Life Cycles: Lesson 7 Frogs Expectations: 1.  Listen carefully 2.  Work hard 3.  Be responsible

Review: Animals are born, develop into adults, reproduce, and die. We observed how a chicken develops inside an egg, hatches, grows into an adult, and then fertilizes or lays eggs.   These stages are part of a life cycle.  The life cycle starts over when the stages repeat.

Good Scientists Ask Questions In what ways might the frog's life cycle be like the chicken's?  In what ways do you think it will be different? Where do frogs live? What do you think frogs eat?

Let us observe: http://youtu.be/5GGuEr-MQf4 That was a lot to observe, what did we learn?

Vocabulary Amphibian- an animal that can live on land and in water. Gill- The organ in an animal that breaths water to get oxygen. Lung- the organ in an animal that breaths air to get oxygen and remove carbon dioxide.

Tadpole- the larva stage of a frog or toad that has no limbs but does have a tail and gills. Spawn- the eggs of animals that live in water Metamorphosis- change in the form and often habitat during the life cycle after the embryonic stage.  

The eggs: Laid in calm or static water. The eggs are covered in protective jelly and float in the water. Frogs lay many eggs because many will die.

The tadpole: Swim with its tail. Is like a fish, it breathes with gills. It eats algae (small plants in water). It uses camouflage because many animals like to eat tadpoles.

The froglet/metamorphosis: Begins to grow lungs, gills shrink and go away. Start to come to the surface to breath air. Switch from eating plants, to eating bugs. Grow legs and arms. Tails get smaller until they are gone.

The adult frog: Can live outside of water, can still swim and hop on land. Starts the cycle over when it fertilizes or lays more eggs.

Life Cycle of a Frog: Eggs Frog Tadpole  Froglet

What was different? How was the frog's life cycle different from a chicken's? What was special about the frog? Do we go through a metamorphosis? Can you think of another animal that might have a metamorphosis?

Assignment  Draw and label the four stages of a frog's life cycle.  Write one sentence about each stage. Go to: http://www.gudli.com/kids/games/frog-life-cycle.html Click play and review and check your understanding of a frog's life cycle!

I had fun working and learning with you today. Keep your eyes open, scientist!  I will see you next lesson.