Laughing Star Montessori World Amphibian Material 2005 for Download Early Childhood Version Print materials on photo paper or 20-28 lb. paper. If it prints incorrectly, check your Page Scaling setting in your Print Dialogue box. There are two finishing methods. Method 1: Laminate entire sheet. Cut into 8 equal parts: 2.75" x 4.25". Round corner if desired. Method 2: Cut into 8 equal parts: 2.75" x 4.25". Round corner if desired. Laminate each part. We recommend 5mil laminate. If using thinner laminate, put a backing on the material first. bullfrog The bullfrog calls at night. Females lay 10,000 eggs. Cut, cornered card Laminate over hangs by 1/8 inch Questions? Call Us At 513-683-5682 www.laughingstarmontessori.com This download material is copyright Laughing Star Montessori and intended for the sole use of the purchaser. Purchaser may not resell or redistribute this download material. Photo Credit: Corel, Ribbit Photography, J. Speybroeck, J. Miller, J. Visser. Line Art Credit: S. Sitterle. Using World Classification Cards Promote an awareness and love of our natural world. Use these cards together with all 7 continents as a really big work for children OR use one continent at a time when you are studying that continent. This material contains continent label cards and photo cards to be used with students. It also includes teacher information. 1) Use the cards with the Montessori World Continent Map. The students take out the continents and match the cards to the continents. 2) Use the cards with the Continent Card labels included with this work. The student lays out the continent labels across their work rug. Line them up how you sing them if you sing the continent song. Students take turns aligning them by continent and reading the name or sentence. For the younger student it is a game of looking at the pictures and color matching the continent symbol to the continent label. It is simple color matching. One young three year old student said to another, Let s get the animals that live in the orange land. They happily and purposefully took turns finding those animals and naming them when they laid the cards down. 3) For the older student it is matching and naming and reading the sentences. Let the student pick their favorite continent to read first. Depending on their skill reading - read one continent up to all! 4) As an extension have the student pick one card. Using paper or their journal have them draw the picture. If they want the teacher to draw the picture, do so. After drawing the picture they write the subject s name and/or sentence. Students can write their own sentences.
bullfrog Great Plains toad Pine Barrens spotted salamander The bullfrog calls at night. Females lay 10,000 eggs. The Great Plains toad sits. It feeds on cutworms. The Pine Barrens calls honk, honk, honk. The spotted salamander digs a burrow. spring peeper Argentina horned frog emerald glass frog The spring peeper calls peep, peep, peep. North America The Argentina horned frog mates in water. The emerald glass frog hunts at dark.
poison dart frog red-eyed South American common toad The poison dart frog cannot swim. The red-eyed can swim. The South American toad swallows its food alive. South America Cape ghost frog common reed frog eastern leopard toad Kirk s caecilian The Cape ghost frog has spots. Its skin is toxic. The common reed frog sits. It feeds on bugs. The eastern leopard toad is a big toad. Kirk s caecilian has no legs. It looks like a worm.
tomato frog eastern spadefoot toad fire salamander The tomato frog burrows. It hunts for bugs. Africa Eastern spadefoot toads dig with their hind legs. Fire salamanders live on land. They breed in water. Pyrenean stream frog stripeless yellow-bellied toad The Pyrenean stream frog is a small frog. The stripeless has sticky pads on its digits. The yellow-bellied toad lives in ponds. Europe
Asian spiny toad Chinese fire belly newt crab-eating frog floating spotted frog The Asian spiny toad has black spots on its warts. The Chinese fire belly newt swims in cold ponds. Crab-eating frogs are called salt water frogs. The floating spotted frog sits on a lily pad. white-lipped frog cane toad eastern dwarf The white-lipped frog lives in fish ponds. A s i a The cane toad came from South America. The eastern dwarf tree frog hunts at night.
giant barred frog giant red-eyed The giant barred frog calls wark wark. The giant is the biggest in the world. The red-eyed calls waa-aa, waa-aa. Australia Antarctica
World Amphibian Info Amphibians have lived for 350 million years on every continent except Antarctica. These vertebrates spend the beginning of their life in water and then live on or near land. They start life in a fluid-filled egg and breathe through gills. Being cold blooded they stay the same temperature as their environment (ectothermic). Many are nocturnal or active on rainy days. Amphibians are endangered by habitat destruction, human encroachment, pollution and over collection. In the last 15 years 50-75% of the rainforest where they live has been cleared or burned. Many inhabit wetlands which are drained as humans build. Water is polluted with run-off pesticides and pollution. Over collection is a problem. Some are killed for food, their hides, other parts or the pet trade. Amphibians place in the food web is vital. When they disappear it will affect all other life forms on earth. class Amphibia Order Anura frogs and toads Order Urodela salamanders, newts order Apoda caecilians Toads (Anura) have dry, rough, bumpy skin with warts. They re darker than frogs and live in drier climates. They re not in Australia, Antarctica, Greenland, Madagascar, New Zealand and New Guinea. Some have been introduced to Australia. Adults stay on land and are nocturnal. They nest in burrows, trees, or under leaves. At night they feed on insects, worms, slugs and grubs. Toads don t have teeth. Tadpoles feed on plants. In spring they mate. Female lays eggs in strings 4 feet long. Toads live 4 to 35 years. The parotid (poison) glands located on the toad s head produce a poison. There are about 300 species of toads. Differences: Toads Frogs habitat color skin legs eggs tails teeth mobility feet land brown dry, bumpy shorty, stumpy laid in strings none have no teeth walk, run in or near water, trees as adults green moist, smooth muscular, long laid in clumps none in top jaw hop back feet webbed Frogs (Anura) are small tailless amphibians with smooth, damp skin. They begin life as tadpoles in water breathing with gills. These become lungs in adults who breathe through their skin. Adults live in or by fresh waterways (ponds, lakes, streams). Most live in trees. They have tiny suction cups on each toe. Chorus and cricket frogs are ground dwellers. Some burrow underground. Most frogs jump far. They see in most directions. They swim with webbed feet. Some have poison glands that ooze poison out of their skin. This is a defense strategy. Frogs catch prey with their long, sticky tongues. Sharp teeth in the top jaw hold prey. Prey includes insects, spiders, worms and centipedes. They shed their skin and eat it. A group of frogs is called an army of frogs. There are about 3,500 known species. All anurans blink when they swallow! Adults are carnivores. They eat fish, insects and other amphibians Salamanders, newts, mud puppies, waterdogs and sirens (Urodela) live on the floor of streams and rivers under rocks and plants. They have been on earth for 165 million years! They have short, strong limbs and a paddle tail. They have no eyelids. The tail is what separates them from animals in the anura order (frogs and toads). All newts are salamanders but not all salamanders are newts. Caecilians (Apoda) live in swamps and tropical places. There are 170 species in South America, Africa and Asia. They burrow underground or are aquatic. They have no legs or tails and are nearly blind. Skin is segmented with tiny scales. They burrow with their heads and feed on insect larvae, earthworms and termites. They live 5 to 20 years. Some reproduce by laying eggs (oviparous) and some are live-bearers (viviparous). A few are ovoviviparous. Eggs hatch inside the mother and are born when mature. Some caecilians secrete a toxic substance that keeps predators away.
AFRICA: The Cape ghost frog, Heleophryne purcelli, lives in undisturbed damp forests in the Cape Fold Mountains. It has sticky pads on its digits to climb wet, dry, smooth and steep rocky surfaces. Breeding occurs in summer. Males call day and night. Females lay yellow eggs in small, shady pools near a main stream. Eggs hatch in 4-5 days. Tadpoles have large sucker-like mouths for clinging to rocks and to climb. They become frogs in about 12 months. AFRICA: The common reed frog, Hyperolius viridiflavus glandicolor, lives in sub-saharan Africa in the tropical savanna. These frogs sing at night. Its call is a shrill, high pitched whistle which is repeated rapidly. These are Old World s. Females lay a large clutch of eggs in the water. Adults measure about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long. AFRICA: The eastern leopard toad, Bufo pardalis, is one of the largest toads in Africa. It is found along the coast of the eastern Cape from Port Elizabeth to East London. Its call sounds like snoring. It lives near water in the Cape Flats area of the Fynbos biome. It is found in rainforests, grassland and subtropical thickets. It is also called the snoring toad. AFRICA: Kirk s caecilian, Scolecomorphus kirkii, is a tropical, limbless, worm-like amphibian. Its eyes are on its tentacles on its snout. It burrows in moist soil with its skull. It comes up to the surface in heavy rains or at night. It feeds on worms, termites and other insects. It secretes toxins. It inhabits forest and agricultural land in east Africa in Malawi and Tanzania. It is a threatened species. It is viviparous. AFRICA: The tomato frog, Dyscophus antongilii, is a terrestrial, nocturnal amphibian. It inhabits gardens, forests and plantations of northwest Madagascar. It uses an ambush strategy to hunt for passing crickets, insects and worms. When threatened if inflates its body. Breeding occurs in the rainy season in stagnate or slow moving water. It burrows into the ground. The pet trade and deforestation has endangered this frog. ASIA: The Asian spiny toad, Burfo melanostictus, is common in China and Thailand. It is nocturnal and sleeps all day in holes. It has black spots on its warts. These are stains left by exuded poison. Its parotid glands behind its ears and across its back release a white milky fluid called Bufotoxin that is highly toxic. This omnivore feeds on small vertebrates and invertebrates. Snakes, birds and larger amphibians eat this toad. ASIA: The Chinese fire belly newt, Cynops orientalis, lives in cold mountain ponds, flooded fields and ditches. It feeds on invertebrates, larvae and eggs. It is 2-4 inches long and lives 60 years. Orange belly markings warn predators. Parotid glands produce potent skin toxins. Males are smaller and have shorter tails (sexual dimorphism). Females lay eggs that hatch in 2-3 weeks. ASIA: The crab-eating frog, Rana cancrivora, is called the salt water frog. It inhabits mangrove swamps, marshes, canals, farm land and forest. It will tolerate coastal, brackish salt water. It is native to Singapore and southeast Asia (West Malaysia and southern Thailand). These nocturnal animals croak at night. They feed on scorpions, insects and crabs. They are farmed for their legs. They are eaten by humans.
ASIA: The floating spotted frog, Occidozyga lima, floats on lily pads. It is found in tropical habitats in southern Asia. This nocturnal amphibian feeds on insects. It helps control the insect population. It croaks at night. This amphibian is bred domestically in the United States and sold as pets for the pet trade. ASIA: The white-lipped frog, Rana chalconota, lives in lowland to higher altitudes in Java. It is found in fish ponds and stagnant waters. It is a common frog and is found in water around human habitation. It floats on water plants (water hyacinth and lotus). Eggs are laid in a single gelatinous clutch. Eggs have distinct black and white poles. AUSTRALIA: The cane toad, Bufo marinus, is native to South America. It was introduced to Australia by the sugar cane industry to control beetles. The toads became nocturnal and did not control the diurnal beetles. This toad lives in hollow trees in the dry season, dense vegetation in the wet season and rock crevasses all year. It secretes toxins from its skin. Females lay 20,000 eggs. This species has no natural predators. AUSTRALIA: The eastern dwarf, Litoria fallax, lives in creeks, ponds, swamps and lagoons. It often lives in large groups. By day it rests in plants away from water. At night it hunts and feeds. Breeding occurs in summer rains. Females lay small clumps of eggs which are attached to underwater plants. This animal lives in North Queensland to New South Wales. It is threatened by loss of habitat from development and degradation. AUSTRALIA: The giant barred frog, Mixophyes fasciolatus, lives along stream banks in rainforests and open forests. It forages at night for insects, worms and frogs. It burrows into soil and rests all day. It has webbed back feet for swimming. It will leap into water when threatened. Males call females. They mate in water. Females lay eggs on the bank. Tadpoles wash into the creek when it rains. This frog is endangered. It makes a wark call. AUSTRALIA: The giant, Litoria infrafrenata, is the largest in the world. Its native habitat is the rainforest. It can also be found in urban areas around houses and out buildings. Its mating call sounds like a dog barking. When threatened it makes a meow-like sound. It feeds on insects and frogs. It is also called the whitelipped. AUSTRALIA: The red-eyed, Litoria chloris, lives high in the trees. It only comes down to breed. Males gather by rain pools and call waa-aa waaaa. Females lay eggs in the pools. They soon hatch into tadpoles and metamorphose into froglets. This common frog is nocturnal and feeds on moths and other insects. It inhabits eastern Australia north of South Wales. It is found in forests and woods, heaths, wetlands and urban areas. EUROPE: The eastern spadefoot toad, Scaphiopus holbrookii, is similar to the common spadefoot toad which is the most widely distributed toad in Europe. It is nocturnal. When threatened its skin glands secrete a defensive odor in its skin. It also squeaks. This amphibian is a good swimmer. It is nocturnal and feeds on insects, worms and molluscs. When dawn approaches it digs backward into loose soil and buries itself. A special adaptation on its hind legs helps it to dig.
EUROPE The fire salamander, Salamandra salamandra, is a terrestrial amphibian that resembles a lizard. It cannot swim and avoids water except to breed. Habitat includes forested hillsides and mountains near water. It likes moisture and comes out in the rain. It lives in mainland Europe, NW Africa and parts of the middle east. It has parotid glands that eject a foul tasting fluid into the eyes or mouth of the predator after it. Females birth 50 larvae. EUROPE: The Pyrenean stream frog, Rana pyrenaica, lives in a very limited area of the Spanish central and western Pyrenees and a small adjacent area in France. This small frