Unit Plan Template
Note: Type in the gray areas.
Unit AuthorFirst and Last Name / Susan Senn
Author's E-mail Address /
School District / Newberry County
School Name / Reuben Elementary
School Address / 3605 Spearman Road
School City, State, Zip / Newberry, SC 29108
School Phone / 803-276-7816
Intel® Teach to the Future
with support from Microsoft ©2000 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved 12
Intel® Teach to the Future
with support from Microsoft ©2000 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved 12
Unit Plan Title / Hop into Life Cycles with Frogs
Curriculum-Framing Questions
Essential Question / What is a life cycle?
Unit Questions / What is the life cycle of a frog?
What are the different stages of a frog’s life cycle?
What are the basic needs of a frog?
What is the difference between a frog and a toad?
What is the difference between a frog and a tadpole?
Unit Summary
The students will observe and record tadpoles as they progress through their life cycle to adulthood. The students will be exposed to a variety of materials and resources about frogs and toads. The students will research frogs, toads, metamorphosis, and tadpoles with the following resources: internet websites, classroom publications, videos, fiction and non-fiction selections, and the school library. The students will work in groups to produce a 4-slide Powerpoint presentation and a 2-page newsletter. Each student will complete a book report of their favorite frog tale using the method of choice.
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Business Education
Engineering
Home Economics
Language Arts
Music
School to Career
Social Studies / Drama
Foreign Language
Industrial Technology
Math
Physical Education
Science
Technology / Other:
Other:
Other:
Grade Level (Click boxes of all grade levels that apply)
K-2
6-8
ESL
Gifted and Talented / 3-5
9-12
Resource
Other:
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Students will compare and contrast a tadpole and frog.
Students will identify the stages of the life cycle of a frog.
Students will compare the basic needs of frogs as they grow.
Students will compare and contrast a frog and a toad.
Students will complete a book report of their favorite frog tale.
Students will complete one of the following projects on what they have learned about frogs: Microsoft Powerpoint presentation, Microsoft Publisher newsletter, or website.
Targeted State Frameworks/Content Standards/Benchmarks
Life Science
Unit of Study: Animals
A. Characteristics of Organisms
1. Organisms have basic needs. Animals need air, water, and food.
a. Identify the basic needs of animals, including shelter and living space.
2. Organisms can survive only in environments in which their needs can
be met.
a. Describe the relationship between animals and their habitats.
b. Group animals based on their habitats.
B. Life Cycles of Organisms
1. Animals have life cycles that include being born, developing into adults,
reproducing, and eventually dying.
a. Observe and describe the growth and development of animals
throughout their life cycles.
b. Investigate and understand that animals go through a series of
orderly changes in their life cycles.
c. Observe growth in animals over time.
2. Animals closely resemble their parents.
a. Investigate that some animals go through distinct stages
(metamorphosis) during their lives while others generally resemble
their parents throughout their life cycles.
Mathematics
I. Data Analysis And Probability
A. Use organized data to create charts, graphs, and tables.
LANGUAGE ARTS
I. The student will demonstrate comprehension of fiction and nonfiction selections.
a. Relate previous experiences to the topic.
b. Read to confirm predictions.
c. Identify the main idea (stated, inferred, or paraphrased).
d. Locate information to answer questions.
e. Paraphrase information found in nonfiction materials.
f. Describe characters and setting in fiction selections and poetry.
g. Explain the problem, solution, or central idea.
h. Organize events in a story or the steps in a process in the correct order.
i. Write about what is read.
j. Recognize cause and effect relationships.
k. Compare and contrast ideas within a selection.
l. Recognize and respond to different times, places, and customs reflected in literature.
m. Recognize general themes in literature and relate to personal experiences.
2. The student will categorize information using strategies, such as story
mapping, webbing, and Venn diagrams.
3. The student will read a variety of texts, such as stories, poems, plays,
directories, newspapers, charts, and diagrams.
Procedures
Arrange to have frog eggs in science center for Day 3. Let students make science journals. Frog eggs to adult frogs take about 2 to 3 months. Frog eggs must be kept in the water you found them in. They are jellylike clusters with black dots. Change the water about every 2 weeks- use the pond water where they came from. Feed tadpoles boiled lettuce every couple of days. They also will eat flake goldfish food. Your container will need to have one end with rocks and sand or even a stick. This will be the frog habitat. An aquarium works well. Frogs eat live bugs.
Week 1
Day 1- Introduce frog unit to students. Bring in a real frog if possible. Let students observe the frog in a large clear box or container. Show a poster or picture of a frog if live frog not available. Let students brainstorm what they already know about frogs. Keep information on chart paper. Read Frogs by Gail Gibbons. Let students get journals and draw frog. Discuss observation and labeling what they see. Pass out a picture of a frog and label eyes, head, ear membrane, front legs and back legs. (Excellent practice for labeling drawings done later.)
Day 2- Discuss where frogs live. Read Frogs and Toads by Katy Bratun. Define amphibians. Write definition in science journal. Discuss different habitats of the frog. Show life cycle of a frog poster. Define life cycles. Show student example Frog Slide show. Make students a hard copy of slide show into a reference book. Label 4 stages of a frog life cycle. Eggs, Tadpole, bigger tadpole (froglet) , and adult. Stage pictures are in the Frog Theme Unit books.
