Junior Guide k6

AN EDUCATOR’S GUIDE TO FROGS
K-6
Author: Terra Brie Stewart Koval, terrabrie@hotmail.com
Design & Illustrations: Rost Koval, cyberost@hotmail.com, www.mangobonz.150m.com
Editor: Neala MacDonald
Frogwatch Illustrations: Wallace Edwards, courtesy of the Toronto Zoo
This guide has been written by Terra Brie Stewart Koval and designed by Rost Koval through
a Science Horizon's Grant with additional support from the Ecological Monitoring and
Assessment Network Coordinating Office. This teachers guide is free from copyright when
used for educational purposes. If reproduced we ask that you credit the author and the Ecological
Monitoring and Assessment Network Coordination Office.
DEAR EDUCATOR,
Throughout most of history, people have not regarded reptiles and amphibians with high opinion. In
fact the 18th century Swedish botanist and zoologist Carolus Linnaeus, famous for his classification
system, presented a very strong example of the prevailing attitude toward reptiles and amphibians:
"These foul and loathsome animals are abhorrent because of their cold body, pale colour, cartilaginous
skeleton, filthy skin, fierce aspect, calculating eye, offensive smell, harsh voice, squalid habitation, and
terrible venom; and so their Creator has not exerted his powers to make more of them." Although this
attitude may still be representative of many people’s impressions of snakes, it seems that for the most
part, our attitude towards frogs has grown to be a little more civilized—or at least it remains so in our
children.
Children are fascinated by frogs—and with good reason. They are cute, they are easily caught, they
make cool sounds, and they have been found in abundance (although their decline is the whole reason
programs like FrogWatch have come into existence). For these reasons, frogs are perfect candidates
with which to nourish a growing curiosity in living things and encourage an appreciation for the natural
world as a whole.
The well-being of the other species we share this earth with depends a great deal on our attitudes
towards them; in a world so pressured to fulfill human needs, a species must have value if it is to be
conserved with zeal. Instilling a life long passion for nature in upcoming generations is our
responsibility: it ensures us that we will have individuals in our future communities whose love for
nature will place priority on maintaining biodiversity and the health of our home, the Earth.
Frog on, Friends.

Acknowledgements
Although I am the official author of this educator’s guide, I feel this project is more of a collaborative
effort, and without the support of many enthusiastic individuals and dedicated organizations, this
project would not have been possible.
I want to begin by thanking the providers of the financial backing for this project through a Science
Horizons Youth Internship: Environment Canada’s Ecological Monitoring Assessment Network (EMAN),
Nature Canada and Nature Saskatchewan. Still, it is the passionate individuals within these
organizations who provided me with invaluable assistance over the last six months.
Neala Macdonald, Nature Canada’s Education Specialist, not only volunteered many, many hours of her
time to edit my guide and answer countless questions, but also gave me a great deal of moral support
and, having “been there before” as the author of the Grade 7-12 FrogWatch guide, understanding
along this journey. Neala’s diligence, commitment, and dedication have transformed this guide from a
draft into a professional document in which I hold a great deal of pride.
Brian Craig (EMAN) was my directional force in this project. Having been an elementary schoolteacher
himself for many years, Brian was able to communicate to me his knowledge of students and share his
classroom experiences, which served as signals that I was heading in the right direction. At times when
I felt I was treading into unknown waters, it was Brian’s unwavering confidence in me that acted as the
compass that directed me to the completion of this guide.
Margaret Skeel and Paul Dumont at Nature Saskatchewan battled away at many the logistics in this
project; they also made me feel very welcome within the community of Nature Saskatchewan.
Andy Didiuk, Saskatchewan’s provincial FrogWatch coordinator at the Prairie and Northern Wildlife
Research Centre, provided me with scientific guidance and a fantastic work environment.
There is another group of individuals that have been instrumental in this project—the teachers and the
schools. I not only had a volunteer committee of teachers to review my guide, but also entire
classrooms who welcomed me into their community to conduct my research.
I want to start by thanking Tim Haughian, the director of Environmental Education in the Saskatoon
Catholic Schools, for finding a number of classrooms for me to visit. Tim’s passion for environmental
education is an inspiring force to anyone who has had the opportunity of meeting him.
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I received an equally powerful sense of inspiration from Marcia Klein, and environmental educator with
the Saskatoon Public School Division. Marcia has reminded me of our responsibility to youth—our duty
to share the love of nature with them and thus nourish their budding appreciation for our outdoor
world. We pass our world with aging, hopeful hands into the strong, determined hands of upcoming
generations.
I would like to thank my teacher reviewers Wendy Hyshka, Alandina Laplante, and Greg Bubnick for
reviewing my draft and stimulating new ideas for the guide during at a very busy time in the school
year.
One stage in the writing process of this guide was learning my audience. I spent a few weeks touring
schools and meeting the individuals I was really writing for—the students. I initially visited classes to
assess the grade level of the students and later returned to some classes to test drive activities. In the
Saskatoon Catholic School division, I owe thanks to Wendy Hyshka’s Kindergarten class at St. James
School; Michelle McAuley’s grade 1 class at Sr. O’Brien School; Alandina Laplante’s grade 2 class at St.
Mark School; Cathy Coumont’s grade 3 class at St. Frances School; Richard Blanchet’s grade 4 class at
St. Paul School; Greg Bubnick’s grade 5 class at St. John School; and Norbert Schidlowsky’s grade 6/7
class at St. Peter School. In the Saskatoon Public School Division, much thanks is extended to Roberta
Irinici’s grade 2 class at Sutherland School; Kathy Probert’s grade 2/3 class at North Park Wilson School;
and Dianne Martin’s grade 4 class at Brunskill School.
And finally, I want to thank all of you, the educators, who are taking the initiative to introduce
environmental education into your classrooms. Your dedication to teaching youth about our global
home and the interconnectedness of its inhabitants is the key to creating sustainable ecosystems for
hundreds of generation to come.
Terra Brie Stewart Koval, B.Sc.
4 THE Frog FILES

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................................7
0.1 The Amazing World of Frogs ............................................................................................9
0.2 The 10th Annual Canadian Frog Conference ..................................................................14
BIOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION......................................................................................................19

1.1 Leap Around the World ..................................................................................................21
1.2 Who Am I: Frog or Toad?................................................................................................26
1.3 Is that a Frog on Your Finger or a Toad on Your Thumb? ................................................31
1.4 If You Were a Frog..........................................................................................................36
1.5 Wood Frog: Connect the dots ........................................................................................38
1.6 Anatomical Anagrams ....................................................................................................40
1.7 It's All Latin to Me ..........................................................................................................42
1.8 Name That Frog..............................................................................................................44
REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................47

2.1 Musical Metamorphosis..................................................................................................49
2.2 Wheel of Life..................................................................................................................53
2.3 CrissCrossed Frogs..........................................................................................................56
2.4 Whose Life is it Anyway?................................................................................................60
2.5 Far out Frogs ..................................................................................................................62
BEHAVIOUR AND ADAPTATION ......................................................................................................65

3.1 The Fabulous Functions of Frog Feet ..............................................................................67
3.2 The Frog Olympics ..........................................................................................................70
3.3 Sir Toadleby’s Authentic Anuran Cuisine ........................................................................76
3.4 Soak it Up ......................................................................................................................78
3.5 Dressed for Success: Camouflage in the Classroom ........................................................80
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Table of Contents (Cont’d)
FROGS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................83
4.1 Walking in a Wetland Wonderland ................................................................................84
4.2 Working on a Chain Gang..............................................................................................86
FROGS AND HUMANS ....................................................................................................................93

5.1 The Call of the Wild ......................................................................................................96
5.2 I am CANADIAN! ........................................................................................................103
5.3 The Field of Greens Mini Field Guide ............................................................................106
Glossary ..........................................................................................................................................121
Suggested Resources and Sources................................................................................................125
PAN-CANADIAN CURRICULUM LINKS ..........................................................................................127

Science K-3 ............................................................................................................................127
Science 4-6 ............................................................................................................................130
Language Arts Kindergarten ..................................................................................................134
Language Arts Grade 1 ..........................................................................................................136
Mathematics K-6 ....................................................................................................................151
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Introduction
The mission of Nature Canada is to protect nature, its diversity and the processes that sustain it.
By identifying simple and accessible ways to measure Canada’s environmental health, NatureWatch
programs encourage the lifelong involvement of various stakeholders in this mission.
Nature Canada and the Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network Coordinating Office
(EMANCO) present these education programs as an opportunity for the public to explore the natural
world and share their observations with environmental scientists. By tracking key species and seasonal
events, NatureWatchers help monitor regional and global environmental trends, and contribute to an
early warning system of ecosystem change that may threaten the well being of Canadians.
The engaging nature of FrogWatch makes it ideal for the classroom. It may fuel a sense of curiosity
about the natural world to last a lifetime. It is through connection and awareness that individuals are
encouraged to take action to ensure the survival of important wildlife and ecosystems.
Before starting any of the activities in the Educator’s Guide, it is highly recommended that you obtain a
FREE official FrogWatch poster from the Nature Canada,1 Nicholas Street, Suite 606, Ottawa, ON,
K1N 7B7; telephone (613) 562-3447; fax (613) 562-3371; e-mail info@naturecanada.ca.
The FrogWatch Educator's Guide explores the world of frogs and toads through curriculum-based work-
sheet activities, hands-on activities, and classroom demonstrations. It is divided into six sections, each
containing a set of activities relating to the main topic. The sections open with text introducing the edu-
cator to the concepts addressed in the activities. Relevant vocabulary words are highlighted in bold text
and the definitions are found in the glossary at the end of the guide. The guide is outlined as follows:
INTRODUCTION
The introduction serves as an outline for topics to be discussed in the guide. This section answers such
questions as: What is an amphibian? How many frogs are there in the world? What do frogs eat?
Where do frogs live? What are some concerns facing frogs? Why are frogs disappearing?
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INTRODUCTION
BIOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION

The biology section discusses concepts such as classification and nomenclature, the differences
between frogs and toads, frog anatomy, and frogs around the world.
REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT

The primary focus of this section is the spectacular phenomenon of metamorphosis. Other topics
include challenges faced at different stages of the anuran life cycle and reproductive adaptations.
BEHAVIOUR AND ADAPTATION

This section include topics such as the change in a frog’s diet from tadpole to frog, how frogs eat, frog
calls, camouflage, permeable skin, and adaptations of frog feet.
FROGS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT

This section examines the relationship between frogs and their environment. The primary concept in this
section is food chains and food webs. Students are also introduced to species that share habitat with frogs.
FROGS AND HUMANS

This section examines the threats to amphibians and the possible causes of the worldwide decline in
amphibian numbers. Frog monitoring as well as Canadian frog identification are introduced.
THE ACTIVITIES ARE ORGANIZED INTO

• Objective: States the theme and objective of the activity.
• Grades: Suggested grades the activity is appropriate for. Note than many of the activities can be
slightly modified to include younger students.
• Type of Activity: For example, Charades, Crosswords and Reader Theatre
• Materials: Materials required to complete the activity
• Vocabulary: Specific terminology your students may not be familiar with; it is a good idea to review
these words before starting the activity. Definitions for these words can be found in the glossary.
• Curriculum Links: Reference numbers to the general outcomes in the subject areas of Science (S),
English Language Arts (E), and Mathematics (M)
• Background Information: This section provides additional information that prepares the educator
for questions that may arise. More complete text can be found at the beginning of each section.
• Teacher Instructions: Step by step instructions that guide the educator through the activity.
• Extensions: Suggested ways to expand upon the presented activities including modifications that
would make them appropriate to an outdoor setting.
Although a list of discussion topics does not always accompany the activities, it is suggested that the
educator take time before starting an exercise to give students a chance to express themselves by
asking questions or sharing experiences on the subject matter pertaining to the upcoming activity.
All activities are linked to the Pan-Canadian Protocol for Collaboration on School Curriculum: Common
Framework of Science Learning Outcomes K-12; the Western Canadian Protocol for Collaboration in
Basic Education:The Common Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts K-12; and the Western
Canadian Protocol for Collaboration in Basic Education: The Common Curriculum Framework for K–9
Mathematics. Documented curriculum matches can be found at the end of the guide.
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INTRODUCTION
The Amazing World of Frogs Activity 0.1

OBJECTIVE GRADES
To provide students with basic knowledge about frogs 4-6 with a K-3 adaptation
BACKGROUND INFORMATION TYPE OF ACTIVITY

The following text provides an introduction to frogs and introduces Teacher read/comprehension
the topics that will be explored in more depth later in the guide.
MATERIALS
TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS • Copies of page 13
1. As a class, brainstorm everything you know about frogs. • Pencils
2. For younger students, hand out the question sheet before you
begin the teacher read and have them follow along and answer VOCABULARY
the questions as you read. algae, amphibian, bio-indica-
3. For older students, tell them before hand that they will be given tor, cold blooded, global
a quiz after you finish reading the text and hand out the warming, habitat, herpetol-
question sheet after you read the text. ogy, metamorphosis, perme-
4. Give students some time to work on the questions and then go able, reptile, species, tad-
over the answers as a class. Discuss any particularly interesting poles, ultraviolet
facts and encourage further independent research.
CURRICULUM LINKS
K-3 ADAPTATION Grade K
1. To introduce younger students to frogs, you can make a KWL E 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.4
chart either as a class or individually. A KWL chart is divided into Grade 1,2
three parts. The first tells what a student KNOWS (K) about a S 200-1
subject before it is studied in class. The second part tells what the E 2.1, 2.2, 3.1, 3.2, 4.4
student WANTS (W) to know about that subject. The third part Grade 3
tells what the child LEARNED (L) after studying that subject. S 200-1
2. Share some of the fascinating froggy facts presented in the E 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 4.4
Amazing World of Frogs text with your students. Grade 4
S 204-1, 301-2, 409
COMPREHENSION QUIZ ANSWER KEY E 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.4
A. 1.T; 2.F; 3.T; 4.T; 5.F; 6.T; 7.T; 8.F; 9.F; 10.T Grade 5,6
B. 24 S 204-1, 409
C. Snorkel E 2.1, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 4.4
D. Snakes
E. Cold blooded
F. African Bullfrog
G. Dart poison
H. South America
I. freezing
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INTRODUCTION
The Amazing World of Frogs

DID YOU KNOW...
that there are more than 3000 different species of frogs around the world and that 24 of these can be
found in Canada? Actually, this number also includes toads since toads are really are just a type of frog.
These fascinating little fellows can be found living in wetlands, deserts, rainforests, and on mountain-
tops; frogs can live just about anywhere-except in your pocket! Frogs have also been around for a long,
long time, even before the dinosaurs. In fact, some scientists think that frogs "jumping legs" evolved to
help them leap away from hungry dinosaurs!
EVOLUTION AND AMPHIBIANS: THE BEGINNING

The theory that life on land began with a fish walking out of the water might sound pretty crazy but
this is just how frogs and the other amphibians live--the first part of their life cycle takes place in water
and the next part on land. In fact the word amphibian means 'double life'. You can think of other
amphibians as cousins to the frogs; so if you were lucky enough to be invited to an amphibian family
reunion, you would also meet the lizard-like newts and salamanders and the strange worm-like
caecilians. Even though these guys sound Italian, you'll only find them in the jungle. The skin of all
amphibians is almost always moist and is water permeable, which allows oxygen to move through it
so they can "breathe" through their skin and the lining of their mouths. Their skeletons are mostly
made of bone (and not cartilage like sharks), and most amphibians also lay their eggs in water inside a
jelly mass. Amphibians are also cold-blooded; this does not mean that their blood is really cold, but
rather that their body takes on the temperature of their surroundings.
REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Now, even though scientists often study reptiles and amphibians together as a field of study called
herpetology, they are very different from each other. Who are the reptiles? Snakes, lizards, turtles,
and crocodilians are all reptiles. Reptiles, which are also cold-blooded, evolved from the amphibians. So
in a way, amphibians are ancestors to the reptiles. They are different from the amphibians in that they
have well-developed lungs, scaly skin, and either have shelled eggs that are laid and hatched on land or
else they give birth to live young.
FROGS: MASTERS OF ADAPTATION

Most of the time frogs lay their eggs in water where they eventually hatch into little fish-like tadpoles.
Like fish, these tadpoles breathe through gills. The algae they eat gives them the energy they need to
grow and develop into an adult frog through a process called metamorphosis. Depending on the
type, or species, of frog, it may be able to swim, walk, jump, climb or fly. It may live in water, on land,
or even in trees. It may eat insects, plants, or meat, and it may be found in essentially every major
habitat on the planet. These masters of adaptation even lived through whatever killed the dinosaurs
65 million years ago. This just goes to show that you don't have to be fierce to survive!
10 THE Frog FILES

INTRODUCTION
FUN AND FASCINATING FROG FACTS

Frogs come in just about every colour and size that you can imagine ranging from tiny Cuban Arrow
Poison frogs which are smaller than a ten cent coin to the huge African Bullfrog which is the size of a
football. So next time you look at a football, just imagine it as a hopping frog, and you will never
forget the 'goliath' of the frog world. And in case you were wondering, some frogs can live for up to
forty years, which is a long time compared to most other animals.
Although most frogs eat insects, there are exceptions. The South African Bullfrog and Ornate Horned
Toad of South America (who is nicknamed the Pac Man toad probably for his huge mouth) wouldn't
turn down a meal of mouse or rat. Other frogs eat worms, snakes, slugs, spiders, centipedes or even
other frogs! Look out, Kermit!
Some frogs have the ability change colour to blend with their surroundings and escape detection by
predators. The Glass Frog is a translucent green colour and its organs are actually visible through its
skin. The Gray Treefrogs of southern Manitoba are masters of disguise and can change colour from
brown through pale gray to brilliant green. Other Canadian frogs that are also gifted in this way are the
Wood Frog and the Pacific Treefrog.
The brilliantly coloured tiny Arrow Poison Frogs are interesting as well. It is estimated that enough
poison may be found on the skin of one of these little guys to kill up to 20,000 mice. An interesting
relationship between these little frogs and man started when hunters discovered that blow darts
covered with the essence of the Cuban Tree frog could in fact kill deer or even jaguars. When raised in
captivity and fed different plants than they would normally eat in the wild, the Poison Dart Frogs are
completely non-poisonous. So what do you think is the source of the Cuban Tree Frogs' poison?
FROGS AROUND THE WORLD

The greatest number and diversity of frogs are found in tropical regions. Almost half of all species live in
Central and South America while only 1% of the world's frog species are found in Europe. This is
probably because people have lived there for so long and changed much of the frogs' natural habitat.
Often in the middle of winter we think the tropics would be a great place to live as well. There are,
however, some Canadian frog species that have found a great way to beat the winter blues-by freezing
solid! Wood Frogs, Spring Peepers, Chorus Frogs, and Gray Treefrogs survive the winter cold by
basically freezing and thawing when it warms up in the spring. Many people wish they could freeze
their body too. Mastering the secret of frog freezing, or cryogenics, would allow people with untreat-
able diseases to 'pause' their life until some date in the future when a cure would be found.
FROGS AND YOU

The health of most plant and animal species is depends on their relationship with us and the value that
we assign to the species. In some parts of the world, frog legs are served in expensive restaurants while
other cultures eat them as a source of protein. The dart hunters of the American tropics undoubtedly
placed high value on the Poison Dart Frogs for their poison, but as hunting societies are far less
common in this technological world, this value has decreased. Frogs have also been used for
dissections in anatomy classes, which may support local economies in some areas.
THE DEMISE OF A FROGGY FRIEND

Although frogs have been hopping lucky to survive major changes in their world, it now appears they
are in trouble. Not only are the numbers of individual frogs decreasing, but we are also losing entire
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INTRODUCTION
species. In the past, the Costa Rican Golden Toad has been used on posters to advertise the diversity
and beauty of Central America. It has also been a symbol of environmental protection as the jungle
where it lives had been named an ecological preserve. Although this frog was thought to be safe in its
protected habitat, something else has affected the life of this frog. Sadly, this little frog has not been
seen since 1989 and may well be extinct. Some people think that global warming may have caused the
loss of this species.
FROGS AS BIO-INDICATORS
Frogs are can give us clues about how healthy an ecosystem is. Declines in frog populations can tell us
that the environment has weakened. We all know that the pollution of wetlands, forests and prairie
can damage or destroy important habitat for frogs, there are concerns about the earth's atmosphere
affecting frogs as well. Unfortunately, these problems are much more difficult to predict and require a
very long time to prove. The results of more ultraviolet (UV) radiation from pollution eating away at
the ozone layer and global warming are of major concern to scientists today. Right now, we can only
really guess how these problems are hurting frogs, but our knowledge will grow over time as we
continue to collect new information. Programs like FrogWatch, which you as a class may take part in,
are a very important way for us to learn how to take better care of all the animals and other organisms
with who we share the earth.
12 THE Frog FILES

How Froggy is Your Memory? 0.1
A
TRUE OR FALSE?
❍ ❍ 1. Toads are a type of frog.
❍ ❍ 2. Dinosaurs are thought to have existed before the frogs.
❍ ❍ 3. The word amphibian means “double life”.
❍ ❍ 4. The study of reptiles and amphibians is called herpetology.
❍ ❍ 5. Tadpoles eat insects.
❍ ❍ 6. The Ornate Horned Toad, or Pac Man toad, will eat mice.
❍ ❍ 7. Glass frogs have semi-translucent (“see through”) skin.
❍ ❍ 8. 85% of the world’s frogs live in Europe.
❍ ❍ 9. The number of frogs around the world is growing rapidly.
❍ ❍ 10. Frogs can give clues that tell us how healthy an ecosystem is.
B
HOW MANY SPECIES OF FROGS CAN BE FOUND IN CANADA?
❍4 ❍ 24 ❍ 400 ❍ 3400
C
AMPHIBIANS DO NOT USE WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING TO BREATHE:
❍ skin ❍ gills ❍ lungs ❍ snorkel
D
WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ARE NOT AMPHIBIANS ?
❍ snakes ❍ caecilians ❍ salamanders ❍ toads
E
WHICH IS A COMMON CHARACTERISTIC TO REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS?
❍ warm-blooded ❍ good dancers ❍ cold-blooded ❍ five-toed
F
WHAT IS THE LARGEST FROG IN THE WORLD CALLED?
❍ Elephant Frog ❍ African Bullfrog ❍ Cuban Tree Frog ❍ Wood Frog
G
WHAT DO PEOPLE USE CUBAN TREE FROGS FOR?
❍ food ❍ anatomy class ❍ perfumes ❍ dart poison
H
WHICH CONTINENT HAS THE MOST FROG SPECIES?
❍ North America ❍ Asia ❍ Antarctica ❍ South America
I
WHAT ADAPTATION DOES THE WOOD FROG HAVE FOR SURVIVING WINTER IN CANADA?
❍ staying in water ❍ burrowing ❍ drinking hot tea ❍ freezing

INTRODUCTION
Activity 0.2 The 10th Annual Canadian

Frog Conference
GRADES OBJECTIVE
3-6 To introduce students to the concerns facing frogs and toads in
Canada and in other parts of the world
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Reader Theatre BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The following reader theatre is an excellent way to introduce
MATERIALS students to some of the environmental threats facing frogs and to
• FrogWatch poster dispel some myths about frogs and toads.
• 10 Students
• A picture of a Poison Dart Frog TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
• Copies of pages 15-17, one 1. Make copies of pages 15-17 and hand out one copy to a pair
per pair of students of students.
• Copies of Finger puppets on 2. Instruct the students on the procedure of conducting a reader
stiff paper (optional), page theatre. For example, the text in Italics is not to be read out
18 loud.
• Pencil crayons, crayons, or 3. Assign roles to each student.
markers 4. If you choose to use the finger puppets to complement the
• Scissors reading, encourage your students to colour their finger puppet
to match the colours of the frog they are playing. Refer them to
VOCABULARY the FrogWatch poster for guidance. Also try and show them a
amphibians, extirpated, fertilizers, picture of a poison dart frog pointing out the bright colouration
habitat, mucous, pesticides and highly contrasted pattern.
CURRICULUM LINKS K-2 ADAPTATION

Grade 3 Younger students will enjoy colouring the finger puppets. They
S 203-5, 400, 406 could research information about a frog, colour the finger puppet
E 2.2, 2.3, 4.4, 5.1 accordingly, and tell other students facts about the frog using the
Grade 4 puppet. For example, “I have see-through skin…”.
S 105-1, 108-1, 108-3, 207,
409, 410, 418, 419 EXTENSION
E 2.2, 2.3, 4.4, 5.1 1. Break students into groups and have them write and perform a
Grade 5 one-act puppet play addressing some of the issues presented in
S 108-7, 207-3, 409, 410, 418, 419 the reader theatre. Ideas include: introduced species, frogs as
E 2.2, 2.3, 4.4, 5.1 fish bait, pesticide/fertilizer contamination, vanishing frogs,
Grade 6 handling of frogs etc.
S 108-5, 108-8, 207, 409, 410, 2. Play some recordings of frog calls and quiz your students as to
418, 419 “who’s making all the noise”.
E 2.2,2.3,4.4, 5.1
14 THE Frog FILES

The 10th Annual
Canadian Frog Conference
CAST OF CHARACTERS
Leonard the Leopard Frog

