go to sleep. He would nod and nod and then, just when Longlegs would make up his mind that this time he really was asleep, open would pop Grandfather Frog's eyes. So all the long morning Longlegs stood on one foot without moving, watching and waiting and growing hungrier and hungrier, and all the long morning Grandfather Frog sat on his big green lily-pad, pretending that he was oh, so sleepy, and all the time having such a comfortable sun-bath and rest, for very early he had had a good breakfast of foolish green flies.

The Adventures of Grandfather Frog (Illustrated Edition) (Dodo Press)

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The Adventures of Grandfather Frog (The Bedtime Story Books)

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Frog Jokes 

Frog Riddles

Q: Whats a frog's favorite song?
A: "Hoppy Birthday to You."

Q: Whats a frog's favorite book?
A: Hop on Pop.
More Frog Jokes
Frog Jokes
Frog Jokes for Kids from the Fishing Flathead National Forest
Q: Why are frogs so happy?
A: They eat whatever bugs them!

Q: Why did the frog say meow?
A: He was learning a foreign language.

Q: How deep can a frog go?
A: Knee-deep Knee-deep!

Mathmatical Frogs

Frog Math Manipulatives 

Hands-On Math for a Frog Unit Study

Frog MathIn an artful interweaving of mathematics and literature, this series of lively mathematics activities jumps off from one of the well-known "Frog and Toad" stories, "The Lost Button."

The story leads to free exploration of buttons, then sorting and classifying and a "Guess the Sort" game.

Students design their own buttons and use a graphing grid to organize data. Students also "guesstimate" the number of small plastic frogs in a jar and the number of lima beans in a handful to develop the valuable life skill of estimating.

A "Frog Pond" board game helps students develop strategic-thinking skills.

The "Hop to the Pond Game" is an experiment in probability and statistics.

In the newly revised guide, all grade levels play the fair version of "Hop to the Pond" with six frogs.

Then grades 1-3 play the unfair version with 12 frogs.

Emphasis throughout is on student cooperation.

The California Math Council has named Frog Math as a recommended replacement unit.

Frog and Lily Pad Game 

Fish for the Magnetic Frogs on a Silk Lily Pad

Frog and Lily Pad Games 

Fish for the Magnetic Frogs on a Silk Lily Pad

Frog and Lily Pad Game
The blue play silk makes the perfect pond, and we'll use the fishing pole from the fishing game.

When we play this game, we'll work on one-to-one correspondence by trying to put a frog on each lily pad.

We'll also talk about sizes since the lily pads are 3 different sizes, and we'll talk about colors since the frogs are several different colors.

from Chasing Cheerios
Pond Animals Unit - PreKinders
Thematic unit ideas for learning about pond animals including Frogs- Theme for Preschool and Kindergarten.

Frog Spawn Place Value 

Frog Themed Place Value Workjobs

Toad Eggs

Photo Credit: Toad Eggs
on Flickr, Creative Commons.




Frogs lay their eggs in clusters and toads lay their eggs in strings.

To practice place value:

1. Lay out a sheet of blue paper (Pond Mathmat) Cut it down the middle. On one paper write frog eggs and on the other write toad eggs.

2. Roll dice of two different colors. The black die could be the ones and the green could be the tens.

3. Use White Reinforcement circles to show the number in clusters (Frog Spawn) or in strings of tens and ones (Toad Spawn)

4. Write the number in digits on the back of each one.

Later on these papers could be laminated and become a matching game with the answers on the back for self-checking.

This is adapted from an idea in Instructor , March, 2001 by Jacqueline Clarke .

Self-Adhesive Reinforcement Label for 9/32" Std Diameter Holes, White, 200/Pack AVE05729

Reinforce and repair torn punch holes; safeguard against damage to new holes.

Use the hole protectors as frog eggs.

Amazon Price: $1.99 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Recycled Eggshell Finish Construction Paper, 76#, 9"x12", Blue, 50/Pack PAC103600

all-purpose classroom construction paper. Acid-Free.

The blue paper represents the water. Sometimes we have used black, in which case we write in silver gell pen or chalk. If writing in chalk, hairspray works as a fixative.

Amazon Price: $1.79 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

16mm d6 Green Opaque Square Edge Dice with Pips

Green is for the tens.

Amazon Price: $0.25 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

16mm D6 Black Die

Black is for the ones.

Amazon Price: $0.25 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frog Fraction Race 

Have a hopping good time filling up the fraction circles.

Frog Fractions

The aim is to move all the frogs across to the other side of the river.. Move the frogs forward or backward so that the total distance traveled equals the target fraction.
Active Fractions & Decimals: Froggy Fractions
These games can be used with pupils aged 10 to 14.
Active Fractions & Decimals: Froggy Fractions
These games can be used with pupils aged 10 to 14.

Froggy Fractions 

Frogs are learning Fractions

When it's center time, this is the game your children are hopping to play.

Frog Fractions

Croak the frog teaches the beginning concepts of fractions, the relationship of parts to wholes. Game promotes quick play and offers hands-on learning with squeezable, solid foam fraction pieces. Multiple skill levels can play together and game adapts as skills progress.

Race around the pond and collect fraction parts. Combine yours into a complete circle and win!

Play again and again! Fast-paced fun for 1 to 4 players of all skill levels. Use imagination and strategy for hours of learning play!

Frog Pond Fractions Learning Game

Amazon Price: $20.28 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Froggy Math Game 

Drops in the Bucket

Frog PublicationsDrops in the Bucket

Drops in the bucket: Reviews K-1 math (A Frog Publication)

Students love Drops in the Bucket, they think they are fun! Kids need constant review of basic skills. It reviews money,time, number patterns, measurement, basic calculation, language and place value.

Amazon Price: (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frog Unit Study Math 

Frog related math lenses use the frog and tadpole theme to teach math concepts in a hands-on creative way. These games and activities lens themselves well to working with children of multi-ages, small or large groups as well as homeschooling families with children of various abilities.

The Science of Frogs

Frog Science 

Frog Life Cycle Worksheets

Crosswords, Fill-in-the-blanks,Frog Metamorphosis Chart

Frog Life Cycle

Play with all those new words you are learning... Just click here to find worksheets written in editable Microsoft Word. They are designed for ESL but are easily adapted to any class. They adapt well for homeschoolers and are a great addition to a Frog Lapbook.

Frog Life Cycle

Click here to print out The Life Cycle of a Frog: A Printable Book for Early Readers.

With lots more ideas here at The Virtual Vine.

