Frogs: Lifecycles
Science
Learning intentions
We are learning about frogs' life cycles.
We are learning how to use the observable features of frogs to classify them.
Teacher information
In these lesson activities, students will learn about frogs and their lifecycle. They will use their fine motor skills to make an origami frog, and they will have the opportunity to get out and see if they can observe any frogs in their nearby areas.
As part of the topic, we encourage students to get outside and use the citizen science “Frog ID” app, in order to learn more about frogs in their local area. Teachers, it is possible to create a school or class account where individual students can contribute to the group recordings and compete against other schools Australia wide. Click on this link for more instructions https://www.frogid.net.au/schools.
Non-digital Lesson: Not online? Download the lesson here.
Stage: S2/3 KLA: Science
Watch this introductory video as Claire introduces the lessons about frogs and their incredible life cycle!
Task 1: Let’s learn about frogs!
Activity 1: Watch this video from ABC education and learn all about Australian frogs!
Task 2: Classifying frogs
Look closely at the pictures of each frog species below. There are 3 pictures for each species.
Use the physical features of the frogs in the photos and the dichotomous key below to identify six different species frogs.
This activity has been adapted from the Australian Musuem's FrogID education resource.
Frog dichot key.pdfTask 3: Life cycle of a frog
A life cycle refers to the stages or changes that an animal goes through while it’s alive.
Frogs are amphibians. The word ‘amphibian’ comes from Greek meaning ‘two kinds of life’ or ‘both lives’.
They go through several stages of life before they become adult frogs and during those stages, they live only in water.
Stage 1: Egg
A frog begins life as a fertilized egg. A female frog lays a lot of eggs at one time in a pond. The eggs are surrounded with a clear jelly so they float, and stick to weeds to anchor them. The egg develops inside the jelly.
Stage 2: Tadpole
When the tadpole hatches, it looks more like a fish than a frog as it doesn’t have any legs. It has gills that allow it to breathe underwater. The tadpole swims, eats plants and algae from the water, and grows for several weeks. During this time, the tadpole starts to develop lungs so it will be able to breathe out of the water when it becomes a frog. The tadpole also starts to grow two hind legs. Now it can leap around instead of only swimming. Although the tadpole is starting to look a little more like a frog, it still has a very long tail!
Stage 3: Young Frog
The tadpole grows two front legs and its long tail becomes shorter and shorter. The tadpole uses the nutrients stored in its tail as food, so until its tail is completely gone, it doesn’t need anything else to eat! Then just a little stub of its tail is left, and the tadpole is a young frog. It hops right out of the water and onto dry land for the first time! The frog is still very small.
Stage 4: Adult Frog
The frog’s tail will eventually disappear completely and it will start to eat insects instead of plants from the water. The adult frogs then lay their eggs and more tadpoles hatch and begin the cycle again!
Complete the lifecycle of the frog.
In your workbook or nature journal using the information above, and the images provided, draw and label the stages of the lifecycle of a frog.
Task 4: Make an origami frog
How to fold a jumping origami frog
For this activity you will need a square piece of paper. Using the images as your instructions make a jumping origami frog. When you see arrows, those are showing you which direction you should fold the paper, and the dotted lines show you the line the fold will make. Remember, you are not folding to match the paper up with the dotted line, you are folding ON the dotted line.
Once your frog is folded, press down on the folded “legs” with the tip of your finger, then quickly slide your finger off to make the frog jump.
Task 5: Become a citizen scientist, learn about frogs and help protect them!
Have you ever been out and heard frogs and wondered what frog it might be? Well wonder no further and join in the fun! FrogID is a national citizen science project that aims to make learning about Australian frogs easy, what is happening to them, and the importance of conserving frogs.
Watch this clip and learn more about the Frog ID app.
With the FrogID app, people from all over the country can record frog calls and identify frogs in their area using smartphones!
Download the free Frog ID app for Apple or Android, and go on a frog hunt, to see what local frogs are in your area! The best time to go out frogging is in the first few hours after dark, especially after rain.
If you can’t use the Frog ID app, still get out and observe if you can see or hear evidence of frogs! Record (write and/or draw) your observations in a nature journal or workbook.
Extension: Make a frog poster!
If you found a frog you may like to make a poster on that type of frog, otherwise choose an endangered Australian frog and make a poster.
On your poster include:
Some general information on your frog, eg where it is found, how big it is, other fun facts
What issues are your frogs facing? Eg climate change, habitat loss
What people can do to help protect the frog species.
Examples of endangered Australian frogs
Baw Baw Frog, Philoria frosti
Giant Barred Frog, Mixophyes iteratus
Tinker Frog, Taudactylus sp.
Beautiful Nursery Frog, Cophixalus concinnus
Armoured Mistfrog, Litoria lorica