Flash the Poison Dart Frog
Bruce the Bullfrog
Peeps the Spring Peeper
William the Wood Frog
Gertie the Great Plains Toad
Milly the Mink Frog
Sally the Plains Spadefoot
Clementine the Green Frog
Patricia the Pickerel frog
(Everyone starts off by croaking and ribbiting to each other, looking around, and nodding
and continuing to do so until Leonard calls them to attention)
Leonard: Order, order, ORDER! Thank you. Hi. I am Leonard the Leopard Frog and now that I have your
attention I want to welcome you all to the 10th Annual Canadian Frog Conference-and yes toads, that
includes you too because all toads are actually frogs. We are gathered here today to discuss some
issues relating to frogs and toads here in Canada and all around the world. I'd like you all to take a
moment to welcome our special guest, all the way from the jungles of Costa Rica, Flash, a Poison Dart
Frog.
(Everyone claps hands and croaks a bit more.)
Flash: Thank you, thank you, thank you. Hey all you funky froggy friends, how is it going? It sure was a
long trip. I had to wear a coat on the airplane because every time someone saw my bright colours, they
would jump and run away because they were scared of my poison. Brrrr…it sure is cold up here in
Canada. I mean really cold. How do all of you deal with this weather?
William: Quack, quack, quack. Well, Flash, I am William the Wood Frog and also a member of a special
club called the "Deep Freeze Six". That means me and five other types of frogs in Canada actually
freeze our bodies in the winter and hide under leaves or in cracks of trees. Then when it warms up, we
thaw out (but not melt!). That way we don't feel a thing. Sure beats those winter blues. Quack, quack.
Clementine: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! I sure like to scrEEEEEEEEEEEEam! Keeps those pesky predators

away. Flash, I am Clementine the Green Frog and in the winter I chose to stay at the bottom of a frozen
pond and chill out. Because my body gets so slow, I don't even feel hungry then I get very sleepy and
wake up when the ice melts again. This is how the rest of us deal with the cold.
THE Frog FILES 15

INTRODUCTION
Gertie: (Gertie takes a deep breath and puffs out her cheeks. She does this because when she feels
threatened or is mad, it will make her look bigger) Aren't you forgetting me? My name is Gertie the
Great Plains Toad and we don't stay at the bottom of the pond. No siree. We have special tools on our
feet that help us dig deep down in the soil below the frost. That is how we spend our winters, it's
toad-ally warm. Right, Sally?
Sally: That's right Gertie. I am a Plains Spadefoot and I don't have these spades on my feet for noth-
ing! I also use them to dig in the soil when it's super hot to avoid losing my precious water. That's one
thing about all of us frogs and toads, we need a constant source of clean, healthy pond water.
Bruce: (Bruce starts to speak croak and he sounds like he is saying Jug-o-rum, Jug-o-rum). Hi everyone.
I am Bruce the Bullfrog and it's true: Clean water is a problem. Often pesticides and fertilizers from
nearby farms get into our ponds and make them very bad places to live. Many of my friends have
gotten sick from drinking and living in bad water. And with the earth getting warmer each year, it is
getting harder and harder to find a good pond that doesn't dry up too soon. Phewww. What is that
smell?
Milly: Excuse me. It must be me. I am Milly the Mink Frog and I don't mean to smell. It's just that when
I get nervous I sometimes sweat something that smells like rotten onions. Bruce, you are right. Water is
so important to us. All of us depend on water for some part of our lifecycle as tadpoles or adult frogs.
That's what makes us amphibians. Part water, part land. We need water to lay our eggs in and to
keep our skin moist so we can breathe properly. Our skin feels slimy because it is covered in mucous
and this helps us breathe. Without it, we can die.
Peeps: Peep! Peep! Speaking of skin, peep, peep, I am Peeps the Spring Peeper and I want to tell any
non-frogs in the audience that it is not gross that we eat our skin. Peep. When we shed, it feels
wonderful, like getting a new pair of running shoes. And peep, peep, our skin has lots of vitamins in it
that are good for us. What I peep, peep, think is gross, is how humans are shedding their skin peep,
peep, all the time!
Patricia: Hi everyone. I am Patricia the Pickerel Frog. Can I say something about humans? Normally, I
think humans are pretty neat creatures. Lots of them do good things for us like protect our habitat
and listen for our calls every spring to make sure we are healthy. I don't even mind if they pick us up as
long as they wash their hands first and put us back exactly where they got us. But there is one thing
that really, really bothers me and that is when people kill us to put on their fish hooks. I lost my brother
to a fisherman last year. (Patricia snores quietly and sadly)
Bruce: Jug-o-rum, jug-o-rum. Speaking of humans, I want to defend myself a little here. I know all of
you think I am a big bully and you have gotten very angry at me in the past for eating some of you
smaller frogs, but my family and I were never supposed to live in British Columbia. Humans who
wanted to raise me to eat my legs, moved me to a new province. And when I got there, I was not used
to the environment and I was hungry and ate what I could and I am so sorry if I ate any of your friends
or family. I just can't seem to help myself. Jug-o-rum, jug-o-rum.
Leonard: On behalf of all of us, I forgive you Bruce. I know its not really your fault. We all eat other
animals-flies, spiders, slugs, snails-you name it! The only time we didn't eat other animals was when
we were all vegetarians as tadpoles. Back then, algae and plants were the only things we ate.
16 THE Frog FILES

INTRODUCTION
Clementine: Other animals are always trying to eat us like skunks, owls, fish, and snakes. When any of
them come near me, I just remember to scrEEEEEEEEEEEEEam!
Gertie: I just puff myself up really, really big so I look to hard to get in their mouths. And, another
thing… I have icky tasting poisons on my skin that I make in my poison glands. Once they get a taste of
that, peh, peh (pretend to spit something out), they spit me out pretty fast. Mostly everyone that is,
except for those Hognose Snakes. I ought to give them a piece of my mind….Phew. What is that smell?
Milly, is that you again?
Milly: I'm sorry. Yes, it is me. But it sure helps keep predators away. Hey, have any of you heard from
Carmen the Cricket Frog? I haven't heard or seen her in AGES!
William: Quack, quack, quack. I guess you haven't heard the bad news, have you Milly? As you know,
Carmen and her relatives live on only a tiny, tiny island called Pelee Island. The bad news is, nobody has
even heard from her since 1989-not even a postcard. Many believe that she no longer lives in Canada
but maybe lives in another country. The word for this is extirpated and it is very sad if in fact this is
what has happened. Quack, quack.
Flash: That is sad. Something very sad happened in my home country too. The Costa Rican Golden
Toad, a very pretty but shy little toad, also disappeared without a trace in 1989 even though they lived
on a wildlife preserve. What is happening to us?
Peeps: Peep, peep. I don't know what is happening, Flash, but I do know one thing. There is some-
thing peep, peep we can do to help. You see there are some humans called scientists that are working
really hard to find out what is happening to us. These scientists have called on volunteers for help.
Sally: Hey, I've heard about these volunteers. These are people that care about frogs and the
environment and want to help the scientists. What they do is go out to a pond or other area where we
live every year and listen for us singing. First they take the time to learn each of our voices so that they
know who we are when they hear us. When they hear us, they write our names down and send it to
the scientists. That way the scientists can keep track of our numbers from year to year.
Patricia: I've heard of that! It's called FrogWatch and it is happening all across Canada. People really do
care about us (even though some of them insist on putting me on a fish hook). And anyone can help
with FrogWatch. Even the human tadpoles and froglets-oh I mean, kids. I have an idea. Let's end this
conference by having all of us practice our calls together so the humans will hear us when they are
frogwatching. Ready? On three. One, two, three! Croak!
(Everyone start croaking and ribbiting as a "chorus" of frog calls).
The End
THE Frog FILES 17

18 THE Frog FILES
Biology and Classification
Frogs enjoy one of the longest histories of any species currently inhabiting the planet. They have
withstood millions of years of ecological upheaval and change including rotational shifts in the earth's
axis, countless volcanic eruptions, and almost unimaginable prolonged cycles of global warming and
cooling over millions of years. Through all of this, frogs have maintained the genetic flexibility to
adjust and adapt to these profound changes in the earth's atmosphere and landscape. While more
than 3000 species of frogs exist in the world today, there is no doubt that countless thousands of
species have come and gone in the march of evolutionary time. But it is the basic and simple strategy
of dividing a lifecycle between land and water, diverting energy into a metamorphosis from an aquatic
to a land animal combined with an explosive reproductive potential that has served this group of
animals so well.
CLASSIFICATION
Classification systems are the scientific interpretation of organization in nature. The broadest
categories in this system are the KINGDOMS; the six Kingdoms are the Animals, Plants, Fungi, Protists,
Bacteria and Archaea bacteria. The next level is PHYLUM followed by CLASS. The amphibians are
grouped into the Class: Amphibia. Frogs and toads form the ORDER Anura (or Salientia) that is divided
into about 20 families (see Table 1). The explanation to the riddle "all toads are frogs but not all frogs
are toads" is that toads are just one family in Order Anura and generally speaking, all of the members
of Anura are referred to as frogs. Orders are divided into FAMILIES that give way to GENUS and finally,
SPECIES. The scientific name is made up of the Genus and Species name and are either italicized or
underlined.
Five families of frogs and toads live in Canada: the tree frogs, the true frogs, the tailed frogs, the
toads and the spadefoots. There is but a single species of tailed frog, that being in British
Columbia. Tailed frogs are unique in that they possess a tail-like appendage that functions to
deliver sperm internally to the female of the species. Remember that amphibians are generally
characterized by the external fertilization of eggs by males so the tailed frog is a divergence from
that general rule.
THE Frog FILES 19

BIOLOGY & CLASSIFICATION
GENERAL DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF FROG FAMILIES IN CANADA*
If it has a tail… Tailed Frog
If it has two lines down its back… True Frog
If it has specialized toepads for climbing… Tree Frog
If it looks like a toad without the poison glands and has a vertical pupil... Spadefoot
If it has warty skin and poison glands… Toad
*Remember there are always exceptions to every generalization.
20 THE Frog FILES

Leap Around the World Activity 1.1

OBJECTIVE GRADES
To familiarize students with some frogs from around the world; 3-6
To identify the continents where these frogs are found on a world
map TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Geography Puzzle
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Frogs are found on every continent of the world (except MATERIALS
Antarctica) in a variety of habitats. By putting together a puzzle of • Copies of pages 23-25
the world, students will not only sharpen their geography skills, • Scissors
but also learn about some amazing frogs and toads from around • Glue or tape
the world.
VOCABULARY
TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS egg, mating season, prey,
1. Copy a blank world map, a set of frog stamps and a Leap tadpole
Around the World text sheet for each student.
2. Tell students they are going to match the frog to its home CURRICULUM LINKS
continent by referring to the provided text. Grade 3
3. Have them cut out the frog stamps and place them on the S 401, 402, 404
blank map. Grade 4
4. When they are sure they have them in the right place (or you S 300-1, 412, 413, 416
have checked over their map), have them tape or glue the frogs Grade 5
in their home. S 300, 412, 413, 416
5. Recognize that there may be more than one correct spot for Grade 6
some of the frogs. Refer to the answer key map for one set of S 300-17, 412, 413, 416
possible answers.
6. As a class, discuss as a class which frogs they find particularly
interesting and why.
THE Frog FILES 21

ANSWER KEY
5
6
7
8
3
1
12
10
11
2
9
4
22 THE Frog FILES

Leap Around the World 1.1
Carefully cut out the frogs of the world stamps.

Then, using the following information, find out
where the frogs live. Place their stamp on the proper
continent. When you are sure you have them placed
on their proper home, glue them in place.
HAIRY FROGS ASIAN LEAF FROGS
1 • Live in Africa
• During mating season males develop a
“skirt” of hair around their hips
7 • Live in Asia
• Has flaps of skin or "horns" over its eyes
• It's brown skin and jagged shape make it
look just like dried leaves in the forest
RED-EYED TREE FROGS
2 • Live in Central America

• Small enough to perch on a dial of a
wristwatch 8 TONGUELESS FROGS
• Live in Africa and South America
• Include African Clawed Frogs and the
• Brilliantly coloured: green, white, and flat Surinam Toads—the Surinam Toad is
yellow so flat it looks like roadkill
• Live completely in water and therefore
GOLIATH FROGS
3 do not need a tongue to catch prey

• Live in Cameroon (Africa)
BARKING FROGS
9
• Also called African Bullfrog
• World's largest frogs; can measure over • Live in the southern United States
76 cm in length and weigh more than • Sound more like small dogs than frogs
3 kg! • Some fathers stand guard over the eggs
until baby frogs emerge ready to fend
TAILED FROGS
4 for themselves
• Live in north-western North America
HORNED FROGS
10
(Canada!)
• Only frogs which keep a stub of their • Live in South America
tadpole tail in male adult life • Also called the "Pac Man frog" for their
big mouths
WATER HOLDING FROGS
5 • Known to have nasty tempers and very

• Live in central Australia sharp teeth that they are not afraid to use!
• During rainy season, they absorb water
PARADOXICAL FROGS
11
into their skin and store it in a bag-like
sac • Live in Trinidad (Caribbean)
• When conditions are very dry, they bury • Tadpoles can be over a 30 cm long but
themselves underground will shrink into their adult form to just
• These frogs are said to be able to stay 3.8 cm
alive while buried as long as 10 years!
CASQUE-HEADED FROGS
6 FLYING FROGS
• Live in Borneo (Indonesia)
• Can launch out of trees and use foot
12 • Live in South and Central America
• Skull bones form a solid helmet
• May use their bony heads to block the
webbing as parachute to help land entrances to their burrows and reduce
safely away from danger evaporative water loss
1 2 3 4
5 6 7
8
9 10 11 12
1 2 3 4
5 6 7
8
9 10 11 12
1 2 3 4
5 6 7
8
9 10 11 12
24 THE Frog FILES

1.1
Activity 1.2 Who Am I: Frog or Toad?

GRADES OBJECTIVE
K-2 To teach very young students the basic differences between frogs
and toads
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Simple Puzzle and Colouring BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Frogs and toads are both members of the Order Anura. Frogs are
MATERIALS generally more smooth-skinned and longer limbed. Toads are
• Copies of pages 27-30, stout-bodied, warty skinned frogs that are found further away
double sided as explained from water sources. Frogs are characterized by the presence of
in instructions dorsolateral ridges down their backs whereas toads are identi-
• Extra copies of pages 27 fied by the presence of bumpy parotid (poison) glands and
and 29 cranial crests. Frogs may have teeth but they are absent in toads.
• Scissors
• Crayons, pencil crayons, TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
or markers 1. Make double sided copies of the pictures with the text on the back.
• A big yellow envelope 2. Colour the pictures of the frog and toad.
• Fun tack or tape 3. Cut the pictures into quarters and place the 8 pieces in an envelope.
4. Have students reach into the envelope and draw out one card.
VOCABULARY 5. Hold the pieces up so they can see part of the diagram, read them
dorsolateral lines, frog, the back of the card and ask them if they think it is a frog or a toad.
parotid (poison) glands, toad 6. Put fun tack on the back of each piece and put frog pieces on
one side of the blackboard and toad pieces on the other.
CURRICULUM LINKS 7. When all the pieces have been drawn, check any wrong answers
Grade K and assemble the pieces into a completed puzzle.
E 5.1 8. When finished, give students copies of the pictures of the frog
S 100-1, 202, 203 and toad to colour for themselves.
Grade 1 9. Help them write "FROG" on the frog picture and "TOAD" on the
E 5.1 toad picture.
S 100-4, 100-7, 100-8, 202- 10. Grade 2 students could do this activity in partners.
2, 203-2
Grade 2 OUTDOOR CLASSROOM EXTENSION
E 5.1 1. Divide your class in half—one groups of frogs and one group of
S 100, 202-2, 203-2 toads. Put the frogs on one side and the toads on the other.
2. Tell the students that you are going to read some clues. If the
clue is about toads, the toads are supposed to chase the frogs;
if the clue is about frogs, have the frogs chase the toads.
3. When reading the clues, help the students if they are unsure of
the answer. Have fun!
26 THE Frog FILES

I have teeth. I have lines
down my back.
I have long legs My skin is soft,
for jumping. smooth, and moist.
I don't have any teeth. I have big poison glands
behind my eyes.
I have short legs My skin is rough,
for crawling. dry and bumpy.
Is that a Frog on Your Finger Activity 1.3

or a Toad on Your Thumb?
OBJECTIVE GRADES
To illustrate the differences between frogs and toads 3-6 with a K-2 Adaptation

It is a common belief that there are only two types of hopping Origami Frog Flycatcher
amphibians in the world, frogs and toads. However, the words
"frog" and "toad" are very general and describe only the basic MATERIALS
distinctions between many types of frogs and toads. The word • Copies of pages 35-36
"frog" encompasses all the anuran families including many types • Scissors
of frogs, toads, and spadefoots. Toads are just a family of frogs K-2 Adaptation
and "frogs" are actually broken down into true frogs, treefrogs, • tape
tailed frogs etc. (see Table 1:Frog Families of the World, page 46). • pencil crayons, crayons, or
Therefore, all toads are frogs, but not all frogs are toads. There are markers
several characteristics that separate True Toads (Family: Bufonidae, • red construction paper cut
eg. Great Plains Toad) from True Frogs (Family: Ranidae eg. into strips
Bullfrog). Generally toads have dry, bumpy skin; live further from a
water source than frog; and have parotid (poison) glands and VOCABULARY
cranial crests. Frogs usually have smooth, moist skin; live close to cranial crests, dorsolateral
water; and have dorsolateral lines. Many frogs fall on a gradient lines, parotid glands, spawn
between frog and toad. The following activity will teach students
some of the morphological differences between frogs and toads. CURRICULUM LINKS
Grade 3
TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS S 201-1, 203-2
1. Begin writing the riddle "All toads are frogs but not all frogs E 5.1
are toads" on the board. Ask students if they can decipher the Grade 4
riddle. Explain the phrase to them. S 104-6, 205-3, 300-1
2. Hand out copies of each page to pairs of students. Make sure E 5.1
groups have 2 different sheets. Grade 5
3. Construct the Origami Frog Flycatchers. If the class is not S 104-7, 205-3, 300
already familiar with this technique, refer to page 33. E 5.1
Grade 6
HOW TO PLAY FLYCATCHER Q&A S 104-8, 300-17
Break the group of students into pairs. One person starts with a E 5.1
flycatcher closed on their fingers (Student A) and the other person
starts by picking a frog picture from on the outside (Student B). For
example, Student B may choose "Gray Treefrog". Student A opens
the "mouth" of the flycatcher and displays a number adjacent to
THE Frog FILES 31

the Gray Treefrog. In this case, the number displayed will be either 1 or 2. If 2 is shown, Student A
opens the mouth in one direction and then again in the other direction to equal "2". Student B then
picks another number and Student A opens the flap to reveal the question and asks it to Student B. If
Student B answers correctly, he/she gets another chance to be asked a question and the above steps
are repeated. When Student B gets a question wrong, it is Student A's turn to be asked a question and
Student B manoeuvres the other flycatcher. The student who answers all their questions correctly first is
the winner.
K-2 ADAPTATION
1. Have you students make a frog puppet! Follow the steps to make an origami frog flycatcher except
use blank paper.
2. Tape together two of the four edges on the flycatcher so that the "mouth" can only open in one
direction.
3. Have your students colour eyes on their frogs.
4. Take a strip of red construction paper and wrap it around a pencil to make it curl. This is the frog's
tongue.
5. Tape the tongue inside of the frog's mouth.
6. How many flies can you catch with your flycatcher?
SOURCE
How to make an origami flycatcher diagrams were adapted from those at
http://www.yasutomo.com/project/fortuneteller.html
32 THE Frog FILES

33
1 2 3 4
Start with a square piece of Make sure the paper is still Turn the paper over so that Again, fold all the corners
paper lying flat on the desk PRINT SIDE DOWN and fold up the four flaps are facing into the centre.
with the PRINT SIDE DOWN. all corners so that the points down.
Fold the paper in half diago- meet in the middle.
nally, both ways, corner to
corner.
5 6 7
THE Frog FILES

Fold paper in half and unfold. Fold paper in half from top Slide thumbs and forefingers under the squares to
to bottom. Do not unfold. move the Frog Flyatcher back and forth.
Gray Treefrog Canadian Toad
8
1 I have My skin
long legs is rough,
for jumping dry and bumpy
Frog Toad
2
7
to keep my skin moist to help me dig in soil
and parotid glands long ribbon of eggs

live near water on my hind feet
cranial crests looks like a

I need to I have knobs
Toad
Toad
I have My spawn
Toad
Frog
6
3
Frog Toad
teeth waist
have any a small
I don’t I have
4
Great Plains Toad Boreal Chorus Frog
34 THE Frog FILES

Northern Leopard Frog American Toad
8
1 I have I don’t have
small teeth much webbing
on my upper jaw on my hind feet
Frog Toad
2
7
smooth, soft
for walking from water

Frog
Toad
My skin is
short legs be found far

and moist
I have I can
I can
drink water
by pressing my
pelvis against the soil
Toad
Toad
6
3
Toad Frog
on grasses in water
waist
in small clusters
a wide
lay my eggs
I have
I usually
4
Northern Cricket Frog Fowler’s Toad
THE Frog FILES 35

Activity 1.4 If You Were a Frog...

GRADES OBJECTIVE
1-3 To raise awareness of the differences and similarities between a
frog and a student
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Complete the chart TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
1. Make copies of the worksheet, If You Were a Frog...
MATERIALS 2. For the older students break the class up into pairs and have
• Copies of page 37 them fill out the chart.
• Pencils 3. For younger students, you may choose to complete the chart
• Tape measure as a class on easel paper.
• Bathroom scale
CLASS QUESTIONS
VOCABULARY 1. Who can jump further? You or a frog?
amphibian, hibernate, 2. Who has more fingers?
mammal, reptile, tadpole 3. Who has fewer toes?
4. Who is heavier?
CURRICULUM LINKS 5. Who becomes an adult first?
Grade 1
S 100-4, 100-5, 100-8,
200-1, 201-5, 203-2
E 1.1, 3.1, 5.1
Grade 2
S 100-15, 100-16, 102-6,
200-1, 201-5, 203-2
E 1.1, 3.1, 5.1
Grade 3
S 200-1, 201-5, 203-2
E 1.1, 3.1, 5.1
36 THE Frog FILES

If You Were A Frog... 1.4
Complete the chart to find out how you

compare to a frog.
NAME: IF YOU WERE A FROG...

What kind of animal are you? ...you would would be an amphibian.
Are you:
a) A mammal . . . . . . . . . . . . .❍
b) A reptile . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .❍
c) An arthropod (bugs) . . . . . .❍
d) A bird . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .❍
e) A fish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .❍
f) An amphibian . . . . . . . . . . .❍
How far can you jump? ...you could jump up to 10.3 metres (if you were
a South American Sharp-nosed frog)!
How many fingers do you have ...you would have 8 fingers.

altogether?
How many toes do you have ...you would have10 toes.

altogether?
How much do you weigh? ...you would weigh up to 3.3 kg (7 pounds)
How tall are you? ...you could measure less than 1cm to 30 cm.
How long will it take until ...on average, it would take you112 days to
you are a grown-up? become an adult.
What are your favourite foods? ...you would eat mainly insects and worms but
also almost anything that would fit in your
mouth. As a tadpole, you’d eat only plants for
the first 7 weeks.
What do you like to do ...you would hibernate in the winter. Some of

in the winter? you would hibernate in cracks in trees, others
burrow in the mud, and some spend the winter
at the bottom of a pond.
How long can you expect to live? ...you would probably live between 2 to 40 years
Activity 1.5 Wood Frog: Connect the dots

GRADES OBJECTIVE
1-3 To introduce students to a widely distributed and easily
recognizable Canadian frog
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Connect-the-Dots/ Colouring TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
1. Post the FrogWatch poster where all the students will have
MATERIALS access to it.
• Copies of page 39 2. Make copies of the Connect the Dots worksheet.
• Pencils 3. Hand them out to each student and have them connect the
• Pencil crayons, crayons, or dots.
markers 4. Ask them to take their sheet up to the FrogWatch poster and
find the frog that matches the one they just made.
CURRICULUM LINKS 5. Get them to write the name of the frog on the blanks provid-
Grade 1 ed. Younger students will need help writing "WOOD" in the
S 100-5, 202-9 blanks provide.
E 1.1, 2.1, 4.3 6. Draw attention to the black mask that defines this frog.
Grade 2 7. Ask the students if any of them have ever seen a wood frog.
S 202-9 And if so, where was it? Why do they think it would be called a
E 1.1, 2.1, 4.3 "Wood" frog? (they are often found in wooded areas) Share
Grade 3 with them the fact that the Wood Frog can freeze solid over
S 202-9 the winter. Brrrrr!!
E 1.1, 2.1, 4.3
38 THE Frog FILES

Connect the Dots 1.5
Connect the dots and colour the picture of the ZORRO

of the frog world!
3 4
5
2 6
1
7
8
55 9
10
54
11
53
12
52 15 14 13
44 46 48 51 16 18
49 17
43 45 19
50
42 47
41
37
40 39 36 20
38
35
21
34
32 33
31 22
30 27 23
28 24
26
29
25
I am a _ _ _ _ Frog
Activity 1.6 Anatomical Anagrams

GRADES OBJECTIVE
3-5 To make students aware of the anatomical differences between
frogs and toads
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Diagram labelling/ anagram TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
1. Make copies of the Anatomical Anagrams worksheet.
MATERIALS 2. Hand them out to each student and have them unscramble the
• Copies of page 41 labels to complete the diagram.
• Pencils
ANSWER KEY (TOP TO BOTTOM)
VOCABULARY WORDS Frog
cranial crests, dorsolateral 1. Eyes
lines, parotid (poison) glands 2. Nostril
3. Mouth
CURRICULUM LINKS 4. Eardrum
Grade 3 5. Throat
S 203-2 6. Dorsolateral lines
E 2.1
Grade 4 Toad
S 300-1 1. Cranial crests
E 2.1 2. Eyes
Grade 5 3. Mouth
S 300 4. Eardrum
E 2.1 5. Parotid glands
40 THE Frog FILES

Anatomical Anagrams 1.6
Unscramble the labels to complete the diagram of the main

parts of a typical frog and toad.
FROG
LORAOTSODEL
YEES SILEN
LISTRON
TUHMO
DRAUMER
TORTAH
TOAD
NARICAL
SRCTSE SEYE
MTUOH
MRAUERD
ARTIDOP
DLANGS
Activity 1.7 It's All Latin to Me