Frog Life Cycle Science 

Frog Life Cycle Worksheets

Frog Life Cycle

Play with all those new words you are learning... Just click Frog Life Cycle Worksheets to find worksheets written in editable Microsoft Word. They are designed for ESL but are easily adapted to any class. They adapt well for homeschoolers and are a great addition to a Frog Lapbook.

Frog Life Cycle

Click Life Cycle of a Frog Book to print out The Life Cycle of a Frog: A Printable Book for Early Readers.

Many more ideas for teaching young children using a frog theme can be found at Frog & Toad @ The Virtual Vine.
Frog Life Cycle Worksheets
Activities and worksheets for teaching about frog metamorphosis

Crosswords, Fill-in-the-blanks, Frog Metamorphosis Chart
Life Cycle of a Frog Book
Life Cycle of a Frog Book, A Printable Book. Print out the Life Cycle of a Frog Book early reader book.

- EnchantedLearning.com
Frog & Toad @ The Virtual Vine
l:ots more frog and toad ideas for teaching with a frog theme from The Virtual Vine.
Montessori: Frog Life Cycle Activity Set with Models and Card Material
Frog Life Cycle Set at Montessori123. Your source for biology, zoology botany and other science materials.
Frog External Anatomy
Inside a Frog's Mouth

Frog External Anatomy 1. Observe the dorsal and ventral sides of the frog.
Dorsal side color ___________ Ventral side color ____________
2. Examine the hind legs. How many toes are present on each foot? ________ Are the toes webbed? ______
3. Examine the forelegs. How many toes are present?

NOTE: This is a worksheet to be used when dissecting a frog. You might want to use this only for reference when developing an observation worksheet. It comes from the
The Biology Corner whitch states The Biology Corner is a resource site for biology and science teachers. The Lesson Plans section contains classroom activities, labs and worksheets, feel free to change any of these to suit your own classroom needs.

Life Cycle of the Frog 

Frog Puzzle Center

In the Frog Puzzle center I have a variety of Frog Related Puzzles. These puzzles about the lifecycle of the Frog encourage children to discuss and reflect on information what we are learning about the transformations that frogs make from egg, to tadpole to adult frog.

Life Cycle Posters (Set of 4)

Amazon Price: $11.95 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

FROGS LIFE CYCLE DOMINOES

Play domino games or flip the pieces over and use the images on the backs to assemble "puzzles" of each life cycle stage.

Amazon Price: $7.14 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Beleduc From Egg to Frog 5-Layer Puzzle

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Frog Life Cycle Reversible

Frog Life Cycle Reversible

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Ask Me If I'm a Frog 

Comparing Frog and Human Anatomy

Venn Diagram

Are You a Frog?

Students can compare their anatomy and habits to the anatomy and habits of a frog to identify with the characteristics unique to frogs.

Touch you tongue. Is it long and sticky?

Feel the top of your head. Are there two bulgy eyes like marbles up there?

Are your eyes on the top of your head? Are you a frog?

Ask Me If I'm a Frog

This delightful picture book compares the anatomy and lifestyle of a pond-dwelling frog with those of a small girl.

With a fresh concept and full-color illustrations, this book teaches young readers all the ways in which this green amphibian resembles and differs from human beings.

Amazon Price: $16.95 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Learn alternatives to Frog Dissection. 

Dissect a Frog

Many schools still dissect frogs in order to learn about animal anatomy, but is there an alternative?

FrogsFrogs

2008 has been declared the 'Year of the Frog' and zoos across the world are spreading awareness about the amphibious specie's importance and declining numbers.

Some teachers are now using Smartboards. The SMART Board is a interactive, electronic whiteboard which can enhance instruction and learning. The SMART Notebook software makes it possible for teachers to create content rich, dynamic lessons which address specific student skills.

Care and Feeding of Tadpoles 

Zillions of tadpoles!

Photo Credit: Tadpoles
on Flickr, Creative Commons.



NOTE:Check local laws before collecting tadpoles.
What do tadpoles eat?
Children love to watch tadpoles emerge from frogspawn, then develop into miniature frogs. If you're keeping a few tadpoles, you will need to ...
FWP asks people to give up frog-grow kits
HELENA, Montana - The Grow-a-Frog company says the tadpole kit it sells is perfect for 'anyone who appreciates the wonder of Nature.

But the state Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks finds nothing natural in the Montana delivery of kits containing tadpoles that grow into African clawed frogs, a nonnative species the state prohibited in 2005.

The African clawed frog is banned because if released in the wild, it could survive easily and create feral populations harmful to native wildlife, habitat and food sources

Observing and Graphing Toad or Frog Respiration 

Observe a Frog

Lauren Jensen teaches at a high school in Tennessee where she has used hands-on methods to help high school students learn the Scientific Method by observing and recording the respiration rate of frogs. This experiment could easily be adapted to working with children of any age and would be ideal for homeschoolers who work with children of many different ages and abilities.

Be sure to compare this experiment with those of Jelle Atema's experiments with lobsters.
Graphing Toad/Frog Respiration
This is an activity which uses frogs or toads to demonstrate scientific method, by measuring the respiration rate, as well as the other external features of the live specimen. The kids enjoy working with the Arizona Toads.
Observation of a Living Frog
Observation of a Living Frog Procedure:
Working in groups of 4, teams will observe the behaviors of a live frog. Find the answers to all questions, and report on a separate piece of paper. For each number, include the question you are answering on your paper (the heading). The bulleted li
NOVA | Lord of the Ants | A Conversation With E.O. Wilson image 12 | PBS
(Image 12) See an interview with biologist E.O. Wilson discussing his concept of biophilia.

Frog and Toad Venn Graph 

Compare Frogs and Toads

Frogs and Toads Venn Diagram Printout
Frogs and Toads Venn Diagram

Frogs and Toads Venn Diagram Printout Worksheet.- Enchanted Learning Software

Albino Tadpoles 

Odd Baby Frogs

Rare white albino tadpoles discovered in Wales
Albino Tadpoles

Although isolated single examples of albino frogs, toads and newts have been seen before this is the first time a whole group has been found.

Vernal Pool Mortality Game 

Vernal Pool Game

Several species of animals, especially amphibians, depend on vernal pools to
complete their life cycles. A vernal pool is a temporary wetland that is filled by
rain or snowmelt in late winter/early spring and is typically dry by summer.
During the fall and early winter months, only vegetation will indicate the
presence of a vernal pool.
In spring, many amphibians, including spotted salamanders, Jefferson
salamanders, woodfrogs, and spring peepers, lay their eggs in vernal pools.
Some animals, such as the fairy shrimp, spend their entire lives in these pools
and must adapt to the lack of water during late summer, fall and early winter.
Vernal Pool Mortality Game
In this game, four sets of game cards represent the four
stages in an amphibian's life cycle (in this case, a woodfrog's). Students go
through the woodfrog life cycle and at each stage, some are eliminated (the
frogs are unable to survive or are taken from the vernal pool) due to
circumstances specified in the cards.

