Lesson: Hear Me Croak!

Use a video to activate students’ prior knowledge about amphibians.

• Show the video Amazing Amphibians. Discuss students’ observations. Have students share key facts that they already know about amphibians.
• Ask students what sound a frog makes. (e.g., ribbitribbit, croak). Explain that different frog species actually make all kinds of sounds.
• Go to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums website to find frogs that live in your area. Play the frog calls while displaying photos of the frogs. Discuss how the photos and sounds compare with what students saw and heard in the video.

Read an article about efforts to protect frogs.

• Before reading, preview the vocabulary on page 7 (citizen scientist, amphibian, wetland, tadpole).
• Read the article aloud, pausing at the vocabulary words to discuss their definitions in context. As you read, have students complete the skill builder What’s the Context?.
• Refer to the fieldwork described in the article. Ask students: − What do you think it’s like to volunteer for FrogWatch? (e.g., fun, could be scary in the dark) − How can you get involved in protecting frogs or other amphibians? (Volunteer for programs like FrogWatch or participate in local park clean-ups)

Predict the best locations for finding local wildlife, then collect data.

• Go to maps.google.com, search for your school, and click on the “Satellite” icon (bottom left of the screen). Discuss what that view shows, then have students predict habitat areas where they could find frogs (swamps, ponds, rivers, woods). Ask: Where might you find birds, squirrels, or other wildlife?
• If possible, guide students to conduct the hands-on activity “Animal Spotting” on page 7 to observe local wildlife in your area. If you’re not able to go outside, have students go on a simulated FrogWatch trek by playing our game Frog Speak.

Obtain and communicate information about a frog species.

• Guide students to research a local frog species. Have them create their own naturalist journal page where they describe and draw the frog and its habitat. 

Analyze wetland loss and respond to critical thinking questions about the article.

• Read the “Life Cycle of a Frog” aloud. Have students share ideas about the “Think” question.
• Have students complete the Vanishing Wetlands skill builder and discuss their responses.
• Have student pairs complete the Think It Through skill builder. Discuss their answers.