GRADES OBJECTIVE
4-6 To introduce students to the logic behind scientific nomenclature.
TYPE OF ACTIVITY BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Matching Scientific names are composed of the genus and the species. The
standard format is to use a capital letter on the genus and
MATERIALS lowercase letters for the species (e.g. Genus species). The names
• Copies of page 43 are separated by a space and are either italicized or underlined.
• Pencils The roots of these words are often Latin or Greek but sometimes
they are modified English words or the names of people. Scientific
VOCABULARY names are universal; a Bullfrog may have 15 different names in as
cranial crest, habitat, many languages but when referred to as Rana catesbeiana, the
hibernation audience will know which frog you are talking about whether you
are in Japan, India, or Canada.
CURRICULUM LINKS
Grade 4 TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
S 104-6, 300 1. Make copies of the It's All Latin to Me worksheet.
E 2.1, 2.3 2. Hand them out to each student and have them match the
Grade 5 scientific name to the common name.
S 104-7, 300
E 2.1 EXTENSION
Grade 6 Encourage students to look up some words in the dictionary and
S 104-8, 300-15 try and find Latin or Greek roots to common English words.
E 2.1
ANSWER KEY
Great Basin Spadefoot 3
Bullfrog 6
Canadian Toad 5
Green Frog 4
Western Toad 2
Red-legged Frog 8
Pickerel Frog 1
Wood Frog 7
SOURCE
Information was adapted from text at
www.aquatic.uoguelph.ca/amphibians
42 THE Frog FILES

It’s All Latin to Me! 1.7
Latin names, or more correctly, scientific names, are

assigned to species by scientists so that people around the
world can all use the same language when referring to an
organism. Brush up on your Latin skills by matching the
scientific name to the common name. If you get stuck, look
to the “hints” below for clues.
Rana palustris; Rana-Latin for frog, from the Latin paluster,
Great Basin Spadefoot

1 meaning "of the marsh"
Bufo boreas; Bufo-from the Latin bufonis for toad,

Bullfrog
2 boreas-meaning from the north
Scaphiopus intermontanus; Scaphiopus-derived from the

Canadian Toad 3 Greek words scaphio meaning spade and pous meaning foot,
intermontanus-of Latin origin inter meaning between and
montanus meaning "of mountains"
Green Frog
Rana clamitans; Rana-Latin for frog, from the Latin clamito,
Western Toad
4 meaning to cry loudly-referring to their loud escape squeak
Bufo hemiophrys; Bufo-from the Latin bufonis for toad,

Red-legged Frog 5 hemiophrys-from the Latin word for eyebrow, referring to the
cranial crest between and behind the eye
Pickerel Frog
Rana catesbeiana; Rana-Latin for frog, catesbeiana-named
Wood frog
6 for German naturalist, Mark Catesby
Rana sylvatica; Rana-Latin for frog, from the Latin sylva,

7 meaning "a wood", and sylvaticus, "growing among trees",
referring to the habitat of this species.
Rana aurora; Rana-Latin for frog, aurora-Latin for "dawn"

8 referring to the underside colour of the hind legs
1 The common name comes from the frequent use of this frog
as bait for pickerel fishing
2 The only toad in British Columbia
3 This spadefoot has a built in shovel
4 A "colourful" name that doesn't always describe it correctly
5 Our own "home-grown" toad
6 A large and aggressive bully towards other frogs
7 A frog that freezes during hibernation and thaws out in the spring
8 A colourful frog named for its rosy underside
Activity 1.8 Name That Frog

GRADES OBJECTIVE
3-6 To familiarize students with different species of frogs worldwide
and learn something about their lifestyle
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Charades game BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Frogs occupy a diversity of habitats worldwide and many have very
MATERIALS specific adaptations that help them cope with the challenges of
• Copies of cards on amphibian life. Some of the following frogs have very bizarre
page 45 adaptations whereas others just have very interesting names that
stimulate the imagination.
VOCABULARY
predators, tadpole TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
1. Photocopy the "Name that Frog"card sheet and cut it into
CURRICULUM LINKS individual cards and put them in a hat.
Grade 3 2. Divide the class into pairs. Have one person in each group draw
S 203-5 a card from the hat.
E 5.1 3. Inform the class that in pairs, they are to act out the strange
Grade 4 name of the frog on their card while the rest of the class tries
S 207, 300-1, 412, 418 to guess the name of the frog.
E 5.1 4. Once someone is correct, have the charaders read out the
Grade 5 "frog factoids" on their card. If the students are taking too
S 207-3, 412, 418 long to guess the name of frog the being acted out, have the
E 5.1 charaders reveal their frog's identity and proceed with the
Grade 6 reading of the frog factoids.
S 207, 300-17, 301-15, 412,
418
E 5.1
44 THE Frog FILES

POISON ARROW DART FROG GIANT BULLFROGS

• Live throughout the tropics • Also called a Goliath Frog
• Very brightly coloured to warn predators of • Lives in Cameroon, Africa
their poisons • Biggest frog in the world
• Poisons on their skin used by people to hunt • This frog is the size of a football
with arrows
GHOST FROGS TOMATO FROG

• Has the most restricted range of any South • Lives in Madagascar
African amphibian; it lives only on Table • Got it's name because it looks like a dropped
Mountain tomato
• Tadpoles have evolved large sucker-like • It puffs itself up to scare away predators
mouths for clinging to smooth rocks in
fast-flowing mountain streams
BARKING FROGS FOUR-EYED FROG

• Live in the southern United States • Found in Chile
• Sound more like small dogs than frogs • Has a pair of eye spots that mark it's rear-end
• Some fathers stand guard over the eggs until • They are actually big poison glands with
baby frogs can emerge ready to fend for spots on them but when threatened, the
themselves frog puffs them up and scares off predators
CATHOLIC FROG FLAT HEADED FROG

• Lives in Australia • Lives in Australia
• Named for dark cross-like pattern on it's back • It lives in burrows and is noted for its' ability
• It copes with drought by burying to store enough water in its body to take on
underground a ball-like shape.
WOOD FROG FIRE-BELLIED TOAD

• Found here in Canada as far north as the • Found in Asia and Europe
Arctic Circle • Their tongues cannot extend out like other
• These are "deepfreeze" frogs: they make frogs so they have to leap forward and catch
enough sugar in their blood that they can their prey in their mouths
freeze solid for 2 weeks or more! • They have brightly coloured bellies to warn
predators that they are poisonous
HORNED TOAD/ PAC-MAN TOAD FLYING FROGS

• Lives in South America • Live in Malaysia and Borneo
• Also called the "Pac Man frog" for their big mouths • Have parachute webbing on their hands and
• Known to have nasty tempers and very sharp feet which act as an air-brake when they
teeth that they are not afraid to use! glide from tree to tree or leaf to leaf
THE Frog FILES 45

GROUPING GENERAL FEATURES DISTRIBUTION
(NUMBER OF SPECIES) (ASSUME FREE SWIMMING TADPOLES UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED)
46
Spadefoot Toads, Horned Toads, Dull coloured, plump, short-limbed, eggs laid in water Mostly tropical, global
Parsley Frogs (88)
True Toads (339) Usually dull coloured, rough wart-like skin, short and fat with short legs, Circumpolar excepting some islands
poison glands behind the head, tadpoles from eggs laid in water with some exceptions
Tailed Frog and New Zealand frogs (88) Vertical pupil, tail appendage in males, internal fertilization; Western North America, New Zealand
N. Zealand frogs lay eggs on land and provide care to mbryos
True Tree frogs (637) Long legs, feet often webbed, most species with circular disks on fingers and toes, Global
with large numbers of eggs laid in open water.
True Frogs (611) Adults mainly aquatic, large eyes and eardrum, most lay eggs in water Global
Gold Frogs (2) Slender, round-snouted, burrowing, gold coloured with black markings on back Brazil
and head, eggs laid in water,
Mouth-brooding Frogs (2) Small, slender, green or brown, webbed hind feet, eggs laid on land hatch Southern Chile and Argentina
and complete development in the males’ vocal sac
Disk-tongued Toads (14) Fire-bellied toads, painted frogs and barbourulaus lay eggs in water; Europe, NW Africa, Asia Minor, China,
male midwife toads carry eggs until they hatch and put them in water Korea; barbourulas endemic to the
Philippines and Borneo
Clawed and Surinam Toads (26) Broad and flattened body, feet large and broad, no tongue, round pupil, eggs laid Africa, South and Central America
in water but in Surinam toads, eggs deposited in skin pits on female’s back
Burrowing Toad (1) Adults terrestrial, burrowing; egg-shaped body with pointed snout, smooth skin, Costa Rica to Rio Grande Valley of Texas
vertical pupil, no teeth, spadelike feet
Ghost frogs (4) Skin of belly thin and almost transparent, long limbs, eyes large and prominent, South Africa
toe and fingertips expanded, eggs laid on damp ground or in small puddles
Myobatrachid Frogs (100) Adults mostly burrowing or terrestrial, some found in swift streams; body ranging from small Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea
toad-like burrowing forms to large stout bodied species with powerful limbs resembling bullfrogs
Leptodactylid Frogs (722) Range from completely aquatic to completely terrestrial; wide-mouthed toads stout-bodied Central and South America
like true toads; life history ranges from laying eggs in water, building foam nests on
vegetation to laying eggs on land which develop directly into froglets
Poison-Arrow Frogs (116) Often very brightly coloured, slim, snout rounded, toe and finger tips expanded into small Central and South America
adhesive disks; terrestrial, large-yolked eggs often guarded and moistened by male;
adults transport tadpoles on their backs to water where they complete development
Seychelles Frogs (3) Adults terrestrial; slender body, long legs; eggs laid on land, females may carry tadpoles Seychelles
to water on their backs, others have direct development
Sedge and Bush Frogs (292) Adults mostly aboreal, resemble true tree frogs; this family includes the Hairy frogs, Southern Africa, Madagascar, Seychelles
aboreal species lay eggs on leaves above water; some have direct development
Old World Tree Frogs (184) Adults mostly aboreal, often bright webbing between toes, resemble true tree frogs; Africa, S India, Sri Lanka, China, SE Asia,
eggs laid in foam nests, tadpoles dropping into water to complete development, Indonesia, East Indies, Japan
some lay eggs away from water and have direct development
Narrow-mouthed Frogs (281) Adults terrestrial burrowers or tree dwellers, mouth narrow and slit like, usually without webbing Tropical, global
between toes and without disks; some lay eggs in water, in burrows or in plants of the bromeliad
family, some tadpoles direct developing
Pseudid Frogs (4) Adults 5-8cm, tadpoles up to 25cm; eggs laid in frothy mass in water hatching into free swimming South America
tadpoles growing very large
Glass Frogs (64) Bright green with nearly transparent skin; most lay eggs above running water, tadpoles drop into water Central and South America
THE Frog FILES

Reproduction and Development
In general frogs lay abundant egg masses. Most frogs lay their eggs in clumps except for the toads,
which generally lay eggs in ribbons. Frog species in some environments have evolved more conservative
reproductive strategies, but for the most part, they are known to lay thousands of eggs. These may give
rise to a very large number of tadpoles if conditions are favourable and predators do not consume all
the eggs before they hatch. Frogs face further danger from predators as they change from tadpoles to
little froglets and their survival is largely a numbers game in which the vast majority of eggs never
survive the cycle of development. The object of the survival game is for populations to maintain
stability in the long-term, but for frogs this is a boom and bust pattern as populations fluctuate broadly
from year to year in relation to numerous environmental conditions. While production of a large
number of eggs is the general strategy of most frogs, there are of course numerous exceptions to the
rule. Although some frogs such as bullfrogs can lay 20 000 eggs at once, the Red-spotted Toad and
Cuban Arrow Poison Frog will lay only a single egg!
METAMORPHOSIS
The metamorphosis from a tiny jelly-encased egg, to tadpole, to froglet and finally adult form and is a
process that has long intrigued both children and adults. There is a complete change in form and
function; gills give way to lungs, the mouth changes structure, limbs sprout and the tail disappears. The
tadpole changes from a plant consumer to most effective insect catching machine. The transformation
process serves as 'proof in nature' that life forms can indeed transform from one form to another and
led to much speculation and literature respecting similar powers in man.
REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES
Frogs have evolved a variety of evolutionary strategies to cope with difficult environments, including the
tadpole phase of the life cycle. For example, the eggs of the Surinam Toad are deposited in skin pits on
the back of the female; here they hatch into tadpoles and remain until they morph into froglets
essentially by-passing the free swimming stage of tadpole life. The Mouth-brooding Frogs of South
America use a similar strategy. The males actually lick up several eggs just prior to hatching; they are
stored in a special mouth pouch where they hatch into tadpoles and undergo their metamorphosis to
THE Frog FILES 47

REPRODUCTION & DEVELOPMENT
froglets before entering the world out through the mouth of the frog. A variety of adaptations to life in
desert and arid environments have evolved to keep eggs damp during the period of incubation. This
includes the building of moisture-holding foam nests and using moist nest cavities of other species like
the Bulldog ant in Australia to ensure that eggs hatch. Other species have specialized adaptations to
cope with low oxygen environments like the Lake Titicaca frog of the Andean highlands in South
America; since this species has no lungs it has developed an extremely baggy skin which serves as its
respiratory organ. Still other species have evolved specialized patterns of colourization, which may serve
as a camouflage to their environment to avoid detection by predators, while others have
developed extraordinary colourful displays to warn predators that they are in fact poisonous. This is a
small sampling of the diverse and wonderful methods that frogs have used to deal with their
environment. The long journey across millions of years of evolution has resulted in almost every
adaptation one could possibly imagine to increase survival.
48 THE Frog FILES

Musical Metamorphosis Activity 2.1

OBJECTIVE GRADES
To explain the life cycle of a frog and make students aware of the K-3
changes a frog goes through from egg to adult
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
BACKGROUND INFORMATION Action Song and Craft
A frog begins life as a tiny black dot in the middle of its jelly egg.
Frog eggs are covered in a translucent, gray-black coloured jelly MATERIALS
called spawn. The jelly protects the eggs from the cold and from • Familiarity with the tune
predators. It also absorbs heat from the sun and keeps the eggs "Froggie Went A Courtin"
slightly warm so they develop faster. The female Leopard Frog can • Enlarged copy of page 55
lay up to 6000 eggs in a mass, which are attached to underwater • Copies of puppet parts
plants or rocks. page 52 on cardstock
• Scissors
Depending upon the water temperature, within 10 to 20 days the • Pencil crayons, crayons, or
eggs hatch and the tadpoles have a tail (but no limbs) and gills for markers
breathing underwater. Tadpoles eat plants and algae in the water, • Brass fasteners
and are continually metamorphosing or transforming. As the (3 per student)
tadpole develops, the gills shrivel, the lungs are formed, the mouth
changes structure, legs and arms sprout and its tail shrinks. As the VOCABULARY
body grows, the four legged tadpole's tail gets smaller and smaller. algae, froglet,
It is now a miniature adult called a froglet. As adults their diet metamorphosis, spawn,
turns predatory and they eat almost anything they can catch. Prey tadpole
can be insects, small fish and even each other. It takes two to three
years for an adult to become sexually mature. CURRICULUM LINKS
Grade K
TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS S 100-1, 100-3, 201-1, 203-2
1. Copy the lifecycle wheel diagram onto a sheet of easel paper E 2.3
and hang it where all the students can see it. Grade 1
2. Begin by showing the students a picture of a Leopard Frog S 100-4, 100-5, 201-1, 203-2
(from FrogWatch poster). Then using the background E 2.3
information, discuss the Leopard Frog's life cycle. Point to the Grade 2
egg mass, tadpole, and adult drawings you copied earlier as S 100-15,101-7, 102-6, 102-
you discuss each stage. What changes do the students notice 7, 201-1, 203-2
in the tadpole as it becomes a frog? (the tail gets shorter and E 2.3
eventually disappears, the back legs and then front ones Grade 3
appear, the mouth gets much bigger, and so on) S 201-1, 203-2
3. Next tell the students that in addition to the differences they E 2.3
can see between the frog and the tadpole, the two are very
different from each other on the inside too. For one thing, the
THE Frog FILES 49

frog breathes with lungs instead of gills. And the frog has
different mouth parts and internal organs (its diet has changed
from plants to animals).
4. After your discussion, have the students form a circle. Tell them
they're going to sing a song about a tadpole that hatches from
an egg and slowly changes into a frog. First go over the words
and actions and then let the students perform as a group.
5. You may want to follow up the song by making a tadpole
transformation puppet.
TRANSFORMING PUPPET
1. Begin the class by surveying the class for animals they know go
through metamorphosis (insects).
2. Photocopy page 52 onto stiff paper.
3. Start the activity with an introductory discussion about frog
metamorphosis.
4. Then hand out students copies page 52 .
5. Have the students colour their frog parts and then cut them
out. (Younger students will need help).
6. Guide students through the assembly of their transforming
tadpole by punching the fasteners through the black dots.
7. The tail and both the back legs share a fastener, and each of
the front limbs has their own.
8. When all the limbs are tucked under, the puppet is a tadpole;
bring out the legs and it becomes a froglet; and tuck the tail
away and the metamorphosis is complete with a frog.
SOURCES
The song was borrowed from Let's Hear it For Herps page 23
The pattern for the puppet was borrowed from:
http://teacher.scholastic.com/lessonrepro//lessonplans/profbooks/
tadpole.pdf
1 3
50 THE Frog FILES

Froggy Grows Up
SONG MOVEMENTS
(SING TO THE TUNE OF "FROGGIE WENT A-COURTIN'.")
Froggie was a-floatin' in a big ol' pond, uh-huh, uh-huh. Make wave motions
Froggie was a-floatin' in a big ol' pond, uh-huh, uh-huh. with hands.
He was one black spot in a jelly glob; Hold forefingers and
One small egg in a great big blob, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. thumbs together to show egg.
Soon froggie was a-swimmin' on his own, uh-huh, uh-huh. Make a tail by placing
Soon froggie was a-swimmin' on his own, uh-huh, uh-huh. palms together behind back.
His fast-moving tail helped him get around.back. Wiggle tail
And he munched on tiny plants he found, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. back and forth to swim.
And froggie was a-changin' day by day, uh-huh, uh-huh. Hold a leg up and
And froggie was a-changin' day by day, uh-huh, uh-huh. wiggle it, then wiggle
First he got back legs and then front ones too. both arms.
And he lost his tail and his lungs grew, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh.
Now froggie is a-hoppin' on the land, uh-huh, uh-huh. Hop in place.

Now froggie is a-hoppin' on the land, uh-huh, uh-huh.
His long, sticky tongue helps him catch his prey, Stick out tongue and
As he feeds on bugs and worms all day, uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh. quickly pull it back in.
THE Frog FILES 51

Transforming Puppet 2.1
Start by colouring the puppet parts. Then carefully cut them

out. Next assemble them with brass fasteners (as shown
below) to create a transforming puppet. Transform your
puppet through the stages of metamorphosis from tadpole
to froglet to adult frog.
Wheel of Life Activity 2.2

OBJECTIVE GRADES
To familiarize students with the stages of metamorphosis K-4

Refer to background information in Musical Metamorphosis page 49. Simple Puzzle
TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS MATERIALS

1. Copy the handout Wheel of Life on page 54 for each student. • Copies of page 54
2. Have the students cut out the six puzzle pieces and arrange • Pencil crayons, crayons, or
them in the order that reflects the Leopard Frog's lifecycle. markers
When completed correctly, the pieces fit into a circle in order • Glue
from spawn through three tadpole stages to froglet to adult • Scissors
frog, and back to spawn. See page 55 for solution. • Construction paper
3. You may decide to have students colour the puzzle pieces and (optional)
glue them onto construction paper.
4. Students may label each stage of the frog's life cycle. You could VOCABULARY
call out various characteristics present at a certain stage of the egg, frog, froglet,
life cycle and have students name the stage it represents or metamorphosis, spawn,
have them tell you the story of metamorphosis as they tadpole
assemble their puzzle.
5. Discuss what they think would happen to the lifecycle if a CURRICULUM LINKS
tadpole’s habitat were polluted. Grade K
S 100-1, 100-3, 203-2
SOURCE Grade 1
Puzzle pieces borrowed from Alberta’s Threatened Wildlife Teacher’s S 100-4, 100-5, 200-1, 200-
Guide Grades K 1 2 3 Leopard Frog page 24-26 3, 202-2, 203-2, 203-3
Grade 2
S 100-15,101-7, 102-6, 102-
7, 200-1, 200-3, 202-2, 203-
2, 203-3
Grade 3
S 200-1, 200-3, 203-2
Grade 4
S 104-6, 207-2, 301-2
THE Frog FILES 53

Wheel of Life 2.2
Cut out the six puzzle pieces and arrange them in the
order that reflects the Leopard Frog's lifecycle.
Wheel of Life 2.2
Activity 2.3 CrissCrossed Frogs

GRADES OBJECTIVE
Puzzle A: 2-4; Puzzle B: 5-6 To introduce new words associated with frogs

Crossword puzzles To learn about frogs, students need to become familiar with the
terms used to describe their lifestyle and habits. These two
MATERIALS crosswords will introduce students to some of the terminology
• Copies of page 58 or 59, associated with frogs along with trivia and factoids.
depending on grade level;
one per student TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
• Pencils 1. Copy the crossword puzzle appropriate to the grade level of
your class and hand out one to each student.
VOCABULARY 2. Have the students work through the puzzle on their own or in
Refer to answer key on page partners.
57 3. Go over the solution together and elaborate on the facts
presented whenever appropriate.
CURRICULUM LINKS 4. Encourage questions!
Grade 2
S 203-2 Younger Students
E 2.1, 4.3 Grade 2 may be capable of doing the first puzzle; you may,
Grade 3 however, wish to do it together as a class.
S 203-2
E 2.1, 4.3
Grade 4
S 104-6
E 2.1, 2.3, 4.3
Grade 5
E 2.1, 4.3
Grade 6
S 104-8
E 2.1, 4.3
56 THE Frog FILES

TEACHER'S ANSWER KEY

Puzzle A
Across
1. It is a myth that a toad will give you warts.
2. The best time of day to hear frogs calling is night.
3. The "little fish" that hatches from a frog's egg is called a tadpole.
4. Most frogs start life in the water as an egg.
5. A frog's skin is slimy because its covered in mucous.
6. Frogs are very dependent on water for survival.
Down
1. A frog breathes with its skin, mouth, and lungs.
2. Frogs, toads, and salamanders are all amphibians.
3. Spring is the season when frogs mate.
4. An animal that is disappearing from the wild is said to be endangered.
5. A group of frogs is called an army.
6. A frog's tongue is sticky which helps them catch their prey.
Puzzle B (more advanced)

Across
1. Estivation is a period of dormancy that frogs enter during long periods of heat or drought.
2. The coloured pattern on the skin of a frog often acts as camouflage, which helps them hide from
predators.
3. A frog's skin must always remain moist.
4. Froglet is the name given to the juvenile frog that is not yet fully developed.
5. It is a myth that touching a toad will give you warts.
6. Male frogs sing in order to attract a mate.
7. Metamorphosis is the entire process of frog development from egg to adult.
8. Frogs generally breathe with lungs whereas tadpoles breathe with gills.
9. Each year a frog's bones form a new ring.
Down
1. Another name for a frog's eardrum is tympanum.
2. Sugar in the blood acts as antifreeze in the winter for some frog species.
3. Frogs are ectothermic; another way of saying this is that frogs are cold-blooded.
4. A common name for a tadpole is pollywog.
5. While overwintering, frogs draw oxygen from the water through their permeable skin.
6. When mating, the male frog may grasp the female in a piggyback embrace called amplexus.
7. A member of the group of frogs and toads, which has the scientific name Anura, is called an
anuran.
8. Toads have large parotid glands that make poison.
9. Most frogs require two distinct habitats to complete their lifecycle.
THE Frog FILES 57

CrissCrossed Frogs A 2.3
ANSWERS
1 1 2 3
WATER
4 ARMY
STICKY
EGG
MUCOUS
2 WARTS
SKIN
SPRING
AMPHIBIANS
TADPOLE
NIGHT
6 ENDANGERED
5 3
5 6
ACROSS
1. It is a myth that a toad will give you ...................................................
2. The best time of day to hear frogs calling is .......................................
3. The "little fish" that hatches from a frog's egg is called a ...................
4. Most frogs start life in the water as an ..............................................
5. A frog's skin is slimy because its covered in .......................................
6. Frogs are very dependent on............................................ for survival.
DOWN
1. A frog breathes with its........................................, mouth, and lungs.
2. Frogs, toads, and salamanders are all ................................................
3. ......................................................... is the season when frogs mate.
4. An animal that is disappearing from the wild is said to be .................
5. A group of frogs is called an ..............................................................
6. A frog's tongue is ........................ which helps them catch their prey.
CrissCrossed Frogs B 2.3
1 1
5 ANSWERS
4
3 GILLS
ANURAN
2 2
RING
MATE
3 9 CAMOUFLAGE
COLD
TYMPANUM
4
HABITATS
5 POLLYWOG
6 8 METAMORPHOSIS
6 WARTS
AMPLEXUS
ESTIVATION
7 7 MOIST
PAROTID
FROGLET
OXYGEN
HABITATS
8
9
ACROSS
1. ............................ is a period of dormancy that frogs enter during long periods of heat or drought.
2. The coloured pattern on the skin of a frog often acts as ............................, which helps them hide.
3. A frog's skin must always remain ...................................................................................................
4. ..............................................is the name given to the juvenile frog that is not yet fully developed.
5. It is a myth that touching a toad will give you ................................................................................
6. Male frogs sing in order to attract a ................................................................................................
7. ........................................................ is the entire process of frog development from egg to adult.
8. Frogs generally breathe with lungs whereas tadpoles breathe with .................................................
9. Each year a frog's bones form a new .............................................................................................
DOWN
1. Another name for a frog's eardrum is ............................................................................................
2. Sugar in the blood acts as ...................................................... in the winter for some frog species.
3. Frogs are ectothermic; another way of saying this is that frogs are ....................................blooded.
4. A common name for a tadpole is ....................................................................................................
5. While overwintering, frogs draw .............................. from the water through their permeable skin.
6. When mating, the male frog may grasp the female in a piggyback embrace called .........................
7. A member of the group of frogs and toads, which has the scientific name Anura, is called an .......
8. Toads have large .................................................................................... glands that make poison.
9. Most frogs require two distinct .......................................................... to complete their life cycle. .
Activity 2.4 Whose Life is it Anyway?