The Tadpole Problem 

Practicing math word problems with tadpoles.

Hatching Frog Eggs

If we had 25 tadpoles hatch on Wednesday and double that hatched on Thursday and on Friday 50 more hatched. How many tadpoles would you have by Friday?

As an adult you have probably learned to ignore the frogs and tadpoles and just add up the numbers. Most children, however, have not had enough concrete experiences to make sense of such large numbers. That is where the beads come in.

We use small black and white alphabet beads to help with figuring out these problems. If you use a lot of imagination, they look like frog eggs ready to hatch.

Tadpole Workjobs 

Learn the number facts to ten

Spray Painted Lima BeansTadpole

1. Spray paint one side of 10 Lima Beans black.
Use black permanent marker to make tadpole eyes on the white side and whiteout or white acrylic paint to make tadpole faces on the black side.

2. Use the black marker to decorate a white plastic egg to look like a mass of frog eggs.

3. Spray the egg and the Lima Bean Tadpoles with fixative to keep the paint from wearing off.

4. Hot Glue on a yarn or felt tail.

5. Make a blue felt pond for a workmat.

6. Store everything in a shallow labeled box.

Children shake the egg with the tadpoles out onto the mat and record the number of albino and normal tadpoles. ie: 8+2+10

Do frogs hibernate in summer? 

Frog Hibernation

Do frogs hibernate in summer?

Being cold blooded, frogs change their activity levels to adapt to the temperatures around them. When summer temperatures get too hot they may bury themselves in the mud for protection and to rest. This is not hibernation because their heartbeats do not slow down. They continue to breathe because they can absorb oxygen through their skin even in the mud.

Frog in the Mud?

Most children have experienced the way that their hands become wrinkled when they are in the water for a long time. You can explain that this is similar to the way that frogs absorb oxygen through their skin.

Set up a sensory table with wet mud and plastic frogs. Have a hot task light focused on the table to create the feel of a summer pond that is drying up.

Muddy Hands?

Allow the children to explore the pond. Not only their hands also turn wrinkly but their skin is absorbing water just like a frog's skin does. They may also notice that the mud is cooler than the water and mud will help protect your skin from drying out and from getting sunburn. Frog's skin needs to stay moist at all times..

Why Frogs Are Wet (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 2)

Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Why do Frogs Hop? 

Why don't Frogs Walk or Run?

L For Leapfrog
L For Leapfrog
Uptton, Clive
Buy at AllPosters.com



Learn more about how frogs hop. They don't have springs but they sure do hop long distance. Read the story of the Jumping Contest my Mark Twain and then research how real frogs are able to jump such distances. This is also a great time to read Jump, Frog, Jump and then learn to read it in Spanish with Salta, Ranita, Salta.

Pretend to be frogs while jumping rope or bouncing on a ball. As you hop and jump be sure to practice your new Spanish phrase: Salta, Ranita, Salta.

JUMP FROG JUMP

Amazon Price: (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Jump, Frog, Jump! (Spanish edition): iSalta, Ranita, salta!

Amazon Price: $6.99 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County (Creative Short Stories)

Amazon Price: $28.50 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frog Jump Rope

Amazon Price: $15.75 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frog Locomotion 

The Ability of Frogs to Jump, Hop or Learp

Gray Tree Frog Jumping, Native to Eastern US

Gray Tree Frog Jumping, Native to Eastern US
Northcott, David
Buy at AllPosters.com



When scientists are asked, How do frogs hop?, these are some of their answers:
Herpetology - Frequently asked frog questions
How do frogs jump so well?

Frogs are good jumpers because they have relatively long rear legs and short bodies and lack tails. The legs give them power to jump, the short body helps them withstand the impact of landing, and there is no tail to get in the way or add unnecessary weight.
Frog zoology: Encyclopedia II - Frog zoology - Locomotion
Frog zoology - Locomotion

Frogs have saltatory locomotion. This means that their primary method of locomotion is by hopping, jumping, or leaping. The front legs of a frog are similar to the arms of humans. They are weak and of little use for jumping. However, the frog has hind legs which are especially designed for leaping. These legs contain a tibiofibula (shinbone), femur, and the astragalus and calcaneus (similar to a human's ankle and heel bones). Adult frogs move about on land by hopping with their powerful hind legs.

Tadpoles, which have not yet developed arms or legs, use their tails to undulate like a fish (such as the perch).

Hopping Frogs Board Game 

Frog Game for learning Language and Articulation

Hopping Frogs Board Game

Hopping Frogs® is flexible enough to allow you to work on a single target sound and position for all players, or address individual target sounds and positions for each player.
Hopping Frogs Board Game
The Hippity-Hoppity Language and Articulation Game for P, B, T, D, K, G, and F Sounds

Hoppers Game 

Frog Hopping Game

Hopping Frogs

Bringing a new look to the classic peg solitaire game, here comes Hoppers. (Simular to Rush Hour) Since peg solitaire is a jumping game, what could be more natural than designing the pegs to resemble frogs?

Following the diagram on the card, 4 to 12 frogs are placed on the game board lily pads. Then it's time to get hopping. Frogs leap over each other until there's only one left on the board.

When play is done, frogs and playing cards can be tucked away in the nifty storage compartment beneath the game board. --Wendy Slotboom

Poppin' Hoppie Commercial 

Catch a Hopping Frog

Here is a collection of old commercials for several late 1960s games from Ideal Toys, including Poppin Hoppies, Bang Box and Swack!, plus Milton Bradley's Pop Yer Top and finally, the Motorific Racerific Track set featuring the Terror Turn!

Late '60s Ideal Game ads + Motorific

Here is a collection of old commercials for several late 1960s games from Ideal Toys, including Poppin Hoppies, Bang Box and Swack!, plus Milton Bradley's Pop Yer Top and finally, the Motorific Racerific Track set featuring the Terror Turn!

Runtime: 4:10
26407 views
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Poppin' Hoppies 

Frogs with Suction Cups

Poppin' Hoppies
All of the Poppin' Hoppies (spring-loaded figures with suction cups) are depressed at the same time so that their suction cups stick to their feet. Player then try to catch them as they pop up. For every Hoppie successfully caught, the player earns a plastic figure piece of the same color as the Hoppie. P. Henry Hoppie (the white Poppin' Hoppie) is wild and its catcher can choose a figure piece of any color. Players then use these figure pieces to construct the figure of a man with the following limitations: 1) matching colored pieces can not touch, 2) each figure must have pieces of all 4 colors, and 3) no more than two pieces of one color are allowed in a figure. The first player to construct his figure wins!

