Date: July 31, 1996
Grade Level(s): 2
Subject(s):
Theme: The theme of this unit, "Frogs," is especially appropriate for children at this level because they are fascinated with animals and are often highly motivated to explore their immediate environment. The unit can be adapted for children at other primary and lower intermediate grade levels. It is assumed that the children will be acquainted with their local environment and that they have previously had some introductory study of their local neighborhood.
The overall purpose of this interdisciplinary, thematic unit of study is to help young children learn more about the metamorphosis and development of an amphibian species as they become involved in a number of interdisciplinary lessons and activities over a three or four week period. The lessons and activities of the unit are specifically designed to help the children to develop related concepts as they gain an appreciation of ways frogs help our environment. The children will also have experiences in caring for animals, and they will have opportunities to express themselves through creative work in art, music, and movement activities.
Method of involving students in selecting a title:
The children can suggest possible titles in class, or they can be encouraged to write their title suggestions and place them in a suggestion box. The suggestions will then be reviewed by the class, and one title will be selected by a vote.
A small group of children will be selected to create a banner on which the title will be written for display in the classroom.
Content:
To help children broaden their concepts of living things as they learn more about the metamorphosis and development of frogs.
To help children develop an understanding of the basic needs of animals through the study and care of tadpoles as they develop into adult frogs.
Attitudinal:
To help children appreciate the contributions and importance of frogs to the environment.
To help children broaden their understanding of other cultures.
Process:
To provide children with direct observational experiences.
To provide the children with opportunities to create stories, art, and music, and to express their feelings through movement and dance.
Note: This section of the unit plan lists the disciplinary areas and provides brief statements of ideas for the lessons and activities to be included in the unit. The list has been prepared from a graphic web--which is not duplicated here. If desired, the web can be reconstructed by:
1) writing the theme, "Frogs," in the center of a blank page;
2) circling the theme with the names of the disciplines listed below;
3) writing each activity and lesson idea so that it radiates out from its related discipline;
4) drawing interconnecting lines among the various ideas and disciplines to indicate that the activities and lessons are interdisciplinary and to show how they relate to one another.
Art:
Have the children sketch the changes they observe as they watch tadpoles develop throughout the study.
Have children sketch different kinds of frogs in their local environment and those found in the various learning materials they explore.
Help children to prepare a mural from sketches of their observations.
Language Arts:
Provide a display of resource books and children's literature having frogs as a theme.
Read Frogs, by Gail Gibbons, to the class. (Use a directed listening approach.)
Write creative stories having frogs as main characters.
Mathematics:
Prepare a chart or graph showing children's observations of the stages of growth of their tadpoles.-
Have children predict how many of their tadpoles will develop into adult frogs. Match predictions with results at the conclusion of the study.
Movement/Dance:
Develop an exercise or dance that encourages the children to use their arms and legs to show movements of frogs.
Music:
Teach the children songs having frogs as a theme.
Encourage children to write their own songs about frogs.
Science:
Grow tadpoles in an observational learning center.
View pictures of different kinds of frogs in CD-ROM encyclopedias and other science software.
Show the internet program on virtual frog dissection.
View a video tape or film showing the stages of development from eggs to mature adult frogs. -
Have children observe and imitate through movement activities the ways frogs move.
Listen to tape recordings of frog sounds to identify different kinds of frogs.
Social Studies:
Show a media presentation that discusses the large population of frogs in Arizona.
Locate Arizona on a map of the United States.
Read information to children that indicates some cultures eat frogs legs as a
delicacy.
Help children locate the countries read about on a world map.
(Note that only the introductory lesson for the unit is presented here. Other activities and lesson plans indicated in the unit plan design (above) are explained in greater detail following the introductory lesson plan in the "Descriptions of Other Lessons and Activities.")
The initial lesson involves directed viewing of a video tape or film on the metamorphosis of tadpoles. This first lesson in the unit is designed to introduce the new unit to the children and to prepare them for their study of frogs.
To promote interest in the study of frogs.
To prepare the children for observing the development and metamorphosis of frogs in a classroom learning center.
Estimated Time: 30 - 40 minutes
After viewing a film on the metamorphosis of tadpoles--from eggs to adult frogs--the children will list the major changes reviewed in the film.
General instructional materials, equipment, and background information for the teacher:
Encylopedias:
Encarta Encyclopedia (latest revision) CD-ROM Grolier Encyclopedia (latest revision) CD-ROM
Internet resources of particular interest:
In preparation for this lesson, obtain tadpoles in advance. Be sure to arrange for adequate space to hold a tank with the tadpoles. The tank will be set up following this introductory lesson.
-Ask if anyone has ever seen or caught a tadpole. (Some of the children may while others will not have seen tadpoles.)
-Ask the children what they think tadpoles look like. (Responses may include the idea that tadpoles are small, that they have long tails and large eyes.)
-Ask how big or how long children think tadpoles are? (Children may estimate that tadpoles are small, about the size of a finger, the eraser on a pencil.)
-Ask the children if they know what happens to tadpoles as they grow. (Some children will know that the tadpoles develop into frogs; others may not know.)
-In the film, we learned about what tadpoles need in order to grow. What are some of the things you remember from the film? (Responses should include adequate water, air and algae for food. As the children respond, list their contributions on a chart. Later, the chart will be posted next to the tadpole tank.)
-What happened to the tadpoles as they grew? (This question will test the behavioral objective of the lesson. The children should have observed that eggs developed into tadpoles, that the tadpoles developed legs, their tails became shorter and disappeared, and that the tadpoles became frogs.)
The following descriptions expand on the ideas mentioned above in the "Design of the Unit Plan." These descriptions will be helpful in constructing complete lesson plans. The descriptions include specific information about each lesson or activity idea and suggest its main purposes in the unit.
Art:
The class will go on an excursion to a stream, pond, or other local body of water to look for different the kinds of frogs found in their environment. They will make colored sketches of the frogs they see while at the site, and the sketches will later be transferred to a large mural. The purpose of this activity is for the children to learn to identify frogs common in their environment and to provide an opportunity for them to practice their cooperative grouping skills as they create a mural to summarize what they have observed.
Language Arts:
Read the book, Frogs , by Gail Gibbons. As the children listen to the book and examine the pictures, they will be able to see the various parts of tadpoles and mature frogs. This directed listening experience will provide another opportunity for the children to observe the change process and also to learn what tadpoles and frogs need in order to live. The activity will also serve to develop the children's listening skills. The story will review and help to reinforce the developmental process from tadpoles in mature frogs.
Have the children write stories with frogs as the main characters. The children should be encouraged to be unique and creative in their writing. The purpose of this exercise is to have the children experience writing as a positive, creative, and enjoyable way to express their ideas.
Mathematics:
Once the tadpoles and tank have been set up, have the children predict how many of the tadpoles will develop into adult frogs. After the metamorphosis, match the children's predictions with the actual results. The purpose of this activity is to engage the children's interest in the development of the frogs and to provide them with an opportunity to apply prediction--a useful mathematics application at the synthesis level.
As the children observe the tadpoles developing into frogs, have them construct a chart showing the stages they observe. The chart should also indicate how long each stage took. The purpose of this graphing activity is to show the children how they can use a graph to show observed changes.
Movement/Dance:
Have the children observe the movement of frogs in films, video tapes, in the environment, and in the learning center as their tadpoles mature. The purpose of this activity is to provide a direct observational experience and to prepare the children for a creative dance exercise.
After watching the movements of frogs, the children will be asked to contribute to creating a dance exercise. Movements will include both arms and legs. The purpose of this activity is to provide the children with an enjoyable, healthful exercise related to the unit theme.
Music:
Work cooperatively with the school music teacher to teach some children's songs having frogs as a theme. The songs can be sung occasionally in the classroom.
Encourage the children to make up songs of their own about frogs. Some children may want to teach their songs to the class, so some time will need to be allocated for this activity. The purpose of the music activities is to provide children who find music a helpful way of learning with the opportunity to use it as a way of learning and knowing more about this theme.
Science:
Provide CD-ROM versions of encyclopedias or other science software that include information about frog development. In small groups, help the children to navigate to information about frogs and to view the movements of frogs that are shown in the software. The children will discover that there are numerous types of frogs in the world through this computer-based activity. As a follow-up activity, children will listen to audio tape recordings of different frog sounds and attempt to decipher which sound goes with each type of frog. The purpose of these activities is to enhance the children's research skills as well as to provide practice using computer technology to investigate a theme.
The children will observe the virtual frog dissection on the internet and view a video tape or film that reviews the different stages in the metamorphosis. The purpose of these activities is to provide essential background knowledge of the various developmental stages and to acquaint them with the anatomy of a frog. Both will be helpful to the children as they make drawings of their observations throughout the unit.
Science and Art:
Help the children to prepare an observational learning center. Set aside an area where the children can view their tadpoles and have a place to make sketches of the changes they observe over a period of time. The beginning of development is a fairly slow process, so the children may only want to make sketches once a week; once developmental changes become noticeable, they should make sketches every two or three days. The purpose of this activity is to have the children engage in research appropriate for their level. The activity will give them an opportunity to note changes through the entire cycle of development and to focus on all the stages in the metamorphosis of the tadpoles.
Social Studies:
Show the children a video tape or film that discusses the over-population of the frogs in Arizona. As a follow-up to the viewing, help the children to locate Arizona on a map of the United States. The purpose of this activity is to help the children realize that frogs may present problems in places where they are overabundant. Locating Arizona will help to develop early mapping skills.
After learning that some cultures eat frogs' legs as a delicacy, help the children to locate the countries of those cultures on a world map. The purpose of this activity is to help develop cultural awareness and to promote early map reading skills.
Periodically observe the children during group work in the learning center area. Watch for their ability to share materials and ideas.
Have each child maintain a unit portfolio. Involve the children in selecting materials for their portfolios. The following are examples of some materials that will be included:
--Samples of daily or weekly sketches showing their observations of the growth process.
--Samples of the children's written work and work in progress, including mathematics and creative problem solving ideas and any graphs that are developed.
--Individual sketches the children prepare for their mural.
Administer an examination at the end of the unit to assess the children's mastery of the facts, concepts, and generalizations developed in the study. The examination will be either written or oral, depending on the children's individual reading abilities. It is expected that the children should achieve a grade of at least 75 percent on the examination.