Frogs

Last year we had some frogs in the school grounds, here are photos of them.  We had two.  I brought them in to show the classes who were learning about the life cycle of the frog.  As you all know by now, frogs lay eggs called spawn, this looks like little circular balls of jelly with a black dot in the centre. This hatches into tadpoles, these grow and feed all during the spring and summer.  They first grow back legs and their head changes shape from round to slightly angular, their front legs then grow, tail starts to shrink, gills (which enable them to breath underwater) disappear. The tiny frog then has to leave the water and live on land.  It is very important to ensure that there is a rock in the pond with one side out of the water and close to the edge of the pond to allow the little frog to leave the water.
Frogs can drown if unable to get out of the water.

Frogs are AMPHIBIAN, this means they are able to live in and out of water, they hibernate either in the water over winter or buried under leaves in a sheltered place or in a log pile.





Can you spot the tadpoles?  Photo by Diane Purtell