TARGET AGE LEVEL: 5th Grade, one class period
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of the lesson, students
will be able to:
1. Identify the main characteristics of amphibians.
2. Trace the main stages in the life cycle of a
frog.
CONCEPTS/STANDARDS ADDRESSED:
identify, trace, describe
MATERIALS:
Science Textbook
Overhead projector with frog life cycle transparencies
Frog Life Cycle comic strip
MOTIVATOR/ANTICIPATORY SET: Students will gather in their respective groups for this lesson. Ask the students to name some animals that live in more than one place. List responses on the board. Ask if any of these animals live in both water and on land. Circle these names. Explain that the students will study some of these animals in this lesson.
PROCEDURE/KEY DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. We will read as a class page 61 in the text and
discuss the fact that amphibians are more complex animals than fish. Like
fish, amphibians share common characteristics. What are the common characteristics?
(cold-blooded vertebrates; live part of their life on land and part in
water; have moist, slimy skin with no scales; adult breathe through lungs.)
2. Have students compare the structures and general
shapes of the amphibians in the pictures. (bullfrog, toad, salamander).
3. Discuss with students that amphibians, like other
living things, need oxygen to stay alive. Review the fact that fish get
oxygen from water by means of gills, but most amphibians get oxygen in
a different way. How do most amphibians get oxygen? (They breathe through
lungs and also get oxygen through their skin). Which amphibian does not
have lungs? (mudpuppy)
4. Using the overhead projector, use transparencies
to illustrate the life cycle of the frog. Identify each stage and the characteristics
of each of the three stages (eggs, tadpole, frog). Have students take notes
on the back of their comic strip sheet they will do for homework. Refer
to the drawing in the text as a guide.
CLOSURE: Review the main characteristics of amphibians. (Cold-blooded vertebrates that have moist, slimy skin and spend part of their life on water and part on land.)
ASSESSMENT: Students will be assessed by their participation
in class and their cooperation within their groups. Their homework assignment
will be to create a comic strip illustrating
the life cycle of a frog (which will integrate art).