Frog Life Cycle

The Tadpoles and Frog are made with the “fold: technique and the eggs are made using the “ball” technique. However, students can use any techniques they find helpful to create their life cycle models.

Area of Study: Fine Arts, Language Arts, Science, Fine Motor Skills. Ages 5 & Up.

Objective: Students demonstrate an understanding of the frog life cycle.

Materials:

Wikki Stix (green and black or dark blue)
Playboard or white board (Playboard is part of the Wikki Stix Activity Set)
Teacher’s instructional white board and white board marker
Paper or science journal and pencil for each student
Scissors

Differentiating Instruction Tips:

Prior Knowledge Assessments Independent Student Prior Knowledge Assessment

Teacher writes “1, 2, 3, 4, 5” on the instructional white board. Ask the students to write all five parts of the life cycle on their papers or in their science journals independently (not in groups). Hide any posters or models demonstrating the life cycle before your prior knowledge assessment. That way when you look over their answers you will be able to design your instruction based upon their prior knowledge. You will also be able to provide additional books and access to supervised, on-line, approved resources students will find helpful. After dismissing the students, review their answers. If the student knows all 5 life cycles of the frog write a note on her paper asking her to choose another life cycle to study, such as the butterfly, bettle, mammal, flowering plant or reptile. Tell the student to write each cycle she knows before getting started, and show it to you. Then, you know that she needs to learn more about that particular life cycle. Keep all of your prior knowledge assessments. Do not send the prior knowledge assessments home. You may want to keep the prior knowledge assessment as well as the finished work (or a photo of the finished work) to share during parent/teacher conferences. Doing this will allow parents to understand how you are differentiating instruction based upon their child’s prior knowledge.

Group Prior Knowledge Assessment and Introduction to Lesson

Complete a K-W-L chart with your students as you introduce and complete the lesson. Students write the K-W-L chart on their papers or in their science journals and use it to help guide their research. Ask the students if they know the life cycle of a frog. Once again, Put away any posters or models you have of the life cycle before you ask. (If a student already knows the life cycle of the frog they will see the note you wrote in their notebook about choosing another life cycle to study, such as a butterfly, bettle, flowering plant or mammal.)
Learning will be differentiated as students take notes on their research, report their findings to the class, and then create the life cycle of a frog (or other life cycle). Provide additional books, magazines and access to approved, supervised on-line resources.

Student Instructions to Make the Life Cycle:

1. Use the Wikki Stix to write “Frog Life Cycle” towards the top of the playboard or white board.
2. Create the eggs, tadpole, tadpole with legs, tadpole with legs & lungs, and adult frog.
3. Cut and press green Wikki Stix inside the box to create grass.

Instructions for Each Life Cycle:

Eggs – white of egg (ball), black center of egg (ball cut so small it’s really just a small dot).
Tadpole – body & head, cut one string in half. Then, (fold) one string in half. Use scissors to cut the ends of the tail to make it taper, white of eyes (small ball), dark center of eyes (very small ball).
Tadpole with Legs – body & head, (fold) two strings in half two times. Use scissors to cut the ends of the tail to make it taper. Pull two Wikki Stix towards the tail forward to make the back legs. Pull two Wikki Stix near the head to make the front legs, white of eyes (small ball) dark center (very small ball)
Tadpole with Lungs – Follow the directions for the Tadpole with legs, but use three Wikki Stix folded in half two times to make it larger.
Adult Frog – Use three Wikki Stix folded in half two times. Follow the directions for the Tadpole with Lungs. Then, cut off the tail. (You will be cutting off excess green Wikki Stix, as you make the legs and tails. Keep the excess and use it. You may need extra green Wikki Stix if you want the tadpole, tadpole with legs, tadpole with lungs and frog to be one color green. If you purchase the Wikki Stix Activity Set you can use light green for the tadpole and tadpole with legs. Then, use the darker green for the tadpole with lungs and frog. You can also combine light green and dark green for a tadpole or frog.