# of Players: 2 - 4
Playing Time: 20 Minutes
Mfg Suggested Ages: 6 and up
Category: Action/Manual Dexterity

This is a fun and exciting game. What can the kids learn? Well, there are the springs and suction cups, manual dexterity, but mostly it's lots of fun.

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Frog zoology - Nervous System 

Frog Brain
Frog Brain
Frog zoology: Encyclopedia II - Frog zoology - Nervous System
Frog zoology - Nervous System

The frog has a highly developed nervous system which consists of a brain, spinal cord and nerves. Many parts of the frog's brain correspond with those of humans. The medulla regulates respiration, digestion, and other automatic functions. Muscular coordination and posture are controlled by the cerebellum. A frog has a very small cerebrum; that of a man is much larger (relatively). In humans, the cerebrum runs many important life processes.

Frogs have ten cranial nerves (nerves which pass information from the outside directly to the brain) and ten pairs of spinal nerves (nerves which pass information from extremities to the brain through the spinal cord). By contrast, humans have twelve cranial nerves and 30 pairs of spinal nerves.

The frog has crude eyes and two nostrils for smell. The nostrils have complex valves, but no long nasal passages. Frogs do not have external ears; the eardrums (tympanic membranes) are directly exposed. As in humans, the ear contains circular passages which help control balance and orientation.

The Frog and Fly Game 

Frog and Fly Game
Puzzles in Education - The Frog and Fly Game
Can the frog catch the fly? To catch the fly, the frog has to land on the same lilypad as the fly. The frog and fly can hop from one lilypad to another that is connected to it by a line.

The frog always starts on the big lilypad at the bottom.

The frog has to move first. After the frog moves, the fly will move, and they continue to alternate moves.

Frog Board Game 

Emilie

Emilie
by Kinna
Buy at AllPosters.com



Use frog counters or lima beans painted to look like frogs as playing pieces.

Start at the upper left corner. Put a frog on each insect for the number of dots on the die. (One to One Correspondence)

The first person to cover all the insects is the winner.

This is a great frog game for 2-3 players.

Froggy Playing Pieces for Frog Games 

Frog Manipulatives

Salt and Pepper frogs can be used as markers when playing board games. I like to look for the vintage ones with unique characteristics and use their personalities to make up board games to go with them.

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Trips to the Frog Pond 

Visiting the Frog Pond

Take your little Tadpoles down to the frog pond as often as possible. Once or twice a day would be ideal.

Collect some tadpoles and watch them grow. Observe, observe, observe and keep track of your observations.

What other wildlife do you see at the pond. Can you identify the insects skimming across the surface? Why don't they sink?

Are there Cat-O-Nine Tails growing on the edge of the pond.

If you bring a sharp knife you can bring some back to the classroom.

They last for months and can be used as pointers when reading frog poems or during Calendar Time.

Write about your tadpoles and frogs every day.

Read what others have discovered and then share that knowledge.

Winter Garden, Florida, Bull Frog Brand Citrus Label

Winter Garden, Florida, Bull Frog Brand Citrus Label
Buy at AllPosters.com

THE FROG POND 

Building a Pond

BUILD YOU OWN FROG POND: What better way to learn about frogs than to have your own pond. In the book, The Living Pond by Nigel Hester (below) you will find lots of scientific information, lots of pictures, activities and even directions on how to build a pond. How about having a Pond Party with some of those strong Volunteer Parents? Gather some shovels, a liner, hose, sand (for putting under the liner, stones (to hold the liner) and a couple of water plants and create your own pond. Mr. Hester suggests to wait a few weeks to add any animals. It might be interesting to instead watch to see when they come naturally.

Build a backyard pond:
Build a Frogpond
NWF
Frog PondFrogs and toads require water to live and breed, so building a pond is the best way to invite them to make your backyard home. Here are some things to keep in mind when designing your water feature:

* Make sure that frogs and toads can get into and out of your pond with ease. Provide logs or rocks for them to climb onto and avoid steep edges.
* Some frogs survive the winter underwater and require a permanent pond that does not freeze completely and is several feet deep.
* Other frogs and most toads only require shallow temporary ponds for breeding, or use the shallow areas of larger ponds. These species overwinter on land, burying themselves in softer soils or under leaves.
* Plant emergent vegetation, native to your area, around the edges of your pond to provide cover for frogs and toads.

Provide some shelter:

Build a Toad Abode
Jerry Pavia
Toad Abode* Create a toad abode to shelter toads in a cool, shady part of your garden.
* Dense leafy foliage close to the ground will provide cover for amphibians during the spring and summer months.
* During the winter, piles of leaves provide cover for some frogs, toads and salamanders.

Let frogs and toad colonize your backyard naturally. Do not purchase frogs or toads to stock your new habitat, or move adults or even tadpoles from other wetlands to your backyard. When you have provided all that a frog or toad could want, just be patient and they will come to you.

Do you have questions about the frogs or toad in your local area or how you can help protect their habitat? E-mail Frogwatch USA at frogwatch@nwf.org!

http://www.nwf.org/frogwatchUSA/content_askexpert-06-04.cfm

Frog Friends 

Frogs find a new pond!

Frog Friends

When frogs discover that their pond has dried up they need to find a new pond.

Frog Friends (Animal Ark Pets #15)

Each spring, frogs come to Farmer Jessop¹s pond to lay their spawn. But when the frogs arrive this year, they find that the pond has been filled!

Another pond must be found for the frogs if their tadpoles are to survive. Mandy and James want to help, and Mandy suggests that the school pond will be the perfect new home for the frogs. But will the frogs agree?

Amazon Price: (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frogs in the News!

FROGS IN THE NEWS 

What color are the Frogs?

Frog

Photo Credit: Why Frogs are Green
from Freetochoosehealth's Weblog



Children sometimes don't realize that there are many shades of green. Set out blue and yellow paint and allow the children to experiment with mixing the colors to make green.

Use the mixtures to paint frog shaped cardstock. When dry compare the shades.
Why Frogs are Green
Kermit the Frog often said being green isn't easy. He had no idea how complex it really is.

Three types of pigment cells, called chromatophores, work together to make a frog green.

More Frogs in the News! 

Frogs in the News!