GRADES OBJECTIVE
3-6 To familiarize students with the different stages of a frog's lifecycle
and introduce some of the challenges presented to frogs at each
TYPE OF ACTIVITY stage
Charades game
MATERIALS See background information in the Wheel of Life activity page 53.
• Copies of cards on
page 61 TEACHER INSTRUCTION
• A hat 1. Photocopy the "Whose Life is it Anyway?" card sheet and cut it
into individual cards and put them in a hat.
VOCABULARY 2. Open with a review discussion about frog metamorphosis. You
explosive breeding may wish to talk about the challenges facing frogs at every
stage of their life cycle. Discuss how vulnerable eggs and
CURRICULUM LINKS tadpoles are to predators and how this accounts for the
Grade 3 explosive breeding strategy of many species. As well,
S 200-1, 203-2, 203-5 mention that eggs and tadpoles are also especially vulnerable
E 4.4, 5.1 to pollution which affects their proper development into
Grade 4 healthy, adult frogs. Sometimes the disruption to
S 108-3, 108-6, 300-1, 301- metamorphosis is so great that the adult frogs are not able to
2, 302-1, 302-2, 413, 418 survive.
E 4.4, 5.1 3. Divide class into groups of four to five students.
Grade 5 4. Have one student from each group pick a card out of the hat.
S 108-7, 207-3, 413, 418 5. Inform the groups that they are to act out the stage of the
E 4.4, 5.1 frog's lifecycle on their card to the rest of the class.
Grade 6 6. Have the classmates try and guess what stage or scenario is
S 108-5, 413, 418 being acted out.
E 4.4, 5.1 7. After all groups have finished, put all the "eggs" together, all
the "tadpoles" together and so on and have them make a list
of everything they need to be healthy. (ie. Eggs: safety from
fish, clean water, etc.)
8. Discuss how personal actions can help protect frog habitats.
60 THE Frog FILES

EGGS: HATCHING TADPOLES: TRYING TO ESCAPE A FISH

• As eggs hatching, you must eat your way • Watch out! You better swim fast! A big fish
through the egg’s jelly and wiggle out as a is after you. (One of you be the fish, the
brand new tadpole into your new others will be the tadpoles)
environment. What is your new environ-
ment? Is it scary? What will you do first?
TADPOLES: TRYING TO ESCAPE A BIRD TADPOLES: DYING FROM

• Look out overhead! A bird has its eye on PESTICIDE CONTAMINATION
you! (One of you be the bird, the others will • Your pond had been polluted with poisons.
be tadpoles) You are all dying.(One of you could be a
• Don’t be afraid to use sound effects! person dumping pesticide into the pond and
the rest of you will be dying tadpoles)
TADPOLES: DYING FROM PREMATURE FROGLETS: TRYING TO CATCH FIRST

DRYING OF THEIR POND MEAL
• It is a very hot summer and your pond is • You are newly transformed froglets trying to
drying up before you have had a chance to catch your first meal. How easy is it? How
grow into frogs. Try to make it look like you good are you with your tongues?
are really hot before you die.
FROGLETS: TRYING TO ESCAPE A TADPOLES: BEGINNING TO GROW

STALKING SNAKE LIMBS
• SSSSSSSSSSsssssssss….A big garter snake is • .You are a bunch of tadpoles beginning to
on your tail! You haven’t seen one before transform into froglets. What is happening to
and you are scared. (One of you be the snake you? Are you surprised? Can you move your
and the others be froglets) new limbs?
• Don’t be afraid to use sound effects!
FROGLETS: FIRST STEPS ON LAND ADULTS: MALE FROGS SINGING IN A

• You’re limbs have developed and now it is MATING CHORUS
time for you to take your first steps. Are you • You are a bunch of male frogs looking for
used to your legs yet? Are they strong? Can girlfriends. You all want to sing the best
you jump yet? song. Sing away!
ADULTS: FEMALES LAYING EGGS ADULTS: STRUGGLING TO EAT AN

• You are all full of eggs and you are ready to EARTHWORM
find a good place to lay them. Have you • You are hungry, hungry frogs and each of
found a good spot? Does it look safe? Lay you has found and earthworm. How are you
away! going to catch it? How are you going to stuff
it into your mouth?
THE Frog FILES 61

Activity 2.5 Far out Frogs

GRADES OBJECTIVE
3-6 To stimulate interest in frogs by highlighting how several frog
species have unique reproductive strategies
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Teacher read and handout BACKGROUND INFO
Most, but not all, frogs lay their eggs in the water and then
MATERIALS abandon them. In fact, some have pretty amazing strategies for
• Copies of page 64 taking care of their offspring. In this activity the students in your
• Pencils group will discover some of these unusual frogs and the different
• FrogWatch poster or other ways they protect their eggs and young.
pictures of a Bullfrog or
Leopard Frog TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
1. Begin by showing the students a picture of a Bullfrog or
VOCABULARY Leopard Frog. Explain that a female frog lays thousands of eggs
egg, predator, tadpole each year in a pool, pond, or other body of water. Tadpoles
hatch from the eggs and later metamorphose into frogs.
CURRICULUM LINKS 2. Ask the students what benefits there are to laying so many
Grade 3 eggs. (Many of the eggs are eaten by fish, birds, aquatic
S 200-3, 203-2, 403, 405 insects, and other predators. By laying large numbers of eggs,
E 4.4 these frogs increase the chances that at least a few of the tad-
Grade 4 poles will hatch from the eggs will survive to become adults.)
S 104-6, 300-1, 412 3. Ask the students if they can think of any other animals that use
E 4.4 this strategy. (Most insects, spiders, fish, other amphibians etc)
Grade 5 4. Next tell the students that even though most frogs use the
S 104-7, 206-4, 300, 412 same strategy as the bullfrog and leopard frog, there are some
E 4.4 other frogs that do things quite differently.
Grade 6 5. Pass out copies of the Far out Frogs handout to each student.
S 104-8, 300-17, 301-15, 6. Explain that you are going to read a description of how each of
412 the frogs on the handout takes care of its eggs and/or young.
E 4.4 The students can then decide if the animal is real or imaginary.
(You should only read the information in bold). If they think the
amphibian really exists in the wild, the students should circle
"Yes"; otherwise they should circle "No".
7. Ask students which frogs they thought were imaginary and
then reveal to the students that all the frogs on the page
are real and take care of their young in the ways you
SOURCE described.
Activity borrowed from Let's 8. Review each frog by supplying more information by reading the
Hear it For Herps page 29-30 non-bolded information.
62 THE Frog FILES

1 SURINAME TOAD At breeding time, the skin

on the back of this female toad becomes
spongy. As she lays her eggs, the male
pushes them onto her back. Then, after all 50-
100 of her eggs are in place, the skin swells and
4 SMITH FROG At mating time, the male frog
builds a mud nest on the edge of a pond.
Using his front feet, he pushes the mud up
into a circular wall. When it's finished, the nest is
about 30 cm wide with 7.5-10 cm of water in it.
covers the eggs, sealing each one in a separate The female lays her eggs in the water within the
pouch. The eggs develop into tadpoles within nest. The eggs and the tadpoles that hatch from
the tiny pouches. In about three months tiny them are relatively safe from aquatic insects and
toads pop out of their mother's back. These frogs other predators. Smith frogs are tree frogs that live
live in parts of South America. They spend their entire in parts of South America. They get their common
life in the water. Their dark bodies help them blend in name from the sound of the male's call: it sounds like
with the mud at the bottom of the streams, rivers, a blacksmith's hammer striking an anvil. Like other
and swamps where they live. Their fingertips are star- tree frogs, Smith frogs have disks on their toes and
shaped and covered with tiny "hairs" that they use to fingers that help them grip bark and leaves.
comb through the water and mud searching for food.
2 MIDWIFE TOAD As the female toad starts

to lay her strings of eggs, the male pulls
them out of her body and wraps them
around his legs. Then he hops off to a protected
5 GLASS FROG The female usually lays her
eggs on a leaf that hangs over a stream.
She lays her eggs in a big, jelly-covered
clump, and the male frog watches over them as
the tadpoles develop inside. After about two
place. He carries the eggs for several weeks, weeks the tadpoles are old enough to swim and
dunking them in water or dragging them the jelly turns to liquid. One by one the tadpoles
through dew to keep them moist. When he sens- "drip" into the stream below. Glass frogs live in
es that the eggs are ready to hatch, he hops into rainforests and parts of Mexico and Central and South
a pond and the tadpoles swim away. Midwife America. The adults live on the leaves of trees and
toads live in Europe. At mating time, each female lays shrubs deep in the jungle, and their bright green
about 15-60 eggs out of the water. A male toad may colour helps hide them from predators. The sucker-
carry eggs for more than one female at a time. like disks on their fingers and toes help them grip the
bark and leaves of the tress and shrubs.
3 GREEN AND BLACK DART POISON FROG

After the female lays her eggs under
leaves on the ground, the male guards
them. When the tadpoles hatch they wriggle
onto their father's back. Then he carries them
6 DARWIN’S FROG After the female frog lays
her eggs, the male guards them. As soon
as the tadpoles start to hatch, he slurps
them up. The tadpoles slide from his mouth into
from the ground to tiny rainwater pools. Once in his vocal sac. They develop inside the sac for
the water the tadpoles leave of their father and almost three months. Then the male opens his
finish growing within this "treetop" nursery. mouth and as many as 20 little frogs crawl out.
These colourful frogs live in trees in the rainforests of Darwin's frogs are tiny-they are not much more than
Central and South America. Sometimes the father 2.5cm long. They live mainly on the ground near
also carries the tadpoles water-filled plants called streams in parts of Chile and Argentina.
bromeliads that grow in the trees, to small puddles on
the ground, or to other small water-filled spots. Like
most of the other kinds of dart-poison frogs, they
have brightly coloured skin. Their skin is a warning to
would-be predators that the frogs are poisonous.
THE Frog FILES 63

Far Out Frogs 2.5
Listen closely to the description of the lifestyle of these

frogs. If you think this frog is real, circle YES. If not, circle NO.
1. Yes No 2. Yes No
3. Yes No 5. Yes No
4. Yes No
6. Yes No
Behaviour and Adaptation
Behaviour and specific adaptations are the thumbprints of survival for all animal species and permit
them to exploit the environment in select ways. Species that are dependent upon events or habitat
components that are uncommon in nature are highly specialized and are at greater risk to disturbances
than species that can exploit a broad range of habitat types and conditions. Among frog species there
are a great number of specialists and generalists alike, to such an extent in fact that volumes of books
have been written on the evolutionary strategies of amphibians.
TADPOLE DIETS
"Why are frogs so happy?" Because they eat whatever bugs them!
The food preferences of amphibians are tied to their unique multi-stage life cycle; the dinner plate for a
tadpole looks quite different compared to a mature adult frog. Most tadpoles are free swimming. They
hatch from eggs that are usually laid in shallow warm ponds that are teeming with aquatic life, particu-
larly plants and algae. The strategy of tadpoles is to take advantage of the rich pond life to provide the
energy they need to complete their development through to froglets and finally mature breeding
adults. Given that there is usually an abundance of aquatic plant and algal life, the nutritional needs of
most tadpoles can be met in a healthy habitat. Unfortunately, they are highly sensitive to changes in
temperature, acidity, pollution, and anything that would negatively impact their food supply. In
addition, many other wetland species love to eat tadpoles, including birds, fishes and reptiles. The less
diverse the environment, the higher the risk to tadpoles from predators. However, tadpoles are delicate
creatures in that they cannot survive indefinitely in that form and must complete the transformation to
froglets or die. Once a tadpole morphs into a froglet, they are no longer equipped to eat and digest
plant material. They have basically made a switch from a machine designed to process plant material to
one better equipped to digest animal protein; in most cases this is from the insect world.
HOW FROGS EAT

The majority of frog species have special adaptations for catching insects, something that they are very
good at. Many frogs catch flying insects with a long sticky tongue. Basically they take aim with deadly
THE Frog FILES 65

BEHAVIOUR & ADAPTATION
accuracy, close their eyes and shoot their tongue at their prey. Once returned to the mouth they are
ingested without chewing. To help swallow, they push their eyes down into their head and use the
pressure to help them move the food into their stomachs. However, not all frogs have tongues and not
all frogs eat insects; the Ornate Horned frog in fact eats mice and has been seen using their front feet
to stuff the rodent meal into their mouth.
FROG CALLS
Another aspect of frogs that should not be overlooked are the variety of calls that have evolved as a
means of communication. Most of us have been exposed to the spring chorus of frogs before we
actually have our first visual encounter. Frogs may have been one of the first animals on earth to
actually make any noise, and considering they are still croaking and trilling, it was obviously a very
useful skill. Frogs croak for many reasons; they may call during mating or to end the mating embrace,
females may call in response to a male's call; or they may even vocalize to startle a predator. Primarily,
however, male frogs croak during the mating season so that females know where they are; the louder
he croaks the more likely he is to attract a female. For this reason many types of male frog have special
air sacs that act as a resonator, thereby boosting the volume of each croak. They squeeze their lungs
with their nostrils and mouth shut. Air flows over their vocal chords and into their vocal sacs located on
their throat, which then blow up like balloons. Given that there are more than 3000 species of frogs
and that most have evolved calls to be different from each other, the world is indeed alive with the
sound of frogs.
66 THE Frog FILES

The Fabulous Functions of Frog Feet Activity 3.1

OBJECTIVE GRADES
To illustrate how frogs' feet are adapted to help them move 2-4; Worksheet 4-6
around their environment
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
BACKGROUND INFORMATION Experiment/Demonstration;
Animals are adapted to their environment with specifically shaped worksheet
body parts. The typical frog has a small body, wide mouth, long
legs and no neck. Its teeth are so tiny that it cannot chew well and MATERIALS
so it must swallow its prey whole. Most frogs have enormously See text body
strong, long legs for swimming and take-off when leaping. The
front legs absorb the shock while landing (the frog has unique VOCABULARY
shoulder bones, which are adapted for this purpose). Not all frogs adaptation
are alike. The type of feet can give clues to where and how a frog
lives. For example, the leopard frog has back feet that are webbed CURRICULUM LINKS
for swimming and the flying frogs have feet adapted for gliding. Grade 2
Other frogs may have different types of feet. S 100-25, 200-1, 201-1, 201-
5, 201-7, 202-9, 203-1, 401,
FROGS HAVE SPECIFICALLY ADAPTED FEET 402, 403, 406, 408
• Digging feet for burrowing in the soil Grade 3
• Climbing feet for sticking to the shiniest leaves S 200-1, 200-3, 201-1, 201-
• Gliding feet for "flying" between treetops 5, 201-7, 201-8, 202-9, 401,
• Grasping feet for grasping prey and climbing among the reeds 402, 403, 406, 408
• Swimming feet for powerful swimmers Grade 4
S 104-1, 204-1, 204-3, 205-
ACTIVITY 1: FEET FOR SWIMMING MATERIALS 1, 205-3, 205-5, 206-1, 206-
• sink, plastic basin, bucket or aquarium, 1/2 filled with water 5, 206-9, 207-1, 300-1, 413,
• plastic bags (big enough to put an open hand into) 415, 418, 420
• elastic to hold bag sealed around wrist Grade 5
• towels for spills and wiping hands S 204-1, 204-2, 204-3, 205-
1, 205-3, 205-5, 205-8, 206-
TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS 1, 206-9, 207-1, 207-3, 413,
1. Ask students if they have ever used flippers. If so, how did it 415, 418, 420
affect their swimming? Grade 6
2. Fill the your selected water vessel 1/2 full with water. S 204-1, 205-3, 205-5, 205-
3. Have students take turns running their hands (not feet) 8, 206-1, 206-9, 300-17,
through some water in the basin. They will actually push water 301-15, 413, 415, 418, 420
with the hands, so remind students not to push too hard or
else there may be more water outside than inside the basin.
THE Frog FILES 67

4. First have students pass their hand through water with an open hand and their fingers spread apart.
5. Next, have them close their fingers together so their hand looks like a paddle.
6. Then, place a plastic bag over the student's hand, securing it to the wrist with an elastic band and
have them push through the water with their fingers spread.
7. Ask the students which one of three ways was most effective at moving water. Which method best
represents webbed feet?
ACTIVITY 2: FEET FOR GLIDING MATERIALS

• Pieces of paper
TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
1. Have the students take two pieces of paper, both the same size.
2. Have them spread out one paper flat and drop it. Ask them to notice how it takes a while to float
to the floor.
3. Then take the second piece of paper and crumple it into a little ball.
4. Drop the crumpled paper from the same height as the first paper. Notice how much faster it falls.
5. Explain to the students that flying frogs have large membranes between their toes that act like mini
parachutes and allow them to glide through the air like the flat pieces of paper. Without the extra
webbing, a falling frog would go *SPLAT!*
SUMMARY MATERIALS
• Copies of worksheet page 69
• Pencils
• FrogWatch poster
• Amphibian field guide (optional)
SUMMARY ACTIVITIES
1. Have students look at the feet of some of the frogs on the FrogWatch poster or in field guides. Can
they guess what their feet are adapted for? Hint: look at their name and habitat for some clues.
Some of the frogs are quite obvious. The Gray Treefrog, Spring Peeper, Pacific Treefrog, and the
Chorus Frogs, all have sticky pads on their feet for clinging to trees; the Bullfrog, Mink Frog, and
Leopard Frog have webbing for swimming; and the Spadefoots and Toads have adaptations for
digging and burrowing, but these features are harder to distinguish using the poster.
2. Hand out copies of the worksheet, The Fabulous Functions of Frog Feet
3. Have students complete the matching worksheet.
ANSWER KEY TO WORKSHEET (TOP TO BOTTOM)

Digging; Swimming; Climbing; Gripping; Gliding
SOURCES
The Feet for Swimming activity was modified from "Try On Webbed Feet"in Alberta's Threatened
Wildlife Teacher's Guide Grades K 1 2 3 ; The Feet for Gliding activity was borrowed from
http://allaboutfrogs.org/weird/general/feet.html; and the worksheet was adapted from images at
http://kiddyhouse.com/Themes/frogs/frogclips/wshtfrogft.gif
68 THE Frog FILES

The Fabulous Functions 3.1
of Frog Feet
Frogs have developed all different kinds of feet to suit their lifestyle
and habitats. Can you match the frog feet to their function?
DIGGING
BURROWS
Spadefoots
GRIPPING
Many frogs
and toads have
feet for gripping
reeds and moving
food to their mouths
SWIMMING
Bullfrog, Mink Frog,
Leopard Frog
GLIDING
FROM TREES
Flying Frogs of
Borneo
CLIMBING
Gray Treefrogs,
Spring Peeper,
Pacific Treefrog,
Chorus Frogs
Activity 3.2 The Frog Olympics

GRADES OBJECTIVE
K-6 (Care partners for K-2) To introduce the concept of frogs as powerful jumpers and have a
lot of fun making paper frogs that really jump!
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Origami craft and measuring BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Frogs are very powerful jumpers. Some scientists believe that frogs
MATERIALS developed their jumping abilities as a means of escaping predatory
• Letter sized paper (green dinosaurs. When put this way, it's easy to see how much time
coloured would be ideal) frogs have had to hone this aptitude. Many frogs can jump at least
• Pencil crayons, crayons, or twice their body length; an adult Bullfrog is really amazing in this
markers regard and can jump up to 20 times its body length!
• Depending on target
audience (Grades 2-4), TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
copies of page 75 1. Using the diagrams on pages 71-73, practice making an
• One copy of page 74 Origami jumping frog.
• Rulers 2. For the younger grades, discuss how powerful frogs' legs are
and tell them that some frogs can jump up to 20 times their
CURRICULUM LINKS body length. If possible, pace out 20 times a students body
Grade K length to really illustrate the concept.
S 201-1, 404 3. Demonstrate the origami techniques to your students by
Grade 1 making a frog step-by-step along with the class.
S 201-1, 404 4. For the younger students, it would be a good idea to do this
Grade 2 activity on a day when you have student helpers.
S 201-1, 404 5. Encourage them that they CAN do this! It may seem difficult,
M SS 2, 3 but the results are well worth it.
Grade 3 6. When their frogs are completed, encourage them to colour and
S 201-1, 201-6, 404 decorate their frogs. Have them look at the FrogWatch poster
M SS 1, 3 for some ideas of how they could colour their frog like a "real
Grade 4 Canadian" one.
S 205-3, 205-4, 416 7. There is a follow up worksheet on page 75 that works with
M SS 2, 4 estimating and measuring. This is appropriate for grades 2-4.
Grade 5 8. Hold a showdown! Whose frog can jump the furthest in a
S 205-3, 416 single leap? Measure the jump in centimetres and present the
Grade 6 winner with the Certificate of Athletic Excellence on page 74.
S 205-3, 416
SOURCE
The origami instructions were borrowed from
www.seagrant.wisc.edu/frogs/origami_instr.html
70 THE Frog FILES

71
1 2 3 4a 4b
Start pushing in on points
Start with a letter sized Cut or tear along the You should now have a C and D at the same time
piece of paper. Fold the dark line. square piece of paper. until a triangle forms.
page diagonally so that Fold diagonally and in Press the edges down. Be
side “a” meets side half until your paper patient! This is a tricky
“b”. matches the diagram. step but once you get it, it
will be very easy to repeat.
4c 5a 5b 6a 6b
THE Frog FILES

Take point “a”, which is This is what it should Fold the right-handed Your paper should look
only the top layer of the look like. Repeat Step point of the diamond in like this. Repeat Step 6a
triangle, and fold it up 5a on the other corner. towards the middle so on the other side.
to meet point “b”. Be sure to press your that the “southeast” edge
creases down firmly. of the diamond parallels
the middle line.
THE Frog FILES
6c 7a 7b 8 9
If your paper looks like Now, fold the top cor- Repeat Step 6b on the left Now turn your paper
this, you are doing ner “e” outward so that side. You have just formed over so the other side
great! the center edge now the frog’s front legs. faces you.
parallels the “south-
east” edge. You will
need to press really hard
to keep the crease. You
may also find the paper
wants to unfold from
this fold, but push hard!
10 a 10 b 11 12 a 12 b
Fold inward along the This is what you paper Repeat Step 10a on the Now fold outward along Your paper should look
72
red line. should look like. left side. the gray line. like this.
73
13 14 a 14 b 14 c 15
Repeat Step 12a on the All you frog needs now is Flip the frog over so that
left side so your paper a little “spring in his his bum is facing you
looks like this. You have step” to make him jump! and it looks like this.
just formed the “dorso- The next steps will do
lateral lines” down the just that. Fold your frog
frog’s back and his back in half along the dotted
legs. line so that his back legs
tuck under his belly.
16 a 16 b 17 18
THE Frog FILES

Now fold the frog’s back Congratulations! Your to make him jump. Lay your frog on a hard surface
legs down along the completed frog looks and push down on the very end of his back (the spot
dotted line. like this. And now… marked with an “X”). Be sure the legs are folded
underneath the frog before you push!
PRESENTED ON THIS DAY, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .,
(today’s date)
TO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .,
(name of frog)
FOR THE ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENTS OF JUMPING A WORLD RECORD
DISTANCE OF . . . . . . . . . . . cm
The Frog Olympics 3.2
Trainer’s (your) Name: ........................................................................................................................
FROG STATS
NAME: .................................................................................................................................................
BIRTHDAY: ...........................................................................................................................................
SPECIALTY EVENTS: ............................................................................................................................
OLYMPIC HOPES: ................................................................................................................................
REIGNING CHAMPION: Bruce the Bullfrog who last year set a world record by jumping 20 times his length!
PRELIMINARIES Make your frog jump ten times.
Look at your frog. How long do you think

7 Now measure the total distance it went.
How far did your frog jump in ten jumps?
1 your frog is from nose to toes?
.....................................................................
Estimated length: .......................................
Was your estimate closer this time?
2 Now measure your frog. How long is it really? 8 Why or why not?
Actual length: ............................................ .....................................................................
Which frogs on the FrogWatch poster are .....................................................................