Day 3- Bring container of frog eggs. Let each student view eggs through hand lens. Students are to draw and label what they see. Students are to date drawing and write at least one sentence about drawing. ( Eggs are slimy and not white but a clear mass.) Eggs usually take from 3 days to 3 weeks to break through into tadpoles, depending on type of frog.
Let students observe, date, and draw observations every 2 to 3 days.
Week 2-3
Observe tadpoles as they hatch from eggs. Draw, date, and label observations of tadpoles. Continue observations every 2 to 3 days depending on changes and class time. Read Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel. Let students pick and choose their favorite frog book. Students are to choose one and write a book report. Read as many books with frog themes as possible.
Week 4-5
Read as many frog titles as available. Observe tadpoles as they grow. Draw, date, and label observations of tadpoles. Continue observations every 2 to 3 days depending on changes and class time. Students should work in groups of two to complete the information for the Powerpont presentation and the newsletter. Depending on the level of abilities of your class and the availability of computers, you may want to let your groups choose which project to complete. Research the internet on frogs and frog facts. Let student write 5 basic frog facts. Write a frog acrostic poem. F is for… etc. This information will be used to make a Powerpoint slide presentation, Publisher website, or Publisher newsletter. Use student’s examples in this lesson. Use blank Powerpoint, Publisher website, and Publisher newsletter to help students with less computer skills. Use older student helpers or volunteers if available. Let students view websites listed in unit plan. Many have valuable information, also they have fun games.
Week 6-9
Observe tadpoles as they grow. Draw, date, and label observations of tadpoles. Continue observations every 2 or 3 days depending on changes and class time. Continue frog research on fun frog facts, and research the differences between frogs and toads. Use their information to make a class Venn Diagram and compare and contrast toads and frogs. The frog theme units include frog and toad comparisons. This information will be used as part of the student’s project. After projects are shared with the entire class, let students take the frog fact test.
This timeline is an approximate schedule. The time will depend on your eggs, their age, and the type of frog. Also students may need more or less time depending on their abilities and the availability of computers. Students will be assessed on their work using the rubrics in unit.
Approximate Time Needed (Example: 45 minutes, 4 hours, 1 year, etc.)
About 9 weeks, 45 minutes a day, 2 days a week
Prerequisite Skills
Follow directions.
Understand basic concepts of Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, and Publisher.
Organize information.
Write and research facts.
Work cooperatively in groups.
Sequence events.
Respond to literature.
Search on the internet for information.
Listen and respond to information.
Listen and respond to literature.
Keep a journal of data for a few weeks
Materials and Resources Required For Unit
Frog eggs or tadpoles from local pond or pet supply.
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Technology – Hardware (Click boxes of all equipment needed.)
Intel® Teach to the Future
with support from Microsoft ©2000 Intel Corporation. All Rights Reserved 12
Computer(s)
Digital Camera
DVD Player
Internet Connection / Laser Disk
Printer
Projection System
Scanner
Television / VCR
Video Camera
Video Conferencing Equip.
Other:
Technology – Software (Click boxes of all software needed.)
Database/Spreadsheet
Desktop Publishing
E-mail Software
Encyclopedia on CD-ROM / Image Processing
Internet Web Browser
Multimedia / Web Page Development
Word Processing
Other: Microsoft Office
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Printed Materials / Literature (fiction and non-fiction)Frogs by Gail Gibbons
Frogs by Jerry Pallotta
Frogs and Toads by Katy Bratum, Grosset and Dunlap
Frog and Toad are Friends, Frog and Toad Together, Frog and Toad All Year, Days With Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
Teacher Resources
Frogs, Cross-Curricular Theme Unit by Rhonda Donald and Kathleen Kranking, Scholastic 1999.
Frogs and Toads, Thematic Unit, by Wendy Conklin Teacher Created Materials, 2001
Videos, filmstrips, worksheets, and posters
Supplies / Journals, discs, drawing and publishing supplies
Internet Resources / http://www.frogsonice.com/froggy/
http://www.frogsonice.com/froggy/pictures.shtml
http://gto.ncsa.uiuc.edu/pingleto/herps/frogpix.html
http://allaboutfrogs.org/froglnd.shtml
http://allaboutfrogs.org/funstuff/java/memory/memorycheck.html
http://allaboutfrogs.org/funstuff/java/shockwave/adveractive/index.html
Others / Tadpoles, jars or containers, hand lenses
Accommodations for Differentiated Instruction
Resource Student / Students will work in cooperative groups.
Student’s project assignment can be modified as needed.
Resource teacher can team teach to help student complete project.
Student can work in resource room or teacher can come to classroom during class time for inclusion.
Student can receive extra help from peer tutor or teaching aide.
Student can use blank example given for newsletter and Powerpoint presentation.
Gifted Student / Students will use higher order thinking skills to complete projects.
Students can use more multimedia tools for presentations such as animation and sound.
Students can do peer tutoring.
Students can research another topic of choice and presentation of choice to complete project.
Student Assessment / Student will be assessed according to rubric as designed in Unit Plan.
Students will be assessed according to presentations and cooperation with team.
Students will complete frog multiple choice test on basic facts.
Key Word Search / Frogs, Toads, Tadpoles, Life Cycles
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