Photo Credit: Frog News
from Froggie's Frog Clip Art Page


Frog News

Find out what is going on in the world of frogs. What are the frogs doing near your house?
Frog Lady teaching students about reptiles and amphibians
"Dressed in a green shirt covered with frogs, Deb Krohn, a.k.a. Frog Lady, took fourth-graders all around the world via her friends in the world of herpetology."
Rare Frog With Northern Accent Gets Special Legal Protection | Strange News | Sky News

A rare species of frog that croaks with a "northern accent" is to receive special legal protection after being reintroduced to Britain.

As warm days near, spring peeper announces presence with song

Frogs: Spring Peeper
Spring Peeper


LAKE TWP. - Nothing announces its presence like the spring peeper. Sure, gobblers and songbirds might be the dominant vocalists of the daytime, but when darkness falls the chorus of the peeper prevails.

Frogs Predict Big Earthquake in China 

Counting Frogs
Frogs Predict Big Earthquake in China - Unsought Input
Believe it or not the Chinese earthquake that killed 12000 people and counting was predicted by a mass migration of ...

Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frogs Feeling the Heat 

Yellow-legged Frogs

Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog (Photo by Gary Nafis of California Herps)

As Global Warming heats up the environment, frogs are finding temperatures in their traditional habitats too hot. Lakes and ponds in the Sierra Nevada are fed by snow melt. The frogs need 4 years of continual water to reproduce. With Global Warming the ponds are drying up in the summers and the lakes have exotic fish that now eat the tadpoles that once could depend on larger bodies of water in dry years.
Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frogs Feeling the Heat
BERKELEY, California, December 15, 2008 (ENS) - Climate change is affecting the Sierra Nevada's high elevation lakes and the imperiled yellow-legged frogs that depend on them.
Are frogs being 'eaten to extinction'? Some researchers say yes

Frog
Frog by John J. Robertson



Could the global market for frog legs be pushing the little guys toward extinction? Some scientists and conservationists fear it's possible, and they're calling for tighter regulations and increased monitoring on the world's consumption of frog meat to avoid it.

The Frog Report! 

Frogs in the News!

Find out what is going on in the world of frogs?

Reports of the disappearance of whole species of frogs. From reports of frogs being arrested in Nevada to frogs that make so much noise that home values are going down in the neighborhood. What's going on in the world of frogs?

Frog Art

Frog Patterns 

Lenora Wood, from Shoreway77, makes cute frog patterns that can be used in classrooms to populate your classroom with froggy art. Her inexpensive patterns, all original designs, allow children to easily make frogs for the bulletin board Frog Pond, puppets for at puppet show or illustrations for stories or poems.

Cutting and tracing is wonderful for developing the fine motor coordination needed for handwriting.
Make a Puppet Tote that is useful and surprisingly also a real puppet.
Frog Tote and Puppet

Would you believe this Frog is a tote and puppet?

Reach in from the back of the head to manipulate the mouth and make him "talk"!

Store your treasures under the chin.
Frogs Scrapbooking Patterns -- to Welcome Spring!
Frog Pattern

Make a chorus of seven muscle frogs and one Romantic Frog. These whimsical frogs are quick and easy to make.

Each item is made from ONE PIECE OF PAPER! Just use card stock or heavy paper that is colored on both sides.

Trace the patterns on the fold. You only need to cut out one half of each item. Then do a few simple folds. Perfect for scrapbooking since they fold flat.

They can be placed in various poses without having to cut off arms and legs!
Design Thumbprint Art to delight your family & friends.FREE Designs for you to Copy.
Be sure to check out Shoreway 77 for more delightful froggy designs.

Thumbprint Frogs

Using an ink pad and fine tipped marker is one of the easiest ways to draw frogs. This technique makes illustrating books and poems simple. Post a laminated sample above the art table, provide a non-toxic ink pad and fine tipped marker and the children will be all set to create frogs on all their Frog Unit Study projects.

.

Moche Frog 

Hop on over to Frog Art to learn more about this frog vessel made be ancient people of what is now Peru. Why were frogs important to their culture? How could you make your own Frog Vessel?

Photo Credit: Name
on Wikimedia Commons.

Frog Art 

Frog Unit Study Art

Frog on a Log

Photo Credit: FromSquibs of California, Or, Every-day Life
Illustrated by Palmer Cox, fig. 44, p. 110. in the public domain.



Art for your Frog Unit Study from how to draw frogs to painting, clay, sculptures, origami, frog cakes, Moche, Totem Poles and much much more...

Painting Frogs with Coffee 

Frog Painting

Photo Credit: Frog Painted with Coffee
on Flickr, Creative Commons.



Make some very, very strong coffee and use it as watercolor paint. You can produce different shades by manipulating the amount of water that you mix into the coffee. Try painting frogs with coffee.

Frog Ralley Game 

Frog Race Game

Frog Game

Will you be the first frog to make it to the pond ? Roll the die to determine which frog leg you have to hold onto - and then pull the frog as far forward (for green or blue) or backward (for red or yellow) until the string is pulled tight. After each pull you will be in a new position in the race and must fix the frog's legs so that both front and back legs are the same length. Roll the frog symbol and you get a free move forward. But if you roll the car symbol, this means danger so you have to take a move back. The winner is the first player to reach the pond. What Do You Learn ? Color recognition, association, cause and effect. 4+ by Ravensburger.

Frog Rally Game

Amazon Price: $10.44 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frog or Tadpole Poll 

Your Opinion on Frogs counts

Frog or Tadpole

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Frog Music

Frog Chorus singing Happy Birthday 

Frog Cards

Hopping to the Music 

5 Green and Speckled Frogs

Cut lily pads out of felt. Use them to play musical chairs. Also good for places to sit during circle time.

5 Green and Speckled Frogs by Raffi
We All Stand Together by Paul McCartney and the Frog Chorus
The Foolish Frog by Pete Seeger
Froggie Went a Courting by Woody Guthrie
Who Let the Frogs Out by Sesame Street

Singing FrogsMy Frog Song by chicky-ma-ma
sung to "It's a Small World"
I'm a small Frog in the sea
I'm as green as green can be
I have 4 legs as you can see
I'm a small green frog.

Songs about Frogs 

Just click to get these great Frog Songs

The Little White Duck by Raffi

There's a little white duck, sittin on the water, a little white duck, doin what he oughter.

He took a bite of a lily pad, flapped his wings and he said, "I'm glad! I'm a little white duck, sittin in the water, Quack Quack Quack.

There's a little green frog, swimmin in the water, a little green frog, doin what he oughter.

He jumped right off of the lily pad that the little duck bit and he said, "I'm Glad! I'm a little green frog, sittin on the water, Glug glug glug."

There's a little black bug, floatin on the water, a little black bug, doin what he oughter. He tickled that frog on the lily pad, that the little duck bit and he said, "I'm glad! I'm a little black bug, floatin on the water, eeep eeep eeep.