3 about the same length as your frog?
.....................................................................
.....................................................................
How many jumps do you think it will take your
4 How far do you think your frog can go

in one jump?
9 frog to jump 20 times the length of its body?
.....................................................................
.....................................................................
Make your frog jump until it jumps 20 times
WARM-UPS 10 its own length like the Bullfrog.
How many jumps did your frog make?
5. Make your frog jump once and measure
5 how far it jumped.
How far did it actually jump?
.....................................................................
FINAL COMPETITION
.....................................................................
You have three attempts to set a world record.
6. How far do you think your frog can go Measure and record each attempt. What is your
6 in ten jumps? frog’s personal best?
..................................................................... .............................................................................
Activity 3.3 Sir Toadleby’s Authentic Anuran Cuisine

GRADES OBJECTIVE
3-6 To get students to think about the variety of prey that frogs eat and
how nutritional requirements change with stages of the life cycle
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Brainstorming BACKGROUND INFORMATION
If it has a pulse, some frog somewhere will probably try to eat it.
MATERIALS This is a phrase that stands true for our anuran friends. Frogs
• Copies of page 77 around the world eat a variety of other organisms. Tadpoles start
• Blackboard or easel their life with a first meal of the jelly around their egg. They then
and paper move on to a vegetarian diet and eat algae in their nursery pond.
• Pencils Once they metamorphose into frogs, their digestive system changes
• Pencil crayons, crayons, entirely and they become carnivorous. What's on the menu for a
or markers carnivorous frog you ask? Anything from a mosquito to a fly, to a
centipede, to a mouse an even a snake is fair game as prey.
VOCABULARY
algae, anuran, carnivorous, TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
prey 1. Begin by reviewing the physical changes a frog goes through
from tadpole to frog and how their diet changes.
CURRICULUM LINKS 2. Brainstorm the wide variety of organisms frogs eat and write
Grade 3 these prey items on the blackboard sorting by life stages. eg:
S 200-1, 200-3, 203-2, 401, • Hatching Tadpole: Jelly surrounding egg
402, 403 • Free Swimming Tadpole: Tips of plants; algae growing on
Grade 4 rocks, logs, and plants
S 104-6, 204-3, 206-1, 207- • Froglet/ Toadlet: Same as frog/ toad
1, 300-1, 301-1, 302-1, 302- • Frog/ Toad: Centipedes; millipedes; earthworms; snails; slugs;
2, 302-3, 413 spiders; bees; flies; mosquitoes; grasshoppers; ants; beetles;
Grade 5 snakes and many more…
S 104-7, 206-1, 207-1, 413 3. Hand out copies of the blank menu on page 77 and read the
Grade 6 following directions to the class :
S 104-8, 108-8, 206-1, 300- The hottest new restaurant has just hired you as the Head Chef
17, 413 but there is a catch! This special restaurant caters to the Frog
and Toad community. It is your job to redesign the menu. The
past menu included such tasty features as Egg Jelly Ice Cream
(for the brand new tadpole), Centipede Soup, and Earthworm
Tartar, and of course dessert. Decorate your menu and don't
forget to set your prices too!
4. Remind them they are free to use the prey items listed on the
blackboard.
5. Share as a class some of the recipes they came up with.
76 THE Frog FILES

Appetizers
●
Soups and Salads

●
Specialties
●
Kids Menu (for the tadpole in your family)

●
Desserts
●
●
Activity 3.4 Soak it Up

GRADES OBJECTIVE
4-6 To introduce the concept of selective permeability relative to a
frog's skin and to allow students to think creatively and design
TYPE OF ACTIVITY some features on frogs that could live in the future
Experiments and Discussion
MATERIALS For the past decade, scientists have been alarmed by a dramatic
See text body decline in amphibian populations. Amphibians have a two-phased
life cycle-terrestrial and aquatic-and permeable skin, both of which
VOCABULARY make them highly vulnerable to habitat changes and pollutants,
habitat, permeability both on land and in water.
CURRICULUM LINKS This selective permeability is critical to frogs and toads. Living in
Grade 4 moist areas, toads are able to draw moisture out of the soil and
S 104-6, 204-1, 204-3, 204- into their bodies through their skin. Just like the root hairs of a
8, 205-1, 205-3, 205-4, 205- plant, water moves from the soil into the body of a toad. Frogs can
5, 205-7, 206-9, 207-1, 207- live underwater during the winter because they are able to draw
2, 207-6, 300-1, 302-2, 413, oxygen from the water through their permeable skin.
415, 416, 418, 420
E 1.1, 1.2, 2.3, 5.1 ACTIVITY 1: PLUMP IT UP MATERIALS
Grade 5 • hardboiled egg or raw potato
S 204-1, 204-3, 204-5, 204- • jar of water
8, 205-1, 205-3, 205-4, 205- • ruler
5, 205-7, 206-5, 206-9, 207-
3, 413, 415, 416, 418, 420 TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
E 1.1, 1.2, 2.3, 5.1 In order to maintain class interest, it would be a good idea to do
Grade 6 the following activities in pairs or groups of three. The next three
S 204-1, 204-8, 205-3, 205- activities will demonstrate features of permeable skin of frogs.
5, 205-7, 206-5, 206-9, 207-
2, 300-17, 301-15, 413, 415, 1. Have students peel a hardboiled egg or raw potato.
416, 418, 420 2. Measure and record its circumference and then place it in a jar
E 1.1, 1.2, 2.3, 5.1 of water for 24 hours.
3. After observing the egg or potato, describe what has happened.
4. Again, measure the circumference. Explain any changes in size.
78 THE Frog FILES

ACTIVITY 2: SELECTIVE PERMEABILITY MATERIALS

• orange juice with pulp
• sieve or strainer
• funnel
1. Pour orange juice with pulp through a funnel and describe what happens.
2. Then, pour the orange juice through a sieve or strainer. Now what happens?
3. How does this demonstrate selective permeability? (a permeable membrane allows smaller particles
to pass through it but it excludes larger ones. In this way, toxins and other dangerous contaminants
can pass through a frog's permeable skin.)
ACTIVITY 3: WHAT IS IMPERMEABLE MATERIALS

• water
• paper towel
• plastic wrap
• selection of items including napkins, sponges, glass, paper, cardboard, cheesecloth, aluminum foil
1. Pour a spoonful of water on a paper towel and a spoonful on plastic wrap. Which one of these
items is impermeable to the water?
2. Choose some other materials and experiment with them. Suggestions include napkins, sponges,
glass, paper, cardboard, cheesecloth, aluminum foil, etc.
3. Rank these materials from least to most permeable. (These other materials are imitating other types
of membranes). Does everyone agree? For primary grades it may be a good idea to provide rankings
(such as 1=permeable, 2=somewhat permeable and 3=very permeable), and give a demonstration.
ACTIVITY 4: FUTURE FROGS OF THE WORLD
Have students imagine that they have the power to control how creatures develop in the future. Get
them to design a frog that will be better adapted to conditions in the environment 100 years from
now. Have them consider that the world may be warmer and drier and more polluted. What feature
will be important to frogs? Have them design and draw their modern frog and describe it.
SUMMARY QUESTIONS
Discuss as a class
1. How is a frog or toad like an egg or potato? (their outer membrane allows water to be absorbed)
2. Which materials are most permeable?
3. Why is permeability important to frogs and toads? How does it put them at risk?
4. Where do you normally find frogs and toads? Why do you think this is the case?
5. Do humans have the same skin as frogs? Why not?
SOURCE
This activity was borrowed from Let's Hear it for Herps page 88
THE Frog FILES 79

Activity 3.5 Dressed for Success:

Camouflage in the Classroom
GRADES OBJECTIVE
K-2 To introduce the concept of camouflage to young students

Conscious Colouring Many frogs use camouflage to keep them safely hidden from
predators. Frogs will have different types of colouring and patterns
MATERIALS depending on their surroundings. Frogs that live in ponds may
• Copies of page 82 (cut in have a pattern on their back and usually pale bellies. The broken
half so that there is one pattern on their back helps hide them from predators on the
frog per sheet) shore. Their light coloured bellies helps to hide them from fish
• Pencil crayons, crayons, looking up at them from below by blending them with the
or markers overhead sky. Some frogs that live trees, like the Gray Treefrog, can
• tape hide extremely well on tree bark. In fact, the Gray Treefrog has the
ability to change its colour (something like a chameleon)
VOCABULARY depending on the background.
camouflage, predators
Poisonous frogs, like the Poison Dart Frogs, are so toxic that they
CURRICULUM LINKS can actually afford to advertise themselves with bright colours to
Grade K warn predators to "stay away!" Still, other frogs, like the
S 200-1, 201-4, 401, 402, Fire-bellied toads use a combination of the above strategies. The
403 colours on their back help hide them but if they are startled, they
E 1.1 raise their head to show their brightly coloured bellies and throat
Grade 1 which signals to the predator that they are toxic. The colours may
S 100-5, 202-9, 401, 402, also act as a big surprise and startle the predator. The same may
403 hold true for Canada's Gray Treefrog with their bright yellow
E 1.1 markings under their legs and the Red-legged frog with their red
Grade 2 wash.
S 202-9, 401, 402, 403
E 1.1 TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
1. Introduce students to the concept of camouflage. Ask them if
they know what camouflage is and how it helps protect frogs
in the wild.
2. Give students some examples of camouflage in the animal
kingdom (ie. a leopard's spots, a tiger's stripes, the white fur of
rabbits in winter, etc.) and ask them if they can think of other
examples.
3. Tell them that frogs use camouflage to protect them by helping
80 THE Frog FILES

them hide from other animals that want to eat them.

Looking at the FrogWatch poster, you may want to ask them if they can imagine good places for
Canadian frogs to hide, given their colour pattern.
4. Tell them they are going to develop special camouflage for a shy frog that would want to hide in
the classroom.
5. Hand them out copies of the next page and have them colour their frog in a way that they think
would help it hide somewhere in the classroom. For example, if there was an orange cupboard in
the class, a student may choose to colour their frog orange. Older students may want to try to
colour their frog similar to a Canadian frog and see if they can blend in anywhere in the class.
6. When they are finished colouring, cut out the frog from the rest of the page and have the student
fix their frog in its "hiding place".
7. Once all the frogs are hidden, have the students take their seats and look for all the frogs as a
group and decide which frog is the best camouflaged. You may choose to give a prize to the "best
dressed" frog.
OUTDOOR CLASSROOM EXTENSION

Have your students try colouring frogs to hide outside. How will the colours they choose differ?
STORY SUGGESTION
A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni
A look at colours through the experience of a resourceful chameleon that tries to find his own colour.
SOURCE
Frog pattern and idea borrowed from Amphibians and Reptiles (Grades 1-3) by Jennifer Overend
THE Frog FILES 81

82 THE Frog FILES

Frogs and Their Environment
Frogs play a very important role in their ecosystems. They are seen as "conveyor belts" of energy, which
connect invertebrate life to the higher vertebrates on the food chain. It would take a raccoon all day to
eat enough insects to meet its food needs. But, by eating a frog, the raccoon can get all of its nutrition
in just a few seconds. Tadpoles also have a role in controlling the abundance of aquatic plants in their
nursery ponds.
Amphibian biomass (total weight of living amphibians) often exceeds that of the mammals in some of
the more froggy areas of the world. To visualize this concept, imaging putting all the mammals and
birds in an ecosystem on one side of a gigantic balance scale and all the amphibians on the other side.
The result would be that the amphibians would out weigh the mammals and birds! This is a
phenomenal fact when you consider how much one little frog weighs compares to an elk or jaguar.
THE Frog FILES 83

FROGS & THEIR ENVIRONMENT
Activity 4.1 Walking in a Wetland Wonderland

GRADES OBJECTIVE
3-6 To introduce students to some of the different organisms that are
part of a frog’s food web
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
Word search BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Ecosystems are very complex and delicate systems in our natural
MATERIALS world. The following word search will stimulate students to think
• Copies of page 85 of all the organisms that share their habitat with frogs. If frogs are
• Pencils in trouble and are disappearing, then the balance of the whole
ecosystem is at stake.
VOCABULARY
ecosystem, food web, habitat TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
1. Hand out copies of page 85.
CURRICULUM LINKS 2. Review the instructions with the students. They are to circle
Grade 3 each LETTER of the words they find in the word search. For
E 4.3 example,
Grade 4
F R O G
S 302-1
E 4.3 3. Starting in the top left hand corner, write the remaining letters
Grade 5 in the square boxes provided below (until the boxes are full—
E 4.3 the first 12 letters) to solve the secret message.
Grade 6 4. Good luck to everyone!
E 4.3
WALKING IN A WETLAND WONDERLAND ANSWER KEY
N E N T U R T L E M S E A T S
G O K O O R B E E I A W T E D
R E R A O N + + + N S + A + R
A + A E N C + + + K R + + N I
S + P G H S C + + + E + + + B
S + F L L E R A + + D + S + G
H + + + A A U E R S I + L + N
O + + + + N S L T + P + I + O
P + + + + K T C B R S + A + S
P L E E C H E S + T A + N + S
E + + U S S + S E + A G S E +
R + D K N + L + + E + E I + F
S + U I H U M A N S B L R I +
+ N + + G + + + + + F + S G +
K + + S + + + + + + + H + + +
Secret message:
EAT OR BE EATEN!
84 THE Frog FILES

Walking in a Wetland Wonderland 4.1
Circle each individual letter of the words in the word search.

Then, starting in the top left hand corner, enter any unused
letters into the boxes below to spell out a secret message.
Good luck!
Algae N E N T U R T L E M S E A T S
Bees
G O K O O R B E E I A W T E D
Ducks
Fish R E R A O N T H R N S E A A R
Flies A D A E N C S I N K R T H N I
Garter snake
Grasshoppers S E P G H S C F A B E R I C B
Great Blue Heron S O F L L E R A A F D R S O G
Humans
Insects
H G S F A A U E R S I O L O N
Leeches O D W E B N S L T X P F I U O
Mink
P T P X Q K T C B R S T A F S
Plants
Raccoon P L E E C H E S F T A I N F S
Skunk E P A U S S F S E U A G S E J
Slugs
Snails R U D K N A L I J E G E I Q F
Songbirds S T U I H U M A N S B L R I K
Spiders
Swan
F N S A G H S C J V F M S G T
Turtle K V N S N A A Z M E H H K S H
Secret Message:
!
Activity 4.2 Working on a Chain Gang

GRADES OBJECTIVE
3-6 To illustrate the difference between a food chain and a food web
and show students an awareness of how energy moves an
TYPE OF ACTIVITY ecosystem containing frogs
Construction of food chains
and food webs BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Food chains are a series of living things that depend on each
MATERIALS other for food energy. The chain starts with a plant (or producer)
• Copies of pages 88-92 which is eaten by an animal (a herbivore) and that animal is eaten
• Stapler or tape by another animal (a carnivore) and so on. Each organism gets
• Pencil crayons, crayons, energy by eating the organism that comes before it in the chain
or markers and gives energy when eaten by the organism that comes after it.
• scissors When things die, bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms, collec-
• Blackboard or easel tively called decomposers break down their bodies, and growing
• Long strips of paper plants recycle the nutrients.
decorated and connected
Æ
Æ
FLY SPIDER FROG RACCOON
together in a ring to
represent the SUN and the Food webs, on the other hand, are a linked series of food chains
DECOMPOSERS going off in all directions. Organisms may feed on more than one
organism and in turn may be eaten by many other animals. All
VOCABULARY these food chains are linked to form a complex food web.
carnivore, decomposers, Energy is lost as it moves along food chains. Therefore it takes a
ecosystem, food chain, food huge number of producers to feed one herbivore and a large
web, herbivore, producer number of herbivores to feed one carnivore. Frogs act as conveyor
belts of energy to organisms higher up on the food chain. As tad-
CURRICULUM LINKS poles, they transport energy from the producers into the ecosys-
Grade 3 tem; then as froglets and frogs, they capture massive amounts of
S 200-1, 202-9, 203-2, 203- invertebrate energy (usually in the form of insects) that is often
5, 400, 406 inaccessible to higher vertebrates. Without frogs in a natural
E 5.1 ecosystem, the delicate balance in the food web is compromised.
Grade 4
ALGAE ALGAE
S 104-6, 206-1, 206-9, 301- Ç Ç Ç Ç
1, 302-2, 302-2, 302-3, 413, Æ SUN Æ
TADPOLE TADPOLE
415, 417, 418, 419 Æ Æ
E 5.1
Æ
FROGLET SKUNK
Æ
cont’d on next page... OWL
É
DECOMPOSERS
86 THE Frog FILES

TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS CURRICULUM LINKS

1. Begin by explaining the terms herbivore and carnivore. Write (CONT’D)
the two terms on the board and have students brainstorm some Grade 5
herbivores and carnivores. (Be prepared to make a line chart-write S 104-7, 206-1, 206-9, 207-
"herbivore" to the left of "carnivore" and leave room for 3, 413, 415, 417, 418, 419
"producers" to the left of herbivore, and a space to draw the sun E 5.1
to the left of that. Leave room for "decomposers" to the right of Grade 6
carnivore. Therefore, your headings will eventually form a line S 104-8, 206-1, 206-9, 413,
connected with arrows: 415, 417, 418, 419
Sun ➜ Producers ➜ Herbivores ➜ Carnivores ➜ Decomposers E 5.1
2. Tell them that plants are also called producers. Add an area on
the board for producers and have them brainstorm some types of
plants.
3. Now tell them there are also something called decomposers.
These are represented mainly by fungi (mushrooms) and bacteria.
They have a very important role in food chains and food webs.
Without them we would be drowning in dead material. The
decomposers could also be called the "recyclers."
4. Ask them if they know where all the energy originated. Tell them that
the sun is the original source of ALL the energy in all ecosystems.
5. Now explain the difference between a food chain and a food web.
6. See if you can connect some of the brainstormed organisms into
food chains and food webs.
7. Now tell the students that they are going work as a group to
assemble food chains that include frogs.
8. Hand out copies of pages 88-92 to pairs of students.
9. Tell them to choose the organisms they want in their food chain
and to cut out the strips and colour them. There are also some
blank strips. On these, encourage them to draw their own
animals or plants that would also belong in the frog's food
chain. If they have received the Walking in a Wetland
Wonderland Word Search, they may want to look at the
organisms listed there for ideas.
10. Have them tape the strips into rings or "chain links" and
interlock their animals in the order of who-eats-whom to form a
food chain.
11. When everyone has made a chain, bring the groups to attention.
Ahead of time, you will have prepared the main chain links that
represent the SUN and the DECOMPOSERS. Ask some of the
students with producer ends to come forward to be connected to
the sun. Connect the carnivore links to the decomposers. See if
there are any "interlinks" that can be formed. Explain that you
have created a food web. SOURCE
12. Now carefully undo some of the frog links. Tell them frogs are Pictures were borrowed from
disappearing from many parts of the world, Canada included. Alberta's Threatened Wildlife
13. Discuss what happens to a food web when one of the links is Teacher's Guide Grades
removed. Are frogs an important part of this ecosystem? K 1 2 3 Leopard Frog
THE Frog FILES 87

88
Frog Frog Frog Frog
Froglet Froglet Froglet Froglet
Tadpole Tadpole Tadpole Tadpole
Eggs Eggs Eggs Eggs
THE Frog FILES

THE Frog FILES
Algae Algae Algae Algae
Worm Worm Worm Worm
Fly Fly Fly Fly
Snail Snail Snail Snail
89
90
Spider Spider Spider Spider
Great Blue Heron Great Blue Heron Great Blue Heron Great Blue Heron
Fish Fish Fish Fish
Songbird Songbird Songbird Songbird
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Coyote Coyote Coyote Coyote
Great Hornet Owl Great Hornet Owl Great Hornet Owl Great Hornet Owl
Garter Snake Garter Snake Garter Snake Garter Snake
Striped Skunk Striped Skunk Striped Skunk Striped Skunk
91
Raccoon
Raccoon
Raccoon
Raccoon
92 THE Frog FILES

Frogs and Humans
The only reason that environmental concern exists about frogs (or any species for that matter), is
because, as humans, we have the ability to reason and to measure, record, and communicate history.
Given the superlative track record of amphibian adaptation to millions of years of ecological change, it
is probable that some species of frog will continue to jump and croak around the planet long after our
departure.
HABITAT DESTRUCTION
Unlike any other species, humans have implemented a path of resource exploitation and consumption
to the extent that every major ecosystem on earth has been effected. This is most noticeable in areas
where humans are populous and have used the land for production of agricultural commodities. In
these areas natural habitats have been dramatically altered. On the prairies approximately 70% of
historic wetlands have been drained, most were turned into farmland. In southern Ontario, the
situation is even more dire: 90% of wetlands have been drained. If you think about that it means that
only one in ten ponds still remain. Grasslands have been cultivated, forestlands cleared, wetlands
drained and filled and drainage patterns altered. The loss of forest and grasslands essentially degrades
the habitats for all species of frogs in Canada.
CHEMICAL POLLUTION
Unfortunately frogs are directly in the path of many environmental impacts. Wetland drainage
eliminates critical habitat and several herbicides and pesticides are widely used to control plant and
animal species considered to be pests. This impacts on the capacity of the wetland to support the
aquatic plants and algae on which tadpoles depend, or the insect life that is essential to mature frogs.
ROAD MORTALITY
"Why did the frog cross the road?" "To get to the other half of her habitat!"
Another problem faced by frogs is road mortality. Every year, frogs need to embark on a migration. In
the spring, many species travel from their breeding pond to a grassy, summer feeding area. In the fall,
THE Frog FILES 93

FROGS & HUMANS
they travel from their feeding area to a pond where they can safely hibernate over the winter. Often
frogs must cross dangerous sections of highway to get from one habitat to the other. Along one stretch
of road (less than 4 km long) at Long Point, in southern Ontario, over 10 000 Leopard Frogs were killed
in just one year. It is easy to see how deaths like this year after year could have a major negative effect
on amphibian populations.
GLOBAL WARMING
Average annual temperatures recorded around the earth over the past two decades have changed in
ways that have alerted numerous science and public interest groups to the need for careful ecological
monitoring. The possibility that this 'warming trend' may be a direct result of the increased burning of
fossil fuels to support industrial activities on the planet. The theory is that these gases escape to the
upper atmosphere of our planet, where they form an invisible blanket around the earth that in turn
that traps heat within the atmosphere. There is little debate respecting the increase in average annual
temperatures, but there is considerable dialogue as to whether man-induced or natural cycles are the
cause of this warming. The problem is that it is almost impossible to prove whether or not the trend
could be part of natural long-term cycles. Active research in this area will likely provide more definitive
answers in coming decades, but in the interim, humans are well advised to proceed with caution and to
carefully monitor various environments for the predicted effects. Frogs and toads are particularly
sensitive species for monitoring ecological change.
OZONE LAYER DEPLETION

Concern has also been expressed about the health of the ozone layer that protects the earth from the
harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun. The most popular theory is that some chemicals produced
on earth have the capacity to combine with ozone molecules in the upper atmosphere. The historical
record of the behaviour of the ozone layer is relatively recent and scientists are unsure whether
alarming variations in the size of holes in the ozone layer over the poles of the earth are caused by
human activities or natural variation. The resulting excessive UV radiation is harmful to a wide variety of
life forms, including humans and frogs; hatching success of frogs' eggs has been demonstrated to be
extremely sensitive to variation in UV levels. As is the case with global warming, the scientific
community is in debate respecting the cause and effect relationships that exist between human
activities on earth and the variations in ozone layer hole size. To err on the side of conservation is
recommended, as humans have not yet found an effective way to counter the effects of chemical
contamination on the ozone layer. By monitoring frog populations through programs such as
FrogWatch, non-scientists can help provide important continuous information on frog abundance and
distribution, which may be valuable in understanding the environmental effects of ozone layer
depletion.
ACID RAIN
The third global-level impact of our industrial society is the increased acidification of lakes associated
with the fallout of nitrogen oxides. These by-products combine with water vapour in the atmosphere to
form nitric acid, and over time this collects in water systems and increases the acidity of aquatic
ecosystems. The impacts have been particularly severe in northern Europe and eastern North America
close to sources of heavy industrial pollution. Frogs are impacted because they have little tolerance to
wetlands with a water pH below 5.5. The wetlands in the prairie region of western Canada increase in
acidity from east to west, but most tend to be more basic rather than acidic and would not likely be
negatively impacted by the low level of industry in the region. Northern wetlands across Canada tend
to be more acidic than basic and are more vulnerable to significant increases in industrial pollution.
94 THE Frog FILES

FROGS & HUMANS
Monitoring programs are important to provide a long-term baseline of data against which we can
measure ecological changes over time, and projects such as FrogWatch provide invaluable data.
ECONOMIC VALUE
The actual economic value of frogs to humans is extremely limited. Frogs are eaten by some cultures
but they represent either a delicacy or incidental food source rather than a staple part of human diet.
Frogs are also used worldwide as a laboratory animal in anatomy and growth and development classes,
but the positive economic effect of rearing or collecting frogs from the wild for this purpose would
tend to be rather localized. Subsistence cultures have found some frogs to be useful sources of poison
for their hunting darts and some medicinal applications such as pain killers, but the significance of
subsistence cultures is relatively minor compared to the variety of impacts on frogs from the developed
world.
THE Frog FILES 95

FROGS & HUMANS
Activity 5.1 The Call of the Wild

GRADES OBJECTIVE
4-6 To start students on a FrogWatch monitoring project
TYPE OF ACTIVITY MATERIALS

FrogWatch junior monitoring • Obtain frog monitoring kit from Nature Canada, 1 Nicholas
activity Street, Suite. 606, Ottawa, ON, K1N 7B7; telephone (613) 562-
3447; fax (613) 562-3371; e-mail info@naturecanada.ca. A list
MATERIALS of Canadian co-ordinators is included in this activity. Most kits
See text body are available free of charge.
• Find a recording of frog calls for your area. You should be able
VOCABULARY to obtain them free of charge from co-ordinators, web sites or
herpetologist libraries. You can also hear frog calls on Nature Canada’s
website, www.naturecanada.ca/naturewatch/frogwatch/
CURRICULUM LINKS • Amphibian Field Guide: There are a number of good amphibian
Grade 4 identification guides for your province or across Canada. Check
S 104-6, 105-1, 108-3, 108- with your local library, local nature groups, new and used
6, 205-5, 205-7, 206-2, 206- bookstores, and nature type stores. Remind students to
9, 207-1, 301-2, 302-1, 409, assemble their Pocket Field Guide to the Frogs and Toads of
411, 412, 413, 414, 415, Canada.
416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421 • A FrogWatching Buddy: Frogs can hop away in a flash! It is
Grade 5 always better to have two pairs of eyes looking for frogs. If you
S 104-7, 105-5, 107-10, 205- are listening for frogs it is easier to have one person listen
5, 205-7, 206-2, 206-3, 206- closely for calls and one person to write down the data.
9, 207-3, 207-4, 409, 411, • Commitment: If you are serious about participating in a frog
412, 413, 414, 415, 416, monitoring program, be sure to plan how much time you have
417, 418, 419, 420, 421 to set aside for monitoring and how often. Scientists need you
Grade 6 to send observations that are collected carefully and on a
S 104-8, 108-8, 205-5, 205- regular basis.
7, 206-2, 206-9, 207-4, 409,
411, 412, 413, 414, 415, BACKGROUND INFORMATION
416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421 Almost every province and territory has a herpetologist collecting
frog data as part of an international network of biologists and con-
servationists who are trying to save frogs. It takes a lot of work to
monitor frogs across an entire country. Herpetologists need all the
eyes and ears they can get to gather froggy data. The great news
is that ANYBODY can monitor frogs. The easiest method for stu-
dents to monitor frogs is calling surveys. This not only makes an
immeasurable contribution to science, but also it is a great way to
introduce students to their froggy neighbours. Frog monitoring is a
96 THE Frog FILES

