Exploring Life Cycles

• life cycle –noun the continuous sequence of changes undergone by an organism from one primary form, as a gamete, to the development of the same form again.

Ohio Amphibians

Amphibians in Ohio depend on streams for shelter, food, and breeding.

Amphibians are vertebrates- that is creatures with a backbone and an internal skeleton. Amphibians live part of their life in water and part of it on land.

Frog Facts:Frogs are Amphibians

1) Frogs, Toads, and Salamanders are all amphibians that live in Ohio.

2) In Ohio there are 14 (possibly 15) species of frogs and toads in 4 families.

Click on the frog to view the 4 families of frogs and toads.

Frog Facts:3) Frogs live in ponds, rivers, forests, and fields.

4) The difference between frogs and toads: toads are just a kind of frog that has drier skin and lives farther

from water. They have shorter legs and hop rather than jump.

Frog and Toad Activity

• Read the article at the site above.• Fill out a Venn Diagram for Toads and Frogs.

Frog and Toad Scavenger Hunt:Click on the frog to begin scavenger hunt.

1) Which frog is most commonly found in Ohio? Hint: This frog is found in every

county of Ohio.

2) Which two kinds of frogs have a Snout-vent length 3 to 5 cm (1 1/4 to inches) and skin that is warty and granular?

3) Any permanent body of water in Ohio is likely to be inhabited by this type of frog:

4) Which toad has been collected in every county of Ohio?

5) List Ohio’s Frog and Toad Species: Hint: There are a total of 4 families.

6) List three “True” Ohio frogs:

7) Find out what type of call the Fowler’s Toad and the American Bullfrog make.

Frog Facts:5) Frogs eat insects, worms, and snails.

Certain frog species have a long sticky tongue that they use to catch flying insects. It is amazing how quickly they do this.

The frogs unrolls its tongue to catch the fly and then rolls it back into its mouth. It takes less than a second. Frogs that do not have tongues use their fingers to put food into their mouths.

Frog Facts:6) Frogs live from about 4-15 years.Click the frog to play a game.

Watch and listen to this video on the life cycle of a frog by clicking on the picture below.

Life Cycle of a Frog:Click on the picture below to read about the sequence of a frogs life.

Frog Survival Tactics:Amphibians defense compared to other vertebrates, which may be faster and stronger

or possess poisonous bites or sharp claws, amphibians are relatively easy prey. In water and on land, they are pursued by a hungry throng of birds, mammals, reptiles, fishes, and other amphibians.

Discover six different survival tactics that amphibians use by clicking on the picture below.

. Treefrogs use their colors over time to match the background they rest upon.

Writing Activity

• Write a short story about a frog using one of the survival tactics you learned about to defend itself from predators such as snakes, foxes, dogs, or hawks.

This is an American Bullfrog I found living in my pond...

Lab ActivityHow far can your frog jump?

Materials Plastic Frog Measuring Tape Paper Clips Chart Pencil

Instructions-Place your frog at the front of the start line.

-Make a prediction of how far your frog will jump in inches, cm, and paper clips.

-Make your frog jump by pressing down on the tale end.

-Measure the distance your frog has jumped in inches, cm, and paperclips.

-Repeat this ten times.

-Record it on your graph and compare with a classmate.

-Share your findings with another classmate.

Ohio Academic Content Standards• Science: Grade 2: Life Sciences #4. Compare similarities and differences

among individuals of the same kind of animal.• Science: Grade 2: Scientific Ways of Knowing #1. Describe that scientific

investigations generally work the same way under the same conditions.• Math: Grade 2: Measurement Standard #7.Make and test predictions

about measurements, using different units to measure the same length.• Language Arts: Grade 2: Reading Process: Comprehension Strategies #6.

Create and use graphic organizers, such as Venn diagrams and webs, to demonstrate comprehension.

• Language Arts: Grade 2: Reading Applications #2. Arrange events from informational text in sequential order.

• Language Arts: Grade 2: Research #4. Identify important information and write brief notes about the information.