Help students apply knowledge with a paper craft. Before beginning, discuss the life cycle of a frog, from egg to tadpole to frog. Relate it to the life cycle of mammals by saying, "Children come out of their moms' bellies, but frogs come out of eggs. Children are born with all of their parts, but frogs still have changing and growing to do before they become frogs." Repeat an enthusiastic chant with the students, like "Egg, tadpole, frog!" Challenge children to show the life cycle with pictures. Prepare construction paper circles for the pond, a tadpole, frog eggs, a frog and three curved arrows for children to cut and paste. Once complete, encourage children to explain the life cycle in their own words, using the craft as a visual aid.
Teach children the basic characteristics of amphibians. Let them know they are cold-blooded, begin life underwater and change into land animals as they grow. Explain they are vertebrates, lay eggs and are carnivorous. Make a two column T-chart with the characteristics listed on the left and examples or explanations on the right. For example, next to cold-blooded, write, "Amphibians get their heat from the sun," or, "If it is cold outside, amphibians will be cold and if it is warm outside, they will be warm." Limit instruction to short, five- to 10-minute discussions detailing one characteristic a day, and proceed with more interactive activities.
Use literature as a springboard for discussions about amphibians' life cycle, habitat, diet or other characteristics. Preview the story by showing the pictures and asking students to predict what the story will be about. Stop as you read to ask clarifying questions or point out pertinent information. Summarize the story once you finish it by asking students what they learned or what was interesting about the book. Appropriate titles include, "Jump, Frog, Jump!" by Robert Kalan, "Down by the Cool of the Pool," by Robert Mitton, "From Tadpole to Frog," by Jane Kottke, or "A Salamander's Life," by John Himmelman.
Use songs, poems and rhymes to teach about amphibians and reinforce other content area skills, such as math and language arts. Visit kidzone.ws, preschoolexpress.com or learninggamesforkids.com for frog songs, poems and games. Create movements or finger plays to help children commit songs to memory. Introduce one new song or poem at a time, until children can recite it easily. Schedule a performance for other classes, teachers or parents and families to celebrate learning. Play amphibian-themed games, like "freeze", where students move around a designated area like a frog or salamander and must freeze when the music stops. Set up lily pads in a circle and allow students to hop from pad to pad.