FROGS & HUMANS
fun, educational opportunity that will help develop children's observational and listening skills, and
their understanding of the importance of frogs and wetlands. Please note: When deciding to
participate in a frog monitoring program, you must show commitment to collecting data (rain or shine)
and taking part may not be suitable for younger children. If you feel your students are not ready to
monitor frogs in the wild, there are many other great ways to introduce them to frogs that may
encourage them to take part in frog monitoring programs in the future. For instance you can have
students listen to tapes of frog calls and you can make up an auditory quiz. Have them report any frog
sightings and record this on a running chart as a class. Have fun completing the activities in this guide.
The following is a step by step suggestion of how you can involve your students in frog monitoring.
Decide if your class is ready to commit the time required to participate in a frog monitoring activity.
Take the following into account: Students need continuous adult supervision and support to monitor
frogs. Students should never go out into the wilderness without an adult. SAFETY ALWAYS! Encourage
students to listen from their backyards and have them report any calls to you.
1. Get what you need to start monitoring frogs. Each province has different frog monitoring options
available to them. Contact your provincial frog monitoring co-ordinator provided below. Note that
some provinces are not monitoring on a provincial level and they will refer you directly to Nature
Canada.
2. Get to know your froggy neighbours. With the help of your provincial co-ordinator, amphibian
guide and you can easily learn what your froggy neighbours look and sound like. Discuss the
characteristics of these species with your students. Be sure to explain the scientific importance of
monitoring frogs.
3. Review the Golden Rules of Frog Monitoring on the second last page of the Pocket Field Guide.
4. Hop to it! Go out and monitor frogs. Make sure you record your data carefully on the survey form
provided by your frog monitoring co-ordinator. All the information you collect from surveys will be
added to data from all across Canada. Scientists studying frog populations all over the world can
then use the data to measure environmental changes.
5. Write a letter to be sent home with your students explaining the FrogWatch program. (See a sample
letter on page 102). Parental involvement is necessary for student participation. It is our hope to
rekindle and nourish a passion for nature in people of all ages-sometimes the hustle bustle of our
busy lives can get in the way of some quality time in the out-of-doors.
SOURCE
This activity was adapted from frog monitoring material found at
www.ecokidsonline.com/pub/fun_n_games/printables/activities/assets/wildlife/frog_monitoring.pdf
THE Frog FILES 97

FROGS & HUMANS
Canadian Frog Monitoring Programs:

Co-ordinators List
Keep in mind that the co-ordinators for these programs are often volunteering
their own time. Please, give them time to respond to your inquiries.
BRITISH COLUMBIA with nature and participate in an activity the

Laura Friis entire family can enjoy. How can you get
British Columbia Frogwatch involved? The procedure is simple:
Wildlife Branch 1. Contact us for a free monitoring manual
Ministry of Environment, containing information on the identification,
Lands and Parks ecology and natural history of Alberta's
P.O. Box 9374, Stn. Prov. Govt. amphibians. Included along with the manual
Victoria, BC V8W 9M4 are a cassette tape of amphibian calls, and a
Tel: (250) 387-9755 copy of our "Croaks and Trills" newsletter.
Fax: (250) 356-9145 2. Read the manual and listen to the cassette
E-mail: bcfrogwatch@victoria1.gov.bc.ca tape to familiarize yourself with Alberta's
www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/bc/ amphibians.
3. Choose a site or sites to survey.
4. Go out and listen for frogs and toads calling,
ALBERTA and carefully walk the study site (optional)
Kris Kendell recording evidence of amphibians such as
Alberta Amphibian Monitoring Program egg masses, tadpoles, and/or adults.
Alberta Environment and Alberta Conservation 5. Fill out the simple data sheets provided at the
Association back of the manual, and send them to us at
7th Floor, O.S. Longman Building your earliest convenience.
6909-116 Street
Edmonton, AB T6H 4P2 If you would like more information and/or would
Tel: (780) 422-4764 like to participate in the amphibian monitoring
Fax: (780) 422-9685 program contact Kris Kendell.
E-mail: kris.kendell@gov.ab.ca
www3.gov.ab.ca/srd/fw/amphib/index.html
SASKATCHEWAN
The Alberta Amphibian Monitoring Program was Andrew Didiuk
initiated because of a need for information on Saskatchewan Amphibian Monitoring Project &
long-term population trends and current distri- Saskatchewan Herpetological Atlas Project
butions of amphibians in Alberta. Why partici- P.O. Box 1574
pate in the monitoring program? The data you Saskatoon, SK S7K 3R3
collect is of vital importance to better under- Tel: (306) 975-4005, Fax: (306) 975-4089
standing the numbers, trends, and distribution E-mail: andrew.didiuk@ec.gc.ca
of amphibian populations in Alberta. Also, www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/sa/
simply put, being a volunteer participant is a fun
and great way to get outdoors, get in touch
98 THE Frog FILES

FROGS & HUMANS
If you are interested in participating in our Tel: (514) 457-9449

amphibian monitoring project, which is a fun Fax: (514) 457-0769
way to spend some spring evenings, contact E-mail: ecomus@total.net
Andy Didiuk to obtain an observation kit. Since www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/pq/
we know so little about the distribution of our
reptiles and amphibians (even for what seem to Listen for frogs in wetlands and ponds.
be the most common species) every observation Mr. Rodrigue is a Calling Amphibian Coordinator
is important. Andy Didiuk can provide you with for NAAMP (North American Amphibian
observation cards for the project. Monitoring Program). If you are serious about
becoming involved in frog monitoring contact Mr.
Rodrigue who will be happy to discuss the time
MANITOBA commitment and other details of the program.
Manitoba Conservation
P.O. Box 24
200 Saulteaux Crescent NEW BRUNSWICK
Winnipeg, MB R3J 3W3 Bruce Dougan
Fax: (204) 945-3077 c/o Magnetic Hill Zoo
www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/mb/ 100 Worthington Avenue
Moncton, NB E1C 9Z3
There is presently no acting provincial co-ordina- Tel: (506) 877-7718
tor in Manitoba so it is suggested that Fax: (506) 853-3569
individuals in Manitoba interested in monitoring E-mail: bruce.dougan@moncton.org
frogs contact Nature Canada directly for a www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/nb/
monitoring kit.
NOVA SCOTIA
ONTARIO Stephen Archibald
Lisa Sealock Frogwatch
Co-ordinator c/o Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History
c/o Adopt-A-Pond, Toronto Zoo 1747 Summer St.
361 A Old Finch Ave. Halifax, NS B3H 3A6
Scarborough, ON M1B 5K7 Tel: (902) 424-6514
Tel: (416) 392-5999 Fax: (902) 424-0560
Fax: (416) 392-4979 E-mail: archibsb@gov.ns.ca
E-mail: lsealock@torontozoo.ca www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/ns/
www.cciw.ca/eman-temp/ecowatch/adoptapond
www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/on/ Completed data forms can be sent to the above
address. If you wish to leave a message by
phone use 1.800.354.FROG(3764). If you are
QUEBEC just listening for spring peepers you might want
David Rodrigue, Co-ordinator to register with the Thousand Eyes Project that is
Quebec Amphibian Populations collecting the timing of fifty seasonal events
Monitoring Program including peepers. Register and report online at
Saint Lawrence Valley www.thousandeyes.ca
Natural History Society
21125 ch. Ste-Marie
Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3Y7
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FROGS & HUMANS
Northern British Columbia" from the Yukon

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND Dept. of Renewable Resources. If you would like
Rosemary Curley to establish a monitoring program contact Mr.
Fish and Wildlife Division Slough for assistance. For more info visit the
P.E.I. Dept. of Technology and Environment Yukon Frog Watch site at:
P.O. Box 2000 http://eqb-dqe.cciw.ca/emanops/frogwatch/yukon
Charlottetown, PEI C1A 7N8
Tel: (902) 368-4807 Teachers interested in classroom presentations
Fax: (902) 368-5830 can contact the Innovators Program at Yukon
E-mail: frcurley@gov.pe.ca College to request presentations at
www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/pe/ innovators@yukoncollege.yk.ca, (867) 668-8739.
There is no official monitoring program in PEI.

Rosemary Curley at the Fish and Wildlife Branch of NORTHWEST TERRITORIES
the PEI Dept. of the Environment suggests using Mike Fournier
materials from other provincial programs such as Canadian Amphibian and Reptile Conservation
Nova Scotia or contacting NAAMP. There are four Network
types of frogs found in the island, they are: Spring Northwest Territories Co-ordinator
Peeper, Wood Frog, Green Frog, and Leopard Frog. Ecology North
5093 Finlayson Drive
Yellowknife, NT X1A 3G9
NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR Tel: (867) 669-4762 (work)
Joe Brazil (867) 873-6618 (residence)
Dept of Forest Resources and AgriFoods E-mail: faunabor@theedge.ca
P.O. Box 8700 www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/nt/
St John's, NL A1B 4J6
Tel: (709) 729-3773
Fax: (709) 729-4989 NUNAVUT
E-mail: joebrazil@mail.gov.nf.ca Mark Mallory
www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/nf/ Canadian Wildlife Service
P.O. Box 1714
Qimugjuk Bldg 969
YUKON TERRITORY Iqaluit, Nunavut X0A 0H0
Brian G. Slough Tel: (867) 975 4637
Yukon Co-ordinator, Canadian Amphibian and Fax: (867) 975 4645
Reptile Conservation Network E-mail: mark.mallory@ec.gc.ca
35 Cronkhite Road www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/nu/
Whitehorse, YT Y1A 5S9
Tel: (867) 668-3295 There is no formal monitoring program
E-mail: bslough@yknet.yk.ca operating in Nunavut. Although Wood Frogs are
www.naturewatch.ca/english/frogwatch/yt/ found in the territory, they are only in the most
extreme southern portion of the region where
There is no formal monitoring program in the there are trees and at this time there are no
Yukon but Mr. Slough does want to hear about communities in this area.
sightings. He recommends that Yukon educators
obtain the brochure "Frogs, Toads, and
Salamanders: Amphibians of the Yukon and
100 THE Frog FILES

FROGS & HUMANS
Checklist of Canadian Frogs & Toads

PROVINCE YT BC NT AB SK MB ON QC NB NS PE NL NU
TAILED FROGS
Tailed Frog (No call) •
SPADEFOOTS
Great Basin Spadefoot •
Plains Spadefoot • • •
TRUE FROGS
Bullfrog • • • • •
Columbia Spotted Frog • • •
Oregon Spotted Frog •
Green Frog • • • • • • • •
Mink Frog • • • • • •
Northern Leopard Frog • • • • • • • • • • •
Pickerel Frog • • • •
Red-legged Frog •
Wood Frog • • • • • • • • • • • • •
TRUE TOADS
American Toad • • • • • • • •
Canadian Toad • • • •
Fowler's Toad •
Great Plains Toad • • •
Western Toad • • •
TREEFROGS
Boreal Chorus Frog • • • • • • • •
Western (Striped) Chorus Frog • • •
Cope's Gray Treefrog •
Gray Treefrog • • • •
Northern Cricket Frog •
Pacific Treefrog •
Spring Peeper • • • • • •
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Dear Parents,
We have recently been studying frogs and toads at school with your children. They are quite excited
about understanding these interesting animals, their lifecycles, and the issues they are facing. We are
writing to encourage you to take part in learning about these fascinating animals with them.
We would like to ask you to take some time to ask your children about what they've learned and what
they found to be interesting. To stimulate their growing interest in nature, consider taking your child to
a local wetland where they can see frogs in the wild and get to know their local amphibians by sight
and sound.
What is the best time for frog watching? The ideal frog watching day is WARM, WET, and WINDLESS. It
should be at least 10 degrees C and remember, if it is windy enough to blow dust, its too windy for
frogs.
We also highly recommend taking part in the FrogWatch program. This program encourages you, when
you hear or see a frog, to report the event to FrogWatch You will be helping scientists across Canada
monitor changes in frog populations. Frogs are a good species by which scientists can assess the health
of the environment. Your input is important in helping to solve the mystery surrounding the declines in
frog populations happening around the world since the late 1980s.
To get started with FrogWatch, contact Nature Canada, 1 Nicholas Street., Suite. 606, Ottawa, ON,
K1N 7B7; telephone (613) 562-3447; fax (613) 562-3371; e-mail info@naturecanada.ca. Nature
Canada will mail you out a FrogWatch poster and survey form. You can also hear the variety of frog
species' calls for your province by logging on to www.naturecanada.ca/naturewatch/frogwatch/.
Please review the Golden Rules of Frog Monitoring with your children before visiting the ponds. Happy
frogging!
THE GOLDEN RULES OF FROG WATCHING

1. Wash your hands before you go. Do not put on lotion or bug repellent. Remember that amphibians
breathe through their skin.
2. Safety first! Choose a partner or small group and stay together.
3. Shhhhhhh…you need to be quiet to hear frogs. Listen for calls for at least 3 minutes.
4. Never follow a frog into the water. Frogs are much better swimmers than even the best people!
5. Be gentle with the frogs and put them back where you find them. Remember that you are a GIANT
to a little frog.
6. Don't kiss frogs. There are no Princes or Princesses out there.
7. Wash your hands after touching frogs or toads. They may have some germs that will make you sick.
FROGS & HUMANS
I am CANADIAN! Activity 5.2

OBJECTIVE GRADES
To familiarize students with Canadian frog species while drawing 4-6
attention to some defining characteristics or interesting trivia
TYPE OF ACTIVITY
BACKGROUND INFORMATION Origami Frog Flycatcher
Compared to the rest of the world and in particular Central and
South America, Canada has very few species of frogs and toads. MATERIALS
However, just because we don't have big numbers doesn't mean • Copies of pages 104-105
we can't still have exciting species! Six of Canada's frogs can • Scissors
survive freezing solid, many of them can change colour-- • Familiarity with making
chameleon style-to match their background, bullfrogs are consid- Origami Frog Flycatchers
ered a scrumptious meal by some and we have one of only two (page 33)
types of frog world wide with a "tail". The following origami • Mini Field Guide (optional)
flycatchers familiarizes students with our Canadian frog species
while providing them with some knowledge on identifying VOCABULARY
characteristics and some frog trivia. anuran, cranial crests, parotid
(poison) glands, tympanum
1. Hand out copies of each page to pairs of students. A group of CURRICULUM LINKS
two should have 2 different sheets. Grade 4
2. Construct the origami frog flycatchers. If the class is not already S 104-6, 205-3, 300-1, 418
familiar with this technique, refer to page 33. E 2.1 5.1
Grade 5
HOW TO PLAY FLYCATCHER Q&A S 104-7, 205-3, 418
If you are unfamiliar with how to play, please refer to Activity 1.3 E 2.1 5.1
on page 33 for instructions. Grade 6
S 104-8, 205-3, 418
SOURCE E 2.1 5.1
How to make an origami flycatcher diagrams were adapted from
those at http://www.yasutomo.com/project/fortuneteller.html
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FROGS & HUMANS
Pacific Tree Frog Tailed Frog
8
1 I am red I have
on my lower a light stripe
abdomen and hind legs down my bumpy back
RED-LEGGED WESTERN
2
Frog Toad
7
BOREAL CHORUS COLUMBIA SPOTTED
through my eyes
and sticky toes
a black stripe
the Northern Forest is in my name
PACIFIC TREE SPRING

in a CHOIR in a province
Frog Frog
Frog Peeper
I may be Part of
I have
on my back
a black “X”
I have
Frog Frog
6
3
WOOD TAILED
the frog world won’t wag

the ZORRO of one but it
I am I have
4
Spring Peeper Western (Striped) Chorus Frog
104 THE Frog FILES

FROGS & HUMANS
Bullfrog Green Frog
8
1 I have
long poison
glands that don’t
I have
a dark triangle
between my eyes
touch my cranial crests
AMERICAN NORTHERN CRICKET

hump between my eyes
2
Toad Frog
7
the same colour
and have a big
for a country
I am named
and I have
NORTHERN LEOPARD CANADIAN
Frog Toad
Frog Frog
Kermit
GREEN PICKEREL
I have spots
and am named
for a big African cat
am a little “fishy”
on my back and
dark squares
I have
Spadefoot Frog
6
3
PLAINS BULL
spade in the prairies great big tympanum

only one with a a BULLY with a
I am the I am
4
Pickerel Frog Plains Spadefoot
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FROGS & HUMANS
Activity 5.3 The Field of Greens Mini Field Guide

GRADES OBJECTIVE
3-6 To familiarize students with the frogs and toads of Canada

Colouring and Assembly of a Field guides are essential tools to any naturalist interested in
Mini Field Guide identifying local species. They generally provide information about the
distribution, habitat, distinguishing features, common and scientific
MATERIALS names, and size of species. Exposing students to field guides will
• Copies of pages 107-120 show them to the diversity of amphibians and the colour plates may
• Scissors spark an interest to "get to know" some of their local anuran friends.
• Pencil crayons, crayons or
markers TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS
• FrogWatch poster 1. Make single-sided copies of pages 107-120 for each student.
• Assortment of field guides 2. Talk to your students about the value of field guides to the
for reptiles and amphib- scientist and naturalist.
ians of North America 3. Tell them they are going to make their own field guides and
• Heavy duty stapler hand out the copies of pages 107-120.
• Checklist of Canadian 4. The distinguishing features of many of the frogs and toads in this
Species see page 101 mini guide have been highlighted. Using a combination of the
FrogWatch poster, an assortment of field guides and the text
VOCABULARY provided next to the drawings, have the students colour in the
cranial crests, habitat drawings of the Canadian frogs. Remind them of distinguishing
features such as the Wood Frog's mask, the Northern Cricket
CURRICULUM LINKS Frog's dark triangle and the Spring Peeper's "X".
Grade 3 5. Ask them which frogs are found in their province or territory. Have
S 201-7, 203-2, 401, 404 them list these species on the page opposite to the title page.
E 3.2 6. After the frogs have been coloured, cut out the pages. Fold the page
Grade 4 in half so that the frog is on one side and the text is on the other.
S 104-6, 105-4, 205-3, 206- 7. Organize the pages of the guide based on families as outlined
1, 300-1, 416 in the "Checklist of Frog and Toad Species". This way the
E 3.2 students may begin to recognize similar characteristics.
Grade 5 8. Using a heavy duty stapler, staple the guide together with 2
S 104-7, 205-3, 205-8, 206- staples on the left hand seam.
1, 416 9. Some of the information provided in the field guide would be
E 3.2 useful to help answer questions raised through activities in the
Grade 6 educator's guide and you may wish to encourage your students to
S 104-8, 205-3, 205-8, 206, use their field guides for this purpose (i.e. I am CANADIAN!)
300-17, 416 10. Encourage your students to take the field guides with them if
E 3.2 they go on a field trip to a wetland area.
106 THE Frog FILES

My Pocket Field Guide to the Ê 1
2
Frogs & Toads 3
4
5
THE Frog FILES

of CANADA 6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Frogs and Toads in my Province

13
Checklist of Frog and Toad Species That I Have Seen Ê Checklist of Frog and Toad Species That I Have Seen
TAILED FROGS TRUE FROGS TRUE TOADS TREEFROGS
❏ Tailed Frog ❏ Bullfrog ❏ American Toad ❏ Boreal Chorus Frog
❏ Columbia Spotted Frog ❏ Canadian Toad ❏ Western (Striped)
SPADEFOOTS ❏ Oregon Spotted Frog ❏ Fowler’s Toad Chorus Frog
❏ Great Basin Spadefoot ❏ Green Frog ❏ Great Plains Toad ❏ Cope’s Gray Treefrog
❏ Plains Spadefoot ❏ Mink Frog ❏ Western Toad ❏ Gray Treefrog
❏ Northern Leopard Frog ❏ Northern Cricket Frog
❏ Pickerel Frog ❏ Pacific Treefrog
❏ Red-legged Frog ❏ Spring Peeper
❏ Wood Frog
107
American Toad Ê IDENTIFYING MARKS / COLOURING INSTRUCTIONS
• Colour the toad brown, reddish or olive green
5.1-9.0 cm Bufo Americanus • Notice that there is often a light line down the middle
108
of the back
DISTRIBUTION
• Widely distributed throughout eastern half of Canada
HABITAT
• Breeds in a variety of habitats from ditches to marshes
American Toad
• Can be found on your lawn or in heavily forested areas
CALL
• Monotone trill lasting up to 30 seconds
INTERESTING FACTS
• Tadpoles as well as frogs have poison glands
• Only toad in most of eastern Canada
Boreal Chorus Frog Ê

IDENTIFYING MARKS/ COLOURING INSTRUCTIONS
1.9-3.7cm Pseudacris maculata • Colour the frog green-gray to brown with a dark stripe
through the eye and a white stripe along the upper lip
• There are three dark stripes down the back but they are
broken into dashes or dots
DISTRIBUTION
• From BC to Quebec including the Yukon and NWT
HABITAT
• Likes forest openings around woodland ponds although in the
far north it is found on the tundra
Boreal Chorus Frog
CALL
• Resembles the sound of drawing your finger down the teeth
of a comb
INTERESTING FACTS
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• One of the “Deep Freeze Six” frogs that can freeze over winter
Bullfrog Ê IDENTIFYING MARKS/ COLOURING INSTRUCTIONS
• Colour the frog pale green to dark greenish/brown with a
8.7-20.0cm Rana catesbeiana creamy white belly
• Notice the huge eardrum on this frog
DISTRIBUTION
Bullfrog
• Native to ON, QC, NB and NS; introduced to BC
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HABITAT
• Breed in large permanent water bodies
CALL
• A bass sounding, growly "jug-o-rum"
INTERESTING FACTS
• Harvested for their legs as human food; for this reason they
were introduced to BC where they have disrupted the delicate
balance of the aquatic ecosystems
• They are the largest frog in Canada and certainly can be
“bullies” as they eat smaller frogs
Mink Frog Ê
4.8-7.0cm Rana septentrionalis • Colour the frog olive to brown with dark spots on the sides
and hind legs, and colour the belly yellowish
DISTRIBUTION
• MN, ON, QC, NB,NS, and NL
Mink Frog
HABITAT
• Highly aquatic, breeds in permanent wetlands
CALL
• Sounds like someone hammering in the distance; a large
chorus sounds like popcorn popping
INTERESTING FACTS
• Only frog species that releases an odour; it is named for it’s
“minky” smell but some people think it smells like rotting
onions
109
Columbia Spotted Frog Ê
110
4.4-10.0cm Rana luteiventris • Colour the frog’s upper body brown with darker spots and the
belly yellow, orange or red
• Has a bigger head than the Oregon Spotted Frog
DISTRIBUTION
• Yukon, BC, and western Alberta
HABITAT
• Found in permanent water bodies
FROGS & HUMANS
CALL
• A series of short, rapid grunts; the entire call may last up to
ten seconds
Columbia Spotted Frog

• Possibly the same call as the Oregon Spotted Frog
INTERESTING FACTS
• If you scare them, they will swim to the bottom of the lake
and stay still
Canadian Toad Ê IDENTIFYING MARKS/ COLOURING INSTRUCTIONS

• Colour the toad brown, gray-green or reddish with reddish
3.7-7.5cm Bufo hemiophrys warts surrounded by black spots, there is a light line down
centre of back
• Notice that the cranial crests are parallel or fused to form a
raised bump between the eyes
DISTRIBUTION
• Found in the prairie provinces plus NWT
Canadian Toad
HABITAT
• Found near ponds, lakes and potholes
CALL
• Call is a soft, low-pitched trill
INTERESTING FACTS
• Burrows underground to avoid the heat
• This is one of the few amphibians with most of its range in
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Canada
Northern Cricket Frog Ê
1.6-3.8cm Acris crepitans • Colour the frog greenish-brown, yellow, red or black
• Be sure to colour in the dark triangle between the eyes
DISTRIBUTION
• Only on Pelee Island, Ontario but has not been heard since
1987
THE Frog FILES

HABITAT
• Natural marshes, deep drainage ditches and abandoned
quarries
CALL
• Sounds like pebbles striking each other
Northern Cricket Frog

INTERESTING FACTS
• These are frogs with very short lives. They rarely live more than
one or two years
Western (Striped) Chorus Frog Ê

1.9-3.9cm Pseudacris triseriata • Colour the frog green-gray to brown with a dark stripe
through the eye and a white stripe along the upper lip
• There are three dark stripes down the back which in some
individuals are broken
DISTRIBUTION
• Despite its name, it is only found in Ontario and Quebec
HABITAT
• Forest openings around woodland ponds
CALL
• Sounds like a finger running down the teeth of a comb
INTERESTING FACTS
• Also one of the first frogs to emerge in the spring
111
FROGS & HUMANS
Western (Striped) Chorus Frog

Great Plains Toad Ê
112
4.5-11.2cm Bufo cognatus • Colour the toad gray, brown or green with a white belly
• Notice the cranial crests form an L-shape around each eye and
come together between the eyes in a V
DISTRIBUTION
• Found in all three prairie provinces
HABITAT
• Temporary or permanent wetlands
FROGS & HUMANS
CALL
Great Plains Toad

• High pitched, long mechanical trill resembling the burst of a
machine gun
INTERESTING FACTS
• When threatened it puffs up with air, raises up on all four legs
and lowers its head.
• Burrows to escape the heat
• Can lay up to 20 000 eggs
Great Basin Spadefoot Ê IDENTIFYING MARKS/ COLOURING INSTRUCTIONS

• Colour the spadefoot gray-green to olive with orange bumps
3.7-6.4cm Spea intermontanus and a white belly
DISTRIBUTION
• Found only in BC
HABITAT
• Found in arid areas with loose soil near temporary pools
CALL
• Frequently repeated, snoring "Waah"
INTERESTING FACTS
• They avoid the heat and dryness of the day by burrowing
underground with their spades
Great Basin Spadefoot
• Only come out at night
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Gray Treefrog Ê
3.2-5.1cm Hyla versicolor • Colour the frog green, brown or gray with darker blotches and
yellow-orange under the thighs
DISTRIBUTION
• Found in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick
HABITAT
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• Found on trees and shrubs near permanent water
Gray Treefrog
CALL
• Short, bird-like flutey trill
INTERESTING FACTS
• Looks exactly the same as Cope’s Gray treefrog and they can
only be told apart by their calls
• Are able to change colours to match the background
Cope’s Gray Treefrog Ê IDENTIFYING MARKS/ COLOURING INSTRUCTIONS