There's a little red snake, lyin on the water, a little red snake doin what he oughter. He frightened the duck and the frog so bad. He ate the little bug and he said, "I'm glad! I'm a little red snake, lyin on the water, sssssss sssssss ssssss.

Now theres nobody left sittin in the water, nobody left, doin what they oughter. There's nothing left but the lily pad. The duck and the frog ran away, I'm sad! Cause there's nobody left, sittin in the water. Boo hoo hoo!

Five Green and Speckled Frogs 

Five Speckled Frogs

This Flannel Board set from Get Smart will can be used as a center for helping children recall the sequence of the song.

1. Write the words to Raffi's version on index cards.
2. Glue flannel to the back.
3. Children put the words or sentences in order.
Five Speckled Frogs Flannelboard Set [ LFV22703 ] - Teacher Supplies - Get Smart Super Stores
Five Speckled Frogs Flannelboard Set
Set includes 5 frogs, 5 numbered, and a beautiful pond piece. Includes English and Spanish rhymes and lesson guide.
Grade: PreK-1

More Froggy Rhymes and Songs 

Froggy Rhymes and Songs
These Australian children's songs were sent to me by Adrienne Jerram (adrienne@SciFac.usyd.edu.au).

Mr Frog jumped out of the pond one day
And found himself in the rain
Said he, "I'll get wet and I might catch a cold."
So he jumped in the pond again.

Here's another one:

Da -Glumpf went the little Green frog one day
Da- Glumpf went the little Green frog
Da -Glumpf went the little Green frog one day
And the frog went Glumpf Glumpf Glumpf

But we all know frogs go "La de da de da"
"La de da de da"
"La de da de da"
We all know frogs go "La de da de da"
They don't go glumpf glumpf glumpf.
Origin of the Song Little Green Frog
It seems all the young children in my neck of the woods now know this song. This song was not around when I was a kid. Who wrote is?

its from "Boom Boom aint it great to be crazy"

Learn it's many, many versions:
Preschool Frog Songs and Music
Our Preschool Frog Songs and Music contains the most complete Early Chilhood Education Frog Songs and Music Ideas on the internet.
Frog Songs
Baby frogs

Tadpoles are little baby frogs, baby frogs, baby frogs.
tadpoles are little baby frogs
They can swim like fish.
tadpoles grow four legs, four legs, four legs. Tadpoles grow four legs. They can hop, hop, hop.
Little Tadpole
(Sung to "Frere Jacques" )

Little tadpole, Little tadpole
Lost his tail, lost his tail.
Now he has two feet
Now he has four feet
Look a frog! Look a frog!
Frog Unit Poems
The Polliwog

Oh, the Polliwog is woggling

In his pleasant native bog

With his beady eyes a-goggling

Through the underwater fog

And his busy tail a-joggling

And his eager head agog-

Just a happy little frogling

Who is bound to be a frog.

Listen to Frogs 

Record Frog Sounds

Frog on a Lily Pad




Frog on a Lily Pad

Giclee Print


Quinto, Nadir


Buy at AllPosters.com



Go out in the evening on a summer night and record the sounds of the frogs. Compare them with the following recordings. Soon you will recognize the calls of all the species in your area.

Magnetic Frog Center Activity 

Magnetic Frogs

Hours of magnetic fun! -- A myriad of frogs rise majestically and magnetically from a round black base. Combines the magic of magnetism, the delight of touch, the challenge of design and the fun of random hand activity to create a unique tactile experience.

I find that these magnets help children to begin to think about stories. They use it for prewriting and brainstorming activities. One girl wrote a story about what happened to all the tadpoles growing legs and coming up out of the pond. You need one for your class.

Frogs Magnetic Sculpture

Clidk here to buy.

Amazon Price: $7.95 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frogs across the Curriculum 

Writing about Frogs

Photo Credit: Drawing a Frog
on Flickr, Creative Commons.



Read all about frogs, write about frogs and then put it all together into a Lapbook.

Frog Literacy Bags

The Frog Literacy Bag 

Take Home Literacy Bags

Frog Bag
My child took these Story Bags or Take Home Literacy Bags home in Kindergarten. She loved it so much that I have started making some for my next class. They are theme related bags with books, activities, and journals to share with their families. I plan to let the kids take these home instead of traditional homework.

Fill a canvas bag with a few goodies for your little tadpoles to take home to share with their families.

Each bag could include:
1. The Adventures of Old Grandfather Frog by Thornton Burgess (fiction)
2. Frogs by Gail Gibbons(Non-fiction)
3. Directions for how to play Leap Frog(PE and cooperation)
4. Stuffed Frog
5. A cut and paste project using paper fasteners to turn a tadpole into a frog.(Science)
6. Sometimes we may be able to send the children home with a tadpole for the night.(Science)
7. Go Fish cards that are shaped like frogs with frog theme related words on them to match with the pictures with word cards. (Oral Language)

They will finish by writing about their experiences in the journal which will be put in the class library after each of the children has borrowed it.

Bags for the Frog Bag 

Frog BagThis Steven Joseph quilted backpack has lots of room books, struufed animals and games! Fully lined and lots of little details, make it great for your Literacy Bags. Straps are adjustable for the shoulders and it can be machine washed. 14" x 12" x 4 Monogramming available!

Games and Activities for the Frog Bag 

Frog Literacy Bag Games and Activities

Take Home Literacy Bags make homework so much fun that children will beg for homework. Put in a frog story and a frog reference book, a couple of frog related activity sheets and a frog game. Top it off with a plush frog and you have a Frog Literacy Bag chalk full of fun and learning.

Froggy Worksheets 

Worksheets with a Frog Theme

Finish the alphabet - Missing lowercase letters (frog)-Worksheet
Finish the alphabet - Missing lowercase letters (frog)-Worksheet

Frogs lay many, many eggs. This frog is going to lay an egg for each letter of the alphabet. Help name the rest of the frog's eggs in ABC order.

For older children, have them find actual names for each of the frog eggs such as Alfred, Betsey, Cameron etc... To push it to the next level, could they find a variety of frog for each letter of the alphabet?
Frog Observation Worksheet
Frog Observation Worksheet

The Frog Observation Worksheet could be used when observing frogs in the wild. If a child comes into class telling about finding frogs in a pond near their home, a worksheet like this can help them remember to go back and check on answers to questions the other students might have had about the frogs in that pond.
F is for Frog
Frog Observation Worksheet

ZZ Alphabet Worksheet - Letter F - ZiggityZoom.com

Frog Literacy Bag Activities 

Frog Worksheets from the Kidzone

Fun frog related activities that could be included in a Frog Literacy Bag.
Frog Activities
Frog Printable Worksheets and other "Off line" Activities.

