Activities

                              Frogs

Activity #1

Objectives:   The student will:

1. further develop their fine motor skills through cutting, pasting and coloring
2. see the connection between this activity and reading
3. follow a sequence of directions

• Story book  Scieszka, John (1994). The Frog Prince Continued . Puffin. ISBN: 014054285X
• Pieces of green, pink, and red construction paper
• One cotton ball/ per child
• Black Magic Marker per child
• Glue
• Scissors
• Pencils

This activity will be done after discussing and reading The Frog Prince Continued by John Scieszka. Conduct the demonstration by actually doing the project for them. Write the steps along with a picture of each step on the board for the children to follow. Pass out the colored paper, cotton ball and scissors to each child. Have the children sit with an assigned partner to share the glue and black marker. Each child will need to have a pencil (supply one if needed).

Steps-

1. Cut out a large green circle (head of the frog) and fold in half
2. Cut out a pink circle smaller than the green circle (mouth of the frog) and fold in half
3. Cut out four legs in the green paper
4. Glue two legs to each side (of one half ) of the green circle
5. Glue the pink circle inside of the green circle (cover the glued part of the legs)
6. Cut out a red strip and roll it around a pencil (curled tongue)
7. Glue the tongue to the inside of the pink circle (anywhere you want)
8. Cut the cotton ball in half (two eyes)
9. Glue to the top of the green half circle (frog's head)
10. Color cotton balls with black marker (pupils)

When the children are done they will need to return to glue, scissors and marker to the art supply area. Each child is expected to throw away any garbage that s/he has.

Activity # 2

Objectives: The student will:

    1.    Predicting: make statements about what the frogs will look like next time the class          observes them.
    2.   Observations: The students will look at the tadpoles/frogs throughout their                       metamorphosis.
    3.   Recording Data: Make a chart recording all the data you learned through the observations.
    4.   Comparing: compare a frog to a human. List the similarities and differences using a Venn diagram.

Materials: live frogs at different stages of their lifecycle and a book about frogs.

Procedure: Begin by reading a book about frogs. Read: "The Mysterious Tadpole" by Steven Kellogg. Discuss the books pictures and content.

Display the tadpole. What do you see in the bowl? Talk about what you see. Is a frog similar to humans? Discuss survival needs, habitat, communication. In what ways are they different? Make a list using a Venn diagram.

Using the pictures in the book, Review the different stages. What stages are 'our' frogs in?
Guess what is going to change during the next stage. After looking at the pictures of the different stages, put the frog on the table and let the children see the frog at its complete metamorphosis.

Activity # 3

1.    Simulate a jumping frog contest using the cotton balls as frogs and measure distances             using the measuring tools supplied.

2.    Find the total millimeters, total centimeters and total meters making a graph to see the             range of the distances of each student's frog jump.

3.    Make comparisons of the distances by using a graph

Materials:

1. cotton balls
2. paper clips
3. metric ruler
4. metric stick
5. metric measuring tape
6. masking tape

1. Have each student make a frog from the cotton ball using the paper clip to give the cotton ball weight.

2. Demonstrate how to place the frog on a large paper clip that has been slightly spread out. Demonstrate also, how to stand at "Starting line" marked by masking tape and flip the jumping frog. Students have one chance to jump their frogs. Each student must record their distance in millimeters, centimeters or meters on wall chart.

3. Allow students time to practice with their "frog."

4. Set up official starting line marking it with masking tape on a long table (setting up on the floor works as well).

5. Observe and help students' measurements and frog jumping techniques.

6. Each student will have an opportunity to compare their distances on the wall graph and use the measuring tools to measure millimeter, centimeter and meter distances.