• Colour the frog green, brown or gray with darker blotches and
3.2-5.1cm Hyla chrysoscelis yellow-orange under the thighs
DISTRIBUTION
• Lives only in southern Manitoba
HABITAT
• Found on trees and shrubs near permanent water
CALL
• Short, bird-like flutey trill but higher pitched trill than the Gray
Treefrog
INTERESTING FACTS
Cope’s Gray Treefrog
• Looks exactly the same as the Gray Treefrog and they can only
be told apart by their calls
• Are able to change colours to match the background
113
FROGS & HUMANS
Plains Spadefoot Ê
114
3.7-6.2cm Spea bombifrons • Colour the spadefoot brown to dull green with orange bumps
and a white belly; may have light stripes on back
DISTRIBUTION
• Found in all three prairie provinces
HABITAT
• Found in short grass prairie with loose, dry sandy or gravelly
soil; breed in temporary ponds
CALL
Plains Spadefoot
• A short squawk, somewhat like a duck
INTERESTING FACTS
• During the day they hide underground in burrows made by
tunnelling backwards using their spades on their feet
• They have been found as deep as a meter underground
Fowler’s Toad Ê IDENTIFYING MARKS/ COLOURING INSTRUCTIONS

• Colour the toad yellow, green or brown with a light stripe
5.1-7.5cm Bufo fowleri down the middle of the back, large dark blotches, and a white
belly
DISTRIBUTION
• Only found along the north shore of Lake Erie
HABITAT
• Found along sandy shoreline of Lake Erie
Fowler’s Toad
CALL
• Sounds like a crying baby or a nasal "waaa"
INTERESTING FACTS
• Fowler's Toads are preyed upon by garter snakes, water snakes
and raccoons
• These toads will scream when threatened by predators
THE Frog FILES

Northern Leopard Frog Ê
5.0-11.1cm Rana pipiens • Colour the frog green or brown with large, light-edged spots
DISTRIBUTION
• Found in every province as well as NWT
HABITAT
• Wide range of habitats from prairie to woodland to tundra
THE Frog FILES

CALL
• Sounds like a finger rubbed on a wet balloon
INTERESTING FACTS
• These frogs are often used for dissection in biology classes
Northern Leopard Frog

Green Frog Ê IDENTIFYING MARKS/ COLOURING INSTRUCTIONS
• Colour the frog green, bronze or brown, or a combination
5.3-10.5cm Rana clamitans • Notice the big eardrum
DISTRIBUTION
• Found in every eastern province
HABITAT
• Found in or near shallow, permanent water such as springs,
Green Frog
swamps, brooks and pond and lake edges

CALL
• A twang like a loose banjo string
INTERESTING FACTS
• Green Frogs hibernate under water
• These frogs cry loudly to try and scare and escape predators
115
Oregon Spotted Frog Ê
116
4.4-10.0cm Rana pretiosa • Colour the frog’s upper body brown with darker spots and the
belly yellow, orange or red
• Has a smaller head than the Columbia Spotted Frog
DISTRIBUTION
• extreme south-western British Columbia
HABITAT
• Found in permanent water bodies
FROGS & HUMANS
CALL
• A series of short, rapid grunts; the entire call may last up to
Oregon Spotted Frog

ten seconds
• Possibly same call as the Columbia Spotted Frog
INTERESTING FACTS
• If you scare them, they will swim to the bottom of the lake
and stay still
• The species name "pretiosa" means "precious" in Latin
Pickerel Frog Ê IDENTIFYING MARKS/ COLOURING INSTRUCTIONS

• Colour the frog brown with darker squarish spots with yellow
4.4-7.5cm Rana palustris dorsolateral ridges.
• It also has a yellow to orange belly
DISTRIBUTION
• Found in Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick
HABITAT
• Ponds and streams with stable water temperatures
Pickerel Frog
CALL
• Low snore somewhat like the lowing of a cow
INTERESTING FACTS
• Was named from being used as fish bait
THE Frog FILES

Pacific Treefrog Ê
1.9-5.0cm Hyla regilla • Colour the frog green to black and be sure to colour in the
black eyemask
• Notice the big sticky toe pads that help this frog stick to leaves
and climb trees
DISTRIBUTION
THE Frog FILES

• Only found in BC
HABITAT
Pacific Treefrog
• Lives on the ground among vines, shrubs and grasses, near
water
CALL
• Repeated series of two short, high-pitched notes
INTERESTING FACTS
• These are another “Canadian chameleon” frog. Pacific
Treefrogs can change colour rapidly to more closely match
their background
Western Toad Ê IDENTIFYING MARKS/ COLOURING INSTRUCTIONS

• Colour the toad green or brown with a light stripe down the
6.2-12.5cm Bufo boreas back with reddish brown warts
• Unlike other toads it has no cranial crests
DISTRIBUTION
• Found in BC, Alberta, Yukon and NWT
HABITAT
• Ponds, streams, rivers and lakes but often shelters in loose,
Western Toad
moist soil or rodent burrows

CALL
• Quiet peeping like little chicks
INTERESTING FACTS
• Unlike most toads, western toads walk rather than hop
• When disturbed they raise up on their legs and puff up with
air. This makes it harder for predators to swallow them.
117
FROGS & HUMANS
Wood Frog Ê
118
3.5-7.0cm Rana sylvatica • Colour brown to tan with a black face mask
• This mask makes the Wood Frog the Zorro of the frog world
DISTRIBUTION
• Only frog found in every province and territory
HABITAT
Wood Frog
• Moist woodlands and temporary woodland pools
CALL
FROGS & HUMANS
• Duck-like quack
INTERESTING FACTS
• Wood Frogs are one of the “Deep Freeze Six” frogs that can
freeze over the winter
• They can also change colour rapidly from very dark to very
light. They will darken when cold in order to absorb more heat
Spring Peeper Ê IDENTIFYING MARKS/ COLOURING INSTRUCTIONS

• Colour this frog tan to gray with a dark “X” on its back
1.9-3.2cm Pseudacris crucifer DISTRIBUTION
• Found in every eastern province starting in Manitoba
HABITAT
• Wide variety of habitats, from ditches to swamps
CALL
• Single, loud, high pitched peep that is repeated
Spring Peeper
INTERESTING FACTS
• The Spring Peeper is one of the “Deep Freeze Six” frogs that
can freeze over the winter
THE Frog FILES

Red-Legged Frog Ê
4.4-13.1cm Rana aurora • Colour the frog gray or reddish with dark flecks and red on the
underside of the legs and belly
DISTRIBUTION
• Only found in southwestern British Columbia
HABITAT
THE Frog FILES

• Found in or near well vegetated permanent water
CALL
Red-Legged Frog
• Very faint and guttural "uh" and often given underwater
INTERESTING FACTS
• The red colouring under the legs is sometimes described as
being translucent - as though you are looking right through
the skin to see the red muscle underneath
Tailed Frog Ê IDENTIFYING MARKS/ COLOURING INSTRUCTIONS

• Colour the frog green-brown to red.
2.5-5.0cm Ascaphus truei • Notice the “tail” that is present on the male frogs
DISTRIBUTION
• Found in parts of southern BC
HABITAT
• Cold, clear, rocky streams
Tailed Frog
CALL
• Only Canadian frog which does not call
INTERESTING FACTS
• One of only two types of frogs in the world with a tail.
• During the day they hide beneath rocks in the stream and
come out to eat at night
119
FROGS & HUMANS
The Golden Rules of Frog Watching Ê
FROG AND TOAD SPECIES THAT I HAVE SEEN:
120
1. Wash your hands before you go. Do not put on lotion or bug
repellent. Remember that amphibians breathe through their skin.
2. Safety first! Choose a partner or small group and stay together.
3. Shhhhhhh…you need to be quiet to hear frogs. Listen for calls for at
least 3 minutes.
4. Never follow a frog into the water. Frogs are much better swimmers
FROGS & HUMANS
than even the best people!

5. Be gentle with the frogs and put them back where you find them.
FROG AND TOAD SPECIES THAT I HAVE HEARD:
Remember that you are a GIANT to a little frog.
6. Don’t kiss frogs. There are no Princes or Princesses out there.
7. Wash your hands after touching frogs or toads. They may have
some germs that will make you sick.
Frog and Toad Species That I...

ENVIRONMENTAL OBSERVATIONS: Ê Draw the habitat where you are finding frogs:
DATE (What is the day, month, and year?):
LOCATION (Is there a name for the wetland you are visiting? Are you in
your backyard? What town or city are you near?):
AIR TEMPERATURE (If you have a thermometer, hold it in the air out of
the sun. What does the thermometer say in degrees Celsius?):
WATER TEMPERATURE (Hold the thermometer in the water and off

the bottom of the water body. What temperature is the water?):
CONDITIONS (Is it sunny today? Cloudy? Windy? Has it rained recently?):
THE Frog FILES

Glossary
Adaptation a physical or behavioural feature of Carnivore an organism that gets nutritional
an organism that helps it to survive in its energy from eating other animals. Lynx
habitat. and owls are examples of carnivores.
Alga (plural: algae) a simple, flowerless green Cold-blooded the common term used to
plant usually living in water; pond scum is describe an animal that does not generate
a common term as it grows in mats at the heat inside its body to keep warm. The
surface. Tadpoles eat algae. temperature of the surroundings
determines its body temperature. Reptiles
Amphibian a member of the class Amphibia; and amphibians are both cold-blooded.
refers to two lives; these species begin life
in water and live mainly on land when full Courtship the process by which an animal
grown. Frogs, toads, newts and chooses and unites with a partner for
salamanders are amphibians. mating. It involves visual signs, sounds
and special smells. The chorusing of frogs
Amplexus a posture adopted during mating in is an act of courtship.
most frogs and many salamanders, in
which the male clasps the female with Cranial Crest a bony ridge over a toad's eye.
one or both pairs of limbs. Cranial crests are often used as
distinguishing features between species of
Anuran a member of the frog and toad group, toads.
which has the scientific name Anura,
meaning tail-less. Decomposer a fungi, worm or other organism
that breaks down dead or decaying
Bio-Indicator a living organism that tells matter. Decomposers are the recyclers of
something, either positive or negative, the environment.
about the area in which it lives. Frogs are
sensitive indicator species because: they Dorsolateral Folds/Lines these are lines of
live in two habitats, they have permeable raised glandular skin in an area between
skin (which allows substances to move the back and the sides; this is a common
relatively freely into its body), and their feature of true frogs.
tendency to absorb and concentrate
toxins in their fatty tissues. Ecosystem all the living and non-living things in
a certain area including air, soil, water,
Camouflage an animal's colouring or animals, and humans. A lake is an
patterning that helps it to blend in with example of an aquatic ecosystem.
the surroundings to help it hide. The
spots on a Leopard frog are a good
example of camouflage.
THE Frog FILES 121

GLOSSARY
Endangered when a population of plants or Food Web a linked series of food chains.
animals is so small, it is at risk of Organisms may feed on more than one
becoming extinct. organism and in turn may be eaten by many
other organisms. All these food chains are
Estivation a period of dormancy similar to linked to form a complex food web.
hibernation that frogs can enter during
extensive periods of heat or drought. Frog any member of the order Anura. Also, an
anuran that is smooth-skinned, long-
Explosive breeder a species in which the limbed and lives in water.
breeding season is very short but a great
number of offspring are potentially Froglet a young frog that has changed shape
produced. and is no longer a tadpole but is not yet
full grown.
External fertilization when the fusion of egg
and sperm occurs outside the female's Global Warming refers to an average increase
body. in the Earth's temperature, which in turn
causes changes in climate. A warmer
Extirpated a species that no longer exists in the Earth may lead to changes in rainfall
wild in Canada but is found elsewhere (in patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide
another country, or a zoo, for example). It range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and
is believed that the Northern Cricket Frog humans. When scientists talk about the
is extirpated from Canada. issue of climate change, they are
concerned about global warming caused
Fertilizers any of several substances or by human activities.
chemicals that humans apply to
encourage plant growth. Fertilizers added Habitat the place where an animal usually lives.
to crops may wash into nearby wetlands There are four basic components to
and result in an overproduction of plant habitat: food, space, shelter and water.
life in the ecosystem. Frogs generally use two habitats in their
lives-a wetland and a terrestrial
Food chain a series of living things that depend environment.
on each other for food energy. The chain
begins with a plant, which is eaten by an Herpetology the study of reptiles and
animal, which in turn is eaten by another amphibians. A herpetologist is a scientist
animal and so on. Each organism gets who studies reptiles and amphibians.
energy by eating the organism that comes
before it in the chain and gives energy Herbivore an organism that gets its energy from
(usually reduced) when eaten by the eating plants.
organism that comes after it. Dead animals
and waste products are broken down by Hibernate to spend the winter in a dormant
decomposers and the nutrients are released state. Toads hibernate in burrows they dig
to be used again by growing plants. into the soil.
Invertebrate animals without backbones, for

example, insects and worms.
122 THE Frog FILES

GLOSSARY
Larva (plural: larvae) the stage of life between Pesticide chemicals used to kill insects that eat
the hatched egg and the adult. It looks farmer's crops.
different than the adult and has a
different habitat than the adult. Tadpoles Population a group of organisms from the same
are frog larvae and their habitat is the species living in the same immediate area.
water.
Predator an animal that kills other animals for
Lifecycle the complete life history of an food. Skunks, snakes and fish are
organism from one stage (e.g.; the egg) examples of predators on frogs.
to the recurrence of that stage. The life
cycle of a frog is: Producer the plants in a food chain/ food web;
egg-->tapole-->froglet-->frog-->egg... organisms that derive their energy from
the sun.
Mammal a member of the Class Mammalia; defined
by features such as females that suckle their Prey an animal that is killed by another animal
offspring and the presence of body hair. for food. Mosquitoes, slugs and flies are
prey for frogs.
Mating season the time of year when animals
come together to breed; for frogs and Reptile cold-blooded, air breathing animals with
toads, this is typically during spring. scales or plates. Snakes, lizards, crocodiles
and turtles are all reptiles.
Metamorphosis a physical change or
transformation in body shape such as Spawn the jelly-covered clumps or strings of
when a tadpole changes into an adult eggs laid by a female frog.
frog.
Species a variety or type of animal; members of
Mucous a slippery, slimy substance that coats the same species look and behave much
the skin of many types of frogs or toads, the same and can inter-breed.
as well as other creatures such as slugs
and worms. It helps to prevent the skin Tadpole common name for the fish-shaped
from drying out and makes it slippery and larval stage of a frog's lifecycle; also
difficult for predators to grasp. known as a pollywog.
Parotid Gland a body part behind the ear or near Taxonomy the science of classification; the
the jaw. In toads it produces a foul-tasting or arrangement of animals and plants into
poisonous fluid for protection against groups based on their natural features.
enemies. In humans the parotid gland makes
saliva and swells up painfully with the Toad any stout-bodied, warty-skinned frog,
mumps. especially living away from water.
Permeable the word is used to describe Torpor a state of sluggishness or inactivity. Frogs
something, usually a membrane, which that overwinter in the bottom of ponds
allows the movement of molecules (gases such as Bullfrogs and Green Frogs do this
and/or liquids) through it. Frogs have while in torpor.
permeable skin.
Toxin a poisonous substance. The parotid gland
in toads make toxins.
THE Frog FILES 123

GLOSSARY
Tympanum another name for the eardrum. A

thin layer of skin located just behind the
eye of frogs and toads. Sound bounces
off the tympanum and the frog can hear
by feeling the vibrations.
Vocal sac flexible, balloon-like patches of skin; a

pair of pouches on each side of the male
frog's throat that swell up with air when
the male is calling. Howler monkeys also
have vocal sacs.
Ultraviolet pertains to the range of radiation

wavelengths, beyond violet in the
visible spectrum. UV rays have been
shown to reduce the hatching success
of frog eggs.
124 THE Frog FILES

Suggested Resources and Sources
TEACHING AIDS
Alberta’s Threatened Wildlife Teacher’s FIELD GUIDES

Guide, Grades K 1 2 3. Edmonton, Alberta
Environmental Protection, 1997. CONANT, STEBBINS et COLLINS. Peterson’s First
Field Guides : Reptiles and Amphibians. 1999.
CHANG, Maria L. Lifecycles : Butterflies,
Chicks, Frogs and More! Grades K-1. A good resource for junior naturalists
Scholastic, 1998. ISBN 0-590-68572-4
TYNING, Thomas F. Stokes Guide to
CONKLIN, Wendy. Thematic Unit : Frogs and Amphibians and Reptiles.
Toads (Primary). Westminster (Calif.), 2001.
An excellent field guide, and general information
NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION. Let’s Hear It resource
for Herps! New York, McGraw-Hill, 1998,
ISBN 0-07-047099-5.
CHILDREN’S BOOKS
OVEREND PRIOR, Jennifer. Amphibians and
Reptiles (Grades 1-3). The Education Centre, CLARKE, Barry. Amazing Frogs and Toads.
2000, ISBN 1-56234-365-3. Photos by Jerry Young. New York, Knopf,
distributed by Random House, 1990.
Teacher’s Guide for the Alberta Amphibian
Monitoring Program, Grades 5 and 6, 1999. Text and photographs introduce members of the
frog and toad world and describe their unique
A Thousand Friends of Frogs Educator characteristics
Activity Guide, Student Activities for K-12
Classrooms, Second Edition. Hamline University, COLE, Joanna. The Magic School Bus Hops
1998. Home : A Book about Animal Habitats.
Illustrated by Bruce Degen. Toronto, Scholastic,
1995, ISBN 05904841133
GENERAL REFERENCE BOOKS
When a bullfrog hops out of the classrom win-
HALLIDAY, Tim, and Craig ADLER. The dow, Ms. Frizzle and her students take a wild ride
Encyclopedia of Reptiles and Amphibians. from a frog’s eye view to learn about animal
New York, Facts on File Inc., 1986. habitats.
THE Frog FILES 125

SUGGESTED RESOURCES & SOURCES
HAWES, Judy. Spring Peepers. Illustrated by FUN SITES FOR KIDS

Graham Booth. New York, Crowell, 1975.
The Case of the Disappearing Frogs
Describes the physical characteristics and habits of www.aquarium.org/education/spotlight/
tree frogs, particularly the peeper whose song is a disappearingfrogs/corepage.htm
harbinger of spring.
The Froggy Page
LACEY, Elizabeth. The Complete Frog : A Guide http://netro.ajou.ac.kr/~lastfrog/frog/froggy.html
for the Very Young Naturalist. Illustrated by
Christopher Santoro. New York, Lothrop, Lee and The Somewhat Amusing World of Frogs
Shepard, 1989 . http://latham.dropbear.id.au/frogs/
Explores the world of the frog, examining its Exploratorium: Frogs: The Amazing,
physical characteristics, lifecycle, eating habits, Adaptable Frog
and place in fact and fiction. www.exploratorium.edu/frogs/index.html
LINLEY, Mike. Discovering Frogs and Toads.

Illustrated by Wendy Meadway. East Sussex, Eco-Kids Online Link to Frog Activities
Wayland, 1986. www.ecokidsonline.com/pub/eco_info/
browse_topics/wildlife.cfm
Describes the lifecycle, eating habits, habitat, and
defense tactics of different types of frogs and
toads. GOOD SITES FOR FROG SPECIES
RESEARCH
FICTION BOOKS CARCNET-Canadian Reptile and Amphibian

Conservation Network
LIONNI, Leo. A Color of His Own. Dragonfly http://eqb-dqe.cciw.ca/partners/carcnet/
Books. ISBN 0679887857 amphibianinfo.html
A look at colours through the experience of a Amphibians of Manitoba

resourceful chameleon that tries to find his own www.naturenorth.com/1np/Species/amphibian/1S
colour. pec-am.html
MAZER, Anne. The Salamander Room. Amphibians of Ontario

Illustrated by Steve Johnson. New York, Dragonfly www.torontozoo.com/adoptapond/aoo/aoo.html
Books, Alfred A. Knopf, 1994.
ISBN 069861874.
A boy finds a salamander in the woods and imag-

ines the many things he can do to turn his room
into a perfect salamander home.
126 THE Frog FILES

Pan-Canadian Curriculum Links
SCIENCE K-3
SOURCE:
Common Framework of Science Learning Outcomes.(Pan-Canadian Protocol for Collaboration on
School Curriculum.) Council of Ministries of Education
GENERAL LEARNING OUTCOMES | SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES | ACTIVITIES
KNOWLEDGE It is expected students will…
100 investigate objects and events 100-1 develop vocabulary and use 1.2, 2.1, 2.2
in their immediate environment, language to bring meaning to
and use appropriate language what is seen, felt, smelled,
to develop understanding and heard, tasted, and thought
to communicate results
100-3 detect consistency and pattern 2.1, 2.2
in objects and events and use lan-
guage to describe these patterns
100-4 observe and identify 1.2, 1.4, 2.1, 2.2
similarities and differences in
the needs of living things
100-5 describe different ways that 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 3.5
plants and animals meet their
needs
100-7 describe the different ways 1.2
that humans and other living
things move to meet their needs
100-8 identify and describe 1.2, 1.4
common characteristics of
humans and other animals, and
identify variations that make
each person and animal unique
100-15 compare the life cycles of 1.4, 2.1, 2.2
familiar animals and classify
them according to the similarities
and differences of their life cycles
100-16 describe changes in humans 1.4
as they grow, and contrast
human growth to that of other
organisms
100-25 investigate and describe 3.1
different patterns of movement
and identify factors that affect
movement
THE Frog FILES 127

CURRICULUM LINKS
101 demonstrate and describe ways 101-7 observe and describe changes 2.1, 2.2
of using materials and tools to in the appearance and activity of
help answer science questions an organism as it goes through
and to solve practical problems its life cycle
102 describe how science and 102-6 identify constant and 1.4, 2.1, 2.2
technology affect their lives and changing traits in organisms as
those of people and other living they grow and develop
things in their community
102-7 describe features of natural 2.1, 2.2
and human-made environments
that support the health and
growth of some familiar animals
SKILLS It is expected students will…
200 ask questions about objects 200-1 ask questions that lead to 0.1, 1.3, 1.4, 2.2, 2.4, 3.1, 3.3, 3.5,
and events in their immediate exploration and investigation 4.1
environment and develop ideas
200-3 make predictions based on 2.2, 2.5, 3.1, 3.3
about how those questions
an observed pattern
might be answered
201 observe and explore materials 201-1 follow a simple procedure 2.1, 3.1, 3.2
and events in their immediate where instructions are given one
environment and record the step at a time
results
201-4 observe, using one or a 3.5
combination of the senses
201-5 make and record relevant 1.4, 3.1
observations and measurements,
using written language, pictures,
and charts
201-6 estimate measurements 3.2
201-7 identify and use a variety of 3.1, 5.3
sources of science information
and ideas
201-8 follow given safety 3.1
procedures and rules and
explain why they are needed
202 identify patterns and order in 202-2 place materials and objects in 1.2, 2.2
objects and events studied a sequence or in groups accord-
ing to one or more attributes
202-9 identify new questions that 1.5, 3.5, 4.2
arise from what was learned
128 THE Frog FILES

CURRICULUM LINKS
203 work with others and share and 203-1 communicate questions, 3.1
communicate ideas about their ideas, and intentions while
explorations conducting their explorations
203-2 identify common objects and 0.2, 1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.6, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4,
events, using terminology and 2.5, 3.3, 4.2, 5.3
language that others understand
203-3 communicate procedures and 2.1, 2.2
results, using drawings,
demonstrations, and written and
oral descriptions
203-5 respond to the ideas and 0.2, 1.8, 2.4, 4.2
actions of others and
acknowledge their ideas and
contributions
ATTITUDES It is expected students will be encouraged to…
400 recognize the role and contribution of science in their understanding 0.2
of the world
401 show interest in and curiosity about objects and events within their 1.1, 3.1, 3.3, 3.5
immediate environment
402 willingly observe, question, and explore 1.1, 3.1, 3.3, 3.5
403 consider their observations and their own ideas when drawing a 2.5, 3.1, 3.3, 3.5
conclusion
404 appreciate the importance of accuracy 1.1, 3.2
405 be open-minded in their explorations 2.5
406 work with others in exploring and investigating 3.1, 4.2
407 be sensitive to the needs of other people, other living things, and the 0.2
local environment
408 show concern for their safety and that of others in carrying out 3.1
activities and using materials
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CURRICULUM LINKS
SCIENCE 4-6
SOURCE:
Common Framework of Science Learning Outcomes, K-12,
Pan-Canadian Protocol for Collaboration on School Curriculum, 1997.
STSE/KNOWLEDGE It is expected students will…
104 demonstrate that science and 104-1 demonstrate processes for 3.3
technology use specific investigating scientific questions
processes to investigate the and solving technological problems
natural and constructed world
104-6 demonstrate that specific 1.3, 1.7, 2.2, 2.3, 2.5, 3.3, 3.4, 5.1,
or to seek solutions to
terminology is used in science and 5.2, 5.3
practical problems
technology contexts
104-7 demonstrate the importance of 1.3, 1.7, 2.3, 2.5, 3.3, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2,
using the languages of science 5.3
and technology to communicate
ideas, processes, and results
104-8 demonstrate the importance of 1.3, 1.7, 2.3, 2.5, 3.3, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2,
using the languages of science 5.3
and technology to compare and
communicate ideas, processes,
and results
105 demonstrate that science and 105-1 identify examples of scientific 0.2, 5.1
technology develop over time questions and technological prob-
lems that are currently being studied
105-5 identify examples of scientific 5.1
knowledge that have developed as
a result of the gradual
accumulation of evidence
107 describe applications of science 107-10 identify women and men in 5.1
and technology that have devel- their community who work in
oped in response to human and science- and technology-related
environmental needs areas
108 describe positive and 108-1 identify positive and negative 0.2
negative effects that result effects of familiar technologies
from applications of science
108-3 describe how personal actions 0.2, 2.4, 5.1
and technology in their own
help conserve natural resources
lives, the lives of others, and
and care for living things and their
the environment
habitats
108-5 describe how personal actions 0.2, 2.4
help conserve natural resources
and protect the environment in
their region
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CURRICULUM LINKS
108-6 identify their own and their 2.4, 5.1

family's impact on natural
resources
108-7 describe the impact of school 0.2, 2.4
and community on natural
resources
108-8 describe the potential impact 0.2, 3.3, 5.1
of the use by humans of
regional natural resources
SKILLS It is expected students will…
204 ask questions about objects 204-1 propose questions to investigate 0.1, 3.1, 3.4
and events in the local and practical problems to solve
environment and develop plans
204-2 rephrase questions in a 3.1
to investigate those questions
testable form
204-3 state a prediction and a 3.1, 3.3, 3.4
hypothesis based on an
observed pattern of events
204-4 define objects and events in 3.4
their investigations
204-5 identify and control major 3.4
variables in their investigations
204-8 identify appropriate tools, 3.4
instruments, and materials to
complete their investigations
205 observe and investigate their 205-1 carry out procedures to 3.1, 3.4
environment and record the explore a given problem and to
results ensure a fair test of a proposed
idea, controlling major variables
205-3 follow a given set of procedures 1.3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.4, 5.2, 5.3
205-4 select and use tools for 3.2
measuring
205-5 make observations and col- 3.1, 3.4, 5.1
lect information that is relevant
to a given question or problem
205-7 record observations using a 3.4, 5.1
single word, notes in point form,
sentences, and simple diagrams
and charts
205-8 identify and use a variety of 3.1, 5.3
sources and technologies to
gather pertinent information
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206 interpret findings from 206-1 classify according to several 3.1, 3.3, 4.2, 5.3
investigations using appropriate attributes and create a chart or
methods diagram that shows the method
of classifying
206-2 compile and display data, by 5.1
hand or by computer, in a variety
of formats including frequency
tallies, tables, and bar graphs
206-3 identify and suggest 5.1
explanations for patterns and
discrepancies in data
206-4 evaluate the usefulness of 2.5
different information sources in
answering a given question
206-5 draw a conclusion, based on 3.1, 3.4
evidence gathered through
research and observation, that
answers an initial question
206-9 identify new questions or 3.1, 3.4, 4.2, 5.1
problems that arise from what
was learned
207 work collaboratively to carry 207-1 communicate questions, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 5.1
out science- related activities ideas, and intentions, and listen
and communicate ideas, to others while conducting
procedures, and results investigations
207-2 communicate procedures and 2.2, 3.4
results, using lists, notes in point
form, sentences, charts, graphs,
drawings, and oral language
207-3 work with team members to 0.2, 1.8, 2.4, 3.1, 3.4, 4.2, 5.1
develop and carry out a plan
207-4 ask others for advice or 5.1
opinions
207-6 work with group members to 3.4
evaluate the processes used in
solving a problem
KNOWLEDGE It is expected students will…
300 describe and compare 300-1 compare the external 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 1.8, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.3,
characteristics and properties of features and behavioural pat- 3.5, 5.2, 5.3
living things, objects, and mate- terns of animals that help them
rials thrive in different kinds of places
300-15 describe the role of a 1.7
common classification system
for living things
300-17 compare the characteristics 1.1, 1.3, 1.8, 2.5, 3.1, 3.4, 5.3
of mammals, birds, reptiles,
amphibians, and fishes
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301 describe and predict causes, 301-1 predict how the removal of a 3.3, 4.2, 5.1
effects, and patterns related to plant or animal population
change in living and non-living affects the rest of the community
things
301-2 relate habitat loss to the 0.1, 2.2, 2.4, 4.2,
endangerment or extinction of
plants and animals
301-15 compare the adaptations of 1.8, 3.1, 3.4
closely related animals living in
different parts of the world and
discuss reasons for any differences
302 describe interactions within 302-1 identify a variety of local and 2.4, 3.3, 4.1, 5.2
natural systems and the regional habitats and their associat-
elements required to maintain ed populations of plants and animals
these systems
302-2 describe how a variety of 2.4, 3.3, 3.4, 4.2
animals are able to meet their
basic needs in their habitat
302-3 classify organisms according 3.3, 4.2
to their role in a food chain
ATTITUDES It is expected students will be encouraged to…
409 appreciate the role and contribution of science and technology in their 0.1, 0.2, 5.1
understanding of the world
410 realize that the applications of science and technology can have both 0.2
intended and unintended effects
411 recognize that women and men of any cultural background can 5.1
contribute equally to science
412 show interest and curiosity about objects and events within different 1.1, 1.8, 2.5, 5.1
environments
413 willingly observe, question, explore, and investigate 1.1, 2.4, 3.1, 3.3, 3.4, 4.2, 5.1
414 show interest in the activities of individuals working in scientific and 5.1
technological fields
415 consider their own observations and ideas as well as those of others 3.1, 3.4, 4.2, 5.1
during investigations and before drawing conclusions
416 appreciate the importance of accuracy and honesty 1.1, 3.2, 3.4, 5.1, 5.3
417 demonstrate perseverance and a desire to understand 4.2, 5.1
418 work collaboratively while exploring and investigating 0.2, 1.8, 2.4, 3.1, 3.4, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2
419 be sensitive to and develop a sense of responsibility for the welfare of 0.2, 4.1, 5.1
other people, other living things, and the environment
420 show concern for their safety and that of others in planning and car- 3.1, 3.4, 5.1
rying out activities and in choosing and using materials
421 become aware of potential dangers 5.1
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LANGUAGE ARTS Kindergarten

SOURCE:
The Common Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts Kindergarten to Grade 12;
Western Canadian Protocol for Collaboration in Basic Education; 1998
1 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to explore thoughts, ideas, feelings,
and experiences.
1.1 DISCOVER AND EXPLORE Express Ideas 3.5

talk about personal experiences
2 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to comprehend and respond
personally and critically to oral, print, and other media texts.
2.1 USE STRATEGIES AND CUES Prior Knowledge 0.1

make connections between oral
language, texts, and personal
experiences
2.2 RESPOND TO TEXTS Experience Various Texts 0.1

participate in shared listening,
reading, and viewing experiences,
using texts from a variety of
genres [such as picture books,
fairy tales, rhymes, stories,
photographs, illustrations, video
programs] and cultural traditions
2.3 UNDERSTAND FORMS AND Forms and Genres 2.1

TECHNIQUES distinguish between what is
realistic and imaginary in a variety
of texts
Experiment with Language 2.1
appreciate the sounds and
rhythms of language [such as
nursery rhymes, personal songs...]
3 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to manage ideas and information.
3.1 PLAN AND FOCUS Use Personal Knowledge 0.1

discuss personal knowledge
of a topic
Ask Questions 0.1
ask questions to satisfy personal
curiosity and information needs
Participate in Group Inquiry 0.1
ask and answer questions to
help satisfy group curiosity and
information needs
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3.2 SELECT AND PROCESS Identify Personal and Peer 0.1

Knowledge
identify self and others as
sources of information
Identify Sources 0.1
seek information from others
[such as people at school, at
home, in the community]
Evaluate Sources 0.1
compare gathered ideas and
information to personal
knowledge
4 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to enhance the clarity
and artistry of communication.
4.4 PRESENT AND SHARE Attentive Listening and Viewing 0.1

demonstrate active listening and
viewing behaviours [such as
showing attentive facial expres-
sion, keeping respectful silence]
5 Students will listen, speak, read, write, view, and represent to celebrate and build community.
5.1 ENCOURAGE, SUPPORT, AND Cooperate with Others 1.2

WORK WITH OTHERS participate in group activities
Work in Groups 1.2
demonstrate attentiveness in
group activities
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LANGUAGE ARTS Grade 1

SOURCE:
and experiences.
1.1 DISCOVER AND EXPLORE Express Ideas 1.2, 1.5, 3.5

talk about personal experiences
and familiar events
Consider Others Ideas 1.2
listen to and acknowledge
experiences and feelings shared
by others

make connections between
texts, prior knowledge, and
personal experiences
Textual Cues 1.5
use textual cues [such as pic-
tures, patterns, rhymes] to con-
struct and confirm meaning

participate in shared listening,
reading, and viewing experi-
ences, using texts from a variety
of genres [such as poems, books
with recurring language patterns,
cartoons] and cultural traditions

TECHNIQUES recognize a variety of forms of
texts [such as poetry, plays,
storytelling by elders, video
programs, cartoons]
appreciate repetition, rhyme,
and rhythm in shared language
experiences [such as action
songs, word play...]
136 THE Frog FILES

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3.1 PLAN AND FOCUS Use Personal Knowledge 0.1, 1.4

discuss personal knowledge of a
topic to discover information
needs
Ask Questions 0.1
ask questions to satisfy personal
curiosity on a topic and discuss
information needs
Participate in Group Inquiry 0.1
ask and answer questions to help
satisfy group curiosity and infor-
mation needs on a specific topic

Knowledge
identify and share personal
knowledge related to
experiences
recognize when information
answers the questions asked
4.3 ATTEND TO CONVENTIONS Spelling 1.5

use sound-symbol relationships
and visual memory to spell
familiar words according to
Canadian spelling conventions

demonstrate active listening and
viewing behaviours [such as
giving non-verbal encourage-
ment, asking questions...]
5.1 ENCOURAGE, SUPPORT, AND Cooperate with Others 1.2, 1.4

WORK WITH OTHERS work in partnerships and groups
Work in Groups 1.4
take turns sharing information
and ideas
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SOURCE:
and experiences.
1.1 DISCOVER AND EXPLORE Express Ideas 1.4, 1.5, 3.5

make and talk about personal
observations

make connections between
texts, prior knowledge, and
personal experiences
Textual Cues 1.5, 2.3
use textual cues [such as story
patterns, titles] to construct and
confirm meaning

engage in a variety of shared and
independent listening, reading,
and viewing experiences,
choosing texts from a variety of
genres [such as legends, video
programs, fables, riddles] and
cultural traditions

TECHNIQUES recognize that information and
ideas can be expressed in a
variety of forms of texts [such as
poetry, articles, stories, songs,
films]
demonstrate interest in the
sounds of words and word
combinations in pattern books,
poems, songs, and oral and
visual presentations
138 THE Frog FILES

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record personal knowledge of a
topic to identify information
needs
Ask Questions 0.1
ask questions to understand a
topic and identify information
needs

Knowledge
participate in group talk to
generate information on a topic
and to identify sources of
additional information
match information to inquiry or
research needs
4.3 ATTEND TO CONVENTIONS Spelling 1.5, 2.3

spell familiar words according to
Canadian spelling conventions
using a variety of strategies and
resources [such as visual memo-
ry, personal dictionaries, class-
room charts, help from others]

demonstrate attentive audience
behaviours [such as asking
relevant questions]
5.1 ENCOURAGE, SUPPORT, AND Cooperate with Others 1.2, 1.4

WORK WITH OTHERS work in a variety of partnership
and group structures
Work in Groups 1.4
contribute related ideas and
information in whole-class and
small-group activities
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SOURCE:
and experiences.
1.1 DISCOVER AND EXPLORE Express Ideas 1.4, 1.5

describe personal observations, experi-
ences, and feelings

make connections between texts, prior
knowledge, and personal experiences
Comprehension Strategies 0.1
set a purpose for listening, reading, and
viewing; make and confirm predictions,
inferences, and conclusions; reread to
check meaning
use syntactic, semantic, graphophonic,
and pragmatic cues [such as word order
and punctuation period, question mark,
exclamation mark, apostrophe, and
quotation marks; highfrequency sight
words; structural analysis to identify pre-
fixes, suffixes, compound words,
contractions, singular and plural words,
context ] to construct and confirm word
meaning in context

choose a variety of oral, print, and other
media texts from a variety of genres [such
as non-fiction, chapter books, novels,
short stories] and cultural traditions for
shared and independent listening, reading,
and viewing experiences
2.3 UNDERSTAND FORMS AND Create Original Texts 0.2

TECHNIQUES create original texts [such as puppet plays,
dramatizations, tableaux, visual art,
personal narratives] to communicate and
demonstrate understanding of forms and
techniques
140 THE Frog FILES

CURRICULUM LINKS

use self-questioning to determine
personal knowledge of a topic and
identify information needs
Ask Questions 0.1
ask topic-appropriate questions
to identify information needs

Knowledge record and share personal
knowledge of a topic
review information to determine its
usefulness to inquiry or research needs
4.3 ATTEND TO CONVENTIONS Spelling 1.5

know and apply conventional Canadian
spelling patterns using a variety of strategies
and resources [such as phonics, structural
analysis, junior dictionaries, electronic
spell-check functions, visual memory] when
editing and proofreading
4.4 PRESENT AND SHARE Effective Oral and Visual Communication 0.2
select and use appropriate volume,
expression, and non-verbal cues in
presentations; use physical stance and ges-
tures to enhance communication
Attentive Listening and Viewing 0.1, 0.2
demonstrate appropriate audience behaviours
[such as showing enjoyment and appreciation]
5.1 ENCOURAGE, SUPPORT, AND Cooperate with Others 0.2, 1.3, 1.4
WORK WITH OTHERS cooperate in small groups
Work in Groups 0.2, 1.4
ask others for their ideas and express interest
in their contributions
Use Language to Show Respect 0.2
show consideration for those whose ideas,
abilities, and language use differ from own
Evaluate Group Process 0.2
understand how class members help each
other
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SOURCE:
and experiences.

describe and reflect upon personal
observations and experiences to reach
tentative conclusions
3.4
Consider Others Ideas
explore connections between a variety of
insights, ideas, and responses
1.2 CLARIFY AND EXTEND Develop Understanding 3.4

connect new information and
experiences with prior knowledge to
construct meaning in different contexts
Explain Opinions 3.4
express new concepts and understanding
in own words and explain their importance
Extend Understanding 3.4
reflect on ideas and experiences to clarify
and extend understanding

make and record connections between
personal experiences, prior knowledge,
and a variety of texts
Comprehension Strategies 0.1, 5.2
confirm or reject inferences, predictions, or
conclusions based on textual information;
check and confirm understanding by rereading
use textual cues [such as headings and sub-
headings, story elements, key ideas in expo-
sition] to construct and confirm meaning

experience texts from a variety of genres
[such as personal narratives, plays, adven-
ture stories, mysteries] and cultural tradi-
tions; share responses to a variety of texts
142 THE Frog FILES

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2.3 UNDERSTAND FORMS AND Vocabulary 1.7, 2.3

TECHNIQUES expand knowledge of words and word
relationships [including homonyms,
antonyms, and synonyms] using a variety
of sources [such as print and electronic
dictionaries, thesauri, people...]
Create Original Texts 0.2, 3.4
create original texts [such as murals,
scripts for short plays, descriptive stories,
charts] to communicate and demonstrate
understanding of forms and techniques

categorize personal knowledge of a topic
to determine information needs
Ask Questions 0.1
ask general and specific questions on
topics using predetermined categories
3.2 SELECT AND PROCESS Identify Personal and Peer Knowledge 0.1
record, select, and share personal knowl-
edge of a topic to focus inquiry or research
assess the usefulness of information for
inquiry or research needs using
pre-established criteria
Access Information 5.3
use a variety of tools [such as indices,
maps, atlases, charts, glossaries, typo-
graphical features, card or electronic
catalogues, dictionaries] to access infor-
mation and ideas; use visual and auditory
cues to identify important information
3.3 ORGANIZE, RECORD, AND Develop New Understanding 0.1

EVALUATE use gathered information and questions
to review and add to knowledge;
consider new questions regarding the
inquiry or research process and content

know and apply Canadian spelling
conventions using a variety of strategies
and resources [such as structural analysis,
syllabication, dictionaries...] and spelling
patterns when editing and proofreading
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4.4 PRESENT AND SHARE Share Ideas and Information 2.4

prepare and share information on a topic
using print and non-print aids to engage
and inform a familiar audience
Effective Oral and Visual Communication 0.2, 2.4
describe and explain information and
ideas to a particular audience; select and
use appropriate volume, intonation, and
non-verbal cues
Attentive Listening and Viewing 0.1, 0.2, 2.4, 2.5
demonstrate appropriate audience
behaviours [such as listening to opposing
opinions, disagreeing respectfully,
expressing opinions]
5.1 ENCOURAGE, SUPPORT, Cooperate with Others 0.2, 1.3, 2.4, 3.4, 4.2, 5.2
AND WORK WITH OTHERS appreciate that everyone in a group has
to work together to achieve group tasks,
and act accordingly
Work in Groups 0.2, 2.4, 3.4, 4.2
take roles and share responsibilities as a
group member
appreciate variations in language use in a
variety of contexts in the immediate
community
show appreciation and offer constructive
feedback to peers and seek support from
group members
144 THE Frog FILES

CURRICULUM LINKS

SOURCE:
and experiences.

use personal experiences as a basis for
exploring and expressing opinions and
understanding
seek others viewpoints to build on
personal responses and understanding

use prior knowledge and experiences
selectively to make sense of new
information in a variety of contexts
appraise ideas for clarity and ask
extending questions

describe and build upon connections
between previous experiences, prior
knowledge, and a variety of texts
use a variety of comprehension strategies
[such as setting a purpose, asking ques-
tions, inferring, confirming or rejecting pre-
dictions and conclusions]; confirm under-
standing and self-correct when necessary
use textual cues [such as key ideas,
sequence of major events, table of
contents, glossaries] to construct and
confirm meaning

experience texts from a variety of genres
[such as historical fiction, myths,
biographies] and cultural traditions;
explain preferences for particular types of
a variety of texts
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2.3 UNDERSTAND FORMS AND Create Original Texts 0.2,3.4

TECHNIQUES create original texts [such as journals,
posters combining print and art,
dioramas, travelogues] to communicate
and demonstrate understanding of
forms and techniques

summarize personal knowledge of a
topic in categories to determine
information needs
Ask Questions 0.1
formulate general and specific questions
to identify information needs
record personal knowledge of a topic
and collaborate to generate information
for inquiry or research
use a variety of tools [such as chapter
headings, encyclopedia guide words] to
access information and ideas; use visual
and auditory cues [such as graphics,
voice-overs, scene changes, body lan-
guage, background music...] to identify
key ideas

EVALUATE assess knowledge gained through the
inquiry or research process; form
personal conclusions and generate new
questions for further inquiry or research

conventions using a variety of strategies
[such as structural analysis,
syllabication...] and spelling patterns
when editing and proofreading; predict
the spelling of unfamiliar words using a
variety of resources to confirm
correctness
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prepare and share information on a topic
using print, audio-visual, and dramatic
forms to engage the audience
Effective Oral and Visual Communication 2.4
use gestures and facial expression to
enhance oral presentations; use
emphasis and appropriate pacing;
arrange presentation space to focus
audience attention
show respect for the presenter through
active listening and viewing behaviours
[such as giving polite feedback,
responding to the speakers gestures,
showing attentive body language]
5.1 ENCOURAGE, SUPPORT, Cooperate with Others 0.2, 1.3, 1.8, 2.4, 3.4, 4.2,
AND WORK WITH OTHERS distinguish between on-task and off-task 5.2
ideas and behaviours in a group, and
stay on task
Work in Groups 0.2, 2.4, 3.4, 4.2
assume the responsibilities for various
group roles
demonstrate sensitivity to appropriate
language use when communicating
orally
assess group process using checklists,
and determine areas for development
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SOURCE:
and experiences.

engage in exploratory communication to
share personal responses and discover
own interpretations
select from others ideas and
observations to develop thinking and
understanding

reflect on prior knowledge and experi-
ences to arrive at new understanding
appraise ideas for clarity and ask extend-
ing questions; select from others
experiences and ideas to extend ways of
knowing the world

seek connections between previous
experiences, prior knowledge, and a
variety of texts
use comprehension strategies [such as
asking questions, making notes, adjusting
reading rate] appropriate to the type of
text and purpose [such as summarizing,
outlining, remembering ideas, responding
personally]
use textual cues [such as organizational
structures of narrative and expository
texts, headings, glossaries] to construct
and confirm meaning
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CURRICULUM LINKS

seek opportunities to experience texts from
a variety of genres [such as autobiographies,
travelogues, comics] and cultural traditions;
explain preferences for a variety of texts
2.3 UNDERSTAND FORMS AND Create Original Texts 0.2, 3.4

TECHNIQUES create original texts [such as short
stories, news broadcasts, poems, video
presentations, readers theatre] to
communicate and demonstrate
understanding of forms and techniques

summarize and focus personal
knowledge of a topic to determine infor-
mation needs
Ask Questions 0.1
formulate relevant questions to focus
information needs
recall, record, and organize personal and
peer knowledge of a topic for inquiry or
research
use a variety of tools [such as
bibliographies, thesauri, technology...] to
access information and ideas; use visual and
auditory cues [such as captions, intonation,
staging] to identify relevant information

EVALUATE relate gathered information to prior
knowledge to reach conclusions or
develop points of view; establish goals
for developing further inquiry or research
skills

conventions using appropriate strategies
[including structural analysis and syllabica-
tion] and spelling patterns when editing
and proofreading; use a variety of resources
to determine the spelling of common
exceptions to conventional spelling patterns
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share information on a topic with class
members in a planned and focused
group session using a variety of
strategies [such as interactive dialogues,
demonstrations, dramatizations, audio-
visual and artistic representations]
Effective Oral and Visual Communication 2.4
use appropriate volume, phrasing,
intonation, non-verbal cues [such as
body language, facial expression...], and
presentation space to enhance
communication
demonstrate critical listening and
viewing behaviours [such as recognizing
main idea and details, identifying
inference...] and show respect for the
presenter [such as giving nonverbal
encouragement, responding to
emotional aspects of the presentation...]
5.1 ENCOURAGE, SUPPORT, Cooperate with Others 0.2, 1.3, 1.8, 2.4, 3.4, 4.2,5.2
AND WORK WITH OTHERS assist group members to maintain focus
and complete tasks
Work in Groups 0.2, 2.4, 3.4, 4.2
select and assume roles to assist in the
achievement of group goals
demonstrate sensitivity to appropriate
language use and tone when
communicating orally
assess own contributions to group
process, set personal goals for enhancing
work with others, and monitor group
process using checklists
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MATHEMATICS K-6
SOURCE:
The Common Curriculum Framework for K-12 Mathematics; Western Canadian Protocol for
Collaboration in Basic Education; 1995
Kindergarten
No activities applicable.
Grade 1
GENERAL OUTCOMES | SPECIFIC OUTCOMES | ACTIVITIES
STRAND: Statistics and Probability (Data Analysis)

Students will collect, display and analyze data to make predictions about a population.
Collect, organize and describe, with 1. Collect, with guidance, first-hand 1.4
guidance, data based on first-hand information by counting objects,
information. conducting surveys, measuring and
performing simple experiments.
Grade 2
STRAND: Shape and Space (Measurement)

Students will describe and compare everyday phenomena, using either direct or indirect measurement..
Estimate, measure and compare, 2. Select the most appropriate standard 1.4, 3.2
using standard units for length and unit (cm, dm, m) to measure a length.
primarily nonstandard units for
3. Estimate, measure, record, compare and 1.4, 3.2
other measures.
order objects by length, height and distance
around, using standard units (cm, dm, m).
Grade 3

Estimate, measure and compare, 1. Select the most appropriate standard 1.4, 3.2
using whole numbers and primarily unit, including km, to measure length.
standard units of measure.
3. Estimate, measure, record, compare and 1.4, 3.2
order objects by length, height and
perimeter, using standard units.
9. Estimate, measure, record, compare and 1.4
order the mass (weight) of objects, using
standard units (g, kg).
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Grade 4

Estimate, measure and compare, 2. Select the most appropriate standard unit 3.2
using decimal numbers and stan- to measure length.
dard units of measure.
4. Estimate, measure, record, compare and 3.2
order objects by length, height, perimeter
and circumference, using standard units.
Grade 5 & 6
No activities applicable.
152 THE Frog FILES

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AN EDUCATOR’S GUIDE TO FROGS

Frog on, Friends.

THE Frog FILES 3

Terra Brie Stewart Koval, B.Sc.

4 THE Frog FILES

BIOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION......................................................................................................19

REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................47

BEHAVIOUR AND ADAPTATION ......................................................................................................65

THE Frog FILES 5

FROGS AND HUMANS ....................................................................................................................93

PAN-CANADIAN CURRICULUM LINKS ..........................................................................................127

6 THE Frog FILES

THE Frog FILES 7

BIOLOGY AND CLASSIFICATION

REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT

BEHAVIOUR AND ADAPTATION

FROGS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENT

FROGS AND HUMANS

THE ACTIVITIES ARE ORGANIZED INTO

8 THE Frog FILES

The Amazing World of Frogs Activity 0.1

BACKGROUND INFORMATION TYPE OF ACTIVITY

THE Frog FILES 9

The Amazing World of Frogs

EVOLUTION AND AMPHIBIANS: THE BEGINNING

REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

FROGS: MASTERS OF ADAPTATION

10 THE Frog FILES

FUN AND FASCINATING FROG FACTS

FROGS AROUND THE WORLD

FROGS AND YOU

THE DEMISE OF A FROGGY FRIEND

THE Frog FILES 11

12 THE Frog FILES

❍ skin ❍ gills ❍ lungs ❍ snorkel

❍ snakes ❍ caecilians ❍ salamanders ❍ toads

❍ warm-blooded ❍ good dancers ❍ cold-blooded ❍ five-toed

❍ Elephant Frog ❍ African Bullfrog ❍ Cuban Tree Frog ❍ Wood Frog

❍ food ❍ anatomy class ❍ perfumes ❍ dart poison

❍ North America ❍ Asia ❍ Antarctica ❍ South America

❍ staying in water ❍ burrowing ❍ drinking hot tea ❍ freezing

Activity 0.2 The 10th Annual Canadian

CURRICULUM LINKS K-2 ADAPTATION

14 THE Frog FILES

Leonard the Leopard Frog

(Everyone claps hands and croaks a bit more.)

Clementine: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!! I sure like to scrEEEEEEEEEEEEam! Keeps those pesky predators

THE Frog FILES 15

16 THE Frog FILES

(Everyone start croaking and ribbiting as a "chorus" of frog calls).

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GENERAL DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF FROG FAMILIES IN CANADA*

If it has a tail… Tailed Frog

If it has two lines down its back… True Frog

If it has specialized toepads for climbing… Tree Frog

If it has warty skin and poison glands… Toad

*Remember there are always exceptions to every generalization.