Some of these activities might work to include in the Frog Literacy Bag.

Here's where you can get the bag 

The Bag for Take Home Literacy Bags

Take Home Literacy Bags 

Book Buddies, Fun Bags, Story Bags, or Home Bags

Literacy Bags
Family Projects and Take Home Bags
Learn how other teachers organized their bags.
Take Home Literacy Bags
TAKE HOME LITERACY BAGS are a fun way to help children share what they are learning with their families. Each bag includes a strffed animal, a fiction book, a non-fiction book, a few suggested activities, and a journal to record your experiences

Take Home Literacy Bags 

Click on this link to learn more about Take Home Literacy Bags

Word Frog Online Game 

Word Frog
Word Frog
Academic Skill Builders online game where the frog flicks his tongue out to catch the fly with the right word.

Building a Frog Pond

Creating a Classroom Frog Pond 

Create a Frog Pond

Nothing replaces having a frog pond in your yard for inspiring interest in a Frog Unit Study.

Frog Eggs 

Frogs, like all Oviparous Animals, lay eggs. Look for them in the spring in ponds and vernal pools. Go back each day and watch their development.

Compare them to chicken eggs. Make a Venn Graph showing the unique characteristics of frog eggs and chicken eggs as well as their similarities.
Tallying Tadpoles
Frog Eggs

Maxell and his researchers count the number of eggs at each pond, cage the eggs, then come back later to count the number of hatchlings that resulted from those eggs. They return to get an estimate of the metamorphosed animals, and again to estimate the number of adult frogs.
A Meaningful Day: Frog Lapbooks
Tapioca can be used to simulate frog eggs.

All about Frog Eggs 

Frog Unit Study: Frog Eggs

Continue the Frog Unit Study with activities related to Frog Eggs

Frogs are Oviparous Animals 

Frogs Lay Eggs

Frogs aren't the only ones to lay eggs. This lens is all about egg layers including frogs.

Links to More Frog Ideas 

Five Green and Speckled Frogs
Frog Watch Activity
This is for grades 1-8 and includes a game that you can make.
Teacher Tools!
Make tracing sheets, quizzes, study sheets, word lists, bingo cards, word scrambles, word searches and more!
Flash My Brain
Create and print out your own flashcards.

Flash My Brain allows you to create and save your own sets, play more games, save and view your study progress, print in a variety of formats, generate iPod flashcards, and access 100,000s more flash cards. You can manage flash card decks, splitting and combining them, and you can even import flash cards from CSV files and other formats.

All you need to get started is a net-connected computer that can run Flash Player 8. Flash My Brain is Net-powered software which means you can use it at school, work, or home.
Hop along with Fantastic Frog Ideas!
Create a hands on experience that will hop to life!
River Otter Unit Study!
How to turn your classroom into a slippery, slidey river of fun learning!
Frog Learning Centers For Pre-K and Kindergarten
Frog Letter Match

Alphabet/Literacy Activities and Number/Math Activities.

The Early Childhood Learning Centers - Frogs CD contains over 1040 pages of original ready to print patterns for hands-on learning games and activities designed for children ages 2-Kindergarten.

All patterns come in black and white (for those who want to color them in) and in color!!

Frogs Beyond the Fairy Tale 

Froggy Internet Research Project: K-2

Frog Unit Study
Frog Beyond the Fairy Tale
ReadWriteThink: Lesson Plan: The Frog Beyond the Fairy Tale Character: Searching Informational Texts

Providing educators and students access to the highest quality practices and resources in reading and language arts instruction.
All About Frogs
AllAboutFrogs.ORG

Frogs on eBay 

Frog GameMath Manipulatives

You never know what you can find on Ebay. I look for unique frog themed items and turn them into Learning Center Activities. One day a I found a set of 12 tin frogs that I use to practice addition and subtraction families on a workmat with logs on a pond.

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eBay

Frog Clickers 

When teaching it is important to use all of the senses in order to reach all of the children. These antique Frog Clickers might be used in playing Freeze Tag. The children hop around until they hear the frog click.

The frog could also signal the end of an activity, a warning of 5 minutes left or a call to reading group.

One day we practiced addition by listening to the frog clicks and moving plastic frog counters from the pond to the shore on our workjob math boards.

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eBay

Frog Unit Study Lapbooks

Frog Lapbook for Toddler 

Frog Lapbooks 

Frog Lapbook

Collect representative poems, drawings and facts to serve a portfolio of what you have learned while studying frogs. Glue them into a file folder in an attractive way. Share your folder with family and friends. That is the way to make a unique Frog Study Lapbook to treasure.
Downloadable Frog Lapbook
Dozens of downloadable and printable pages to make a Frog Lapbook.
Frog Lapbook
The big frogs tongue pulls out and he glued little bugs onto it.
Frog Lapbooks
Frog Lapbook

Today we finished up our frog unit study with a frog lapbook. They were really fun to make and we learned some really interesting things.
Filled with Joy: Frog Lapbook
Nathan has always had a fascination with frogs. He will sit on his bed searching through dozens of frog books for a new fact to learn about them. Each visit to the zoo requires at stop to purchase a frog...

Frog Costumes

Favorite Frog Costumes 

Sew a Frog MaskFrog CostumeSew a Frog Costume
The Definiton of Cute - Costume Cats
Though this costume is made for a cat, A very cute one at that, the basic design could be adapted for a child.
FabricLink | Velcro Halloween Basic Hood Costume
Basic Hood for Frog Pattern
Frog Mask
Make a Frog Mask.

Froggy's Halloween Pattern 

Frogs Skip Counting for Halloween

PumpkinPumpkinPumpkinPumpkinPumpkinPumpkinPumpkinPumpkinPumpkinPumpkinPumpkinPumpkinPumpkinPumpkin

Froggy is getting ready for Halloween. Even his room is decorated for Halloween. Notice the Quilt on Froggy's bed. It has a pumpkin pattern on it that could be reproduced by the children on a bulletin board. Count the squares as you Skip Count by 2's.

Can you continue the frog, pumpkin frog, pumpkin pattern?

Froggy's Halloween

Amazon Price: $5.99 (as of 07/04/2009) Buy Now

Frog's Thanksgiving 

Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving!

What do you think the frogs are thankful for?

I like to put pictures like this one out in the morning posted on the chalkboard for the kids to look at as they come into class. I write a question such as the one above and soon there is the buzz of little voices discussing the question and picture.

I find that beginning readers will work together to sound out the words and together will figure out what the question is asking. Often they use these pictures and questions to spark ideas during Silent Reading.

The picture of the Thankful Frogs was chosen by several children in one of my classes. Each child chose a different frog from the picture to write about and wrote about the seen from that frog's perspective.

After sharing stories, some of the children revised their stories and added the names of the other frogs at the table according to the authors of the other stories.

Having pictures and questions related to the Frog Unit Study theme posted in the morning helped to focus the class back to the Frog Theme just before starting Morning Meeting.

Do you like to Observe Frogs? 

You can Learn how to be a Frog Monitor

Frog with magnifying glass

Many places around the country are teaching people how to become Frog Monitors. Frog Monitors record the number of frog calls per minute on evenings in the spring. Look for opportunities in your neighborhood.
Tool Clipart Pictures & Photos
Picture Of Frog with Magnifying Glass
Learn how to be a Frog Monitor
Wood frogs are the first to trill high-pitched chuckling notes in March, followed in April by the ticking sounds of Western chorus frogs and spring peepers with their high-pitched, bell-like tones.

In June and July, the large green frogs and even larger bullfrogs let loose their distinctive deep-throated bellows, a gulp-gulp-gulp like a loose banjo string for the green frog and vrum-vrum-vrum like a dying goose for the bullfrog.

About 70 people attended a workshop Saturday to learn how to be a frog monitor as part of the Chicago Wilderness Habitat Project, in cooperation with the Chicago region of the National Audubon Society.
EcoSystem Monitors at CFC - Frog Monitoring
Frog monitoring is performed three times a year, from early spring to early summer. The volunteer goes to a wetland around dusk and listens to the frog calls. Individual species are identified and recorded. This is probably one of the easier monitoring activities, provided you have plenty of insect repellent and don't have an early bedtime.

Leap into some more great ideas! 

More Wet and Wild Ideas  

These are my newest lenses with ideas related to water. King Bidgood meets Archimedes and the Three Billy Goats Gruff build bridges. Help the Beavers make a dam and learn to wash your hands with Chester Raccoon from The Kissing Hand.

Want to know more about the Frogs? 

Check out these excellent lenses about the Frog Prince and Louisana Frogs.

Needle Felted Frog Wall Hanging

Learn what happened when the princess kissed the frog.

All About Frogs 

Frogs

Connect to hundreds more ideas, games and activities for teaching with a frog theme.

Who Has Read This Frog Unit Study and where Are You From? 

This Cluster Map shows the location of viewers and list the countries where they are from. Just double click the map to see all the information. It is a small world, for sure!

Locations of visitors to this page

Donate to Save the Frogs 

Save the Frogs SAVE THE FROGS! is an international team of scientists, educators, policymakers and naturalists dedicated to protecting the world's amphibian species: the frogs, toads, newts, salamanders as well as the lesser-known caecilians.

We conduct and fund scientific research that directly benefits amphibian populations. We also engage in educational activities aimed at increasing the public's awareness of environmental issues to ensure that amphibian conservation becomes - and remains - a top priority for current and future generations.

How do you incorporate frogs into you life? 

Frog Unit Study Comment Section

Have you guessed that I enjoy teaching with a frog theme? I find that children easily hop into all kinds of learning with froggy ideas, activities and good clean green fun.

Please let me know how you have incorporated ideas from this frog unit study into your lessons by leaving a comment here. Which ideas did your children respond to best?

Don't forget the stars at the top and if you lensroll this page or add it to your favorites please let me know so that I may reciprocate.

JenOfChicago wrote...

Great lens - my sister and I had a pet frog as kids, it was a great time!

ReplyPosted June 23, 2009

Lakota429 wrote...

P.S. Lensroll AND a favorite!!!!

ReplyPosted June 13, 2009

Lakota429 wrote...

Wonderful lens!!! And terrific info! I truly enjoyed reading it! Will definitely use lots of these ideas as I've worked with kids for 21 years and still going! My grand daughter will love the fun ideas you have here, too! 5 stars! Annie~

ReplyPosted June 13, 2009

ftuley wrote...

Excellent lens! Had to give it 5*.
Warmest Regards
Ftuley

ReplyPosted June 08, 2009

davidp711 wrote...

The Frog Pattern article was great I love this lens!
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ReplyPosted June 05, 2009

calicoskies wrote...

I love frogs!!! Awesome lens :)

ReplyPosted June 05, 2009

GrowWear wrote...

A spectacular lens. The world needs teachers like you!

ReplyPosted May 26, 2009

anaturalphenomenon wrote...

What a terrific resource for frog unit studies! I can't wait to do one with my boys!

ReplyPosted May 22, 2009

chomphosy wrote...

What a great collection of frog ideas and links! Let me suggest one more: Frog Prince Lesson Plans. Now this must be an exhaustive list!

ReplyPosted May 20, 2009

draik wrote...

Thanks for joining All About Animals Group. Your lens was added to our feature module and it will appear randomly.

ReplyPosted May 18, 2009

CreativeArtist wrote...

Lots of great frog information and games. Lensrolled to Save the Frogs.

ReplyPosted May 16, 2009

Discovery-For-Kids wrote...

Evelyn my goodness - what an awesome lens! Great info for parents, teachers and kids.

ReplyPosted May 14, 2009

aj2008 wrote...

"Hoppy" Birthday Evelyn and birthday blessings to you for this excellent lens.

ReplyPosted May 12, 2009

oliviabrooks123 wrote...

nice lens

ReplyPosted May 09, 2009

robertkoger123 wrote...

What a fantastic lens

ReplyPosted May 09, 2009

yelixref2 wrote...

Its a good lens and informative.

ReplyPosted May 08, 2009

Heather426 wrote...

Gosh, Evelyn, fantastic! I wish my kids had been taught by you! What a wonderful lens! 5*

ReplyPosted May 04, 2009

enslavedbyfaeries wrote...

I have always loved frogs! This is a truly remarkable lens. I never knew so many fun and educational frog activities existed. Adding to my favorites for when summer boredom strikes. :)

ReplyPosted May 04, 2009

Lensmaster

DarylRobidoux

nice lens

ReplyPosted May 04, 2009

AuthorsandExperts wrote...

Love your lens :)

ReplyPosted May 04, 2009

 
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About the Author 



You may have noticed that I have been absent from the Internet lately. I am in
Vermont looking for tadpoles and vernal pools. I saw a toad in back of the house yesterday but so far not frogs. I am hoping to have lots of photos and ideas soon.

Frog on the Lily Pad

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by Evelyn_Saenz

Hello world. I am an educational consultant, teacher and a homeschooling mom. I love to help others find materials for teaching. Check out my lenses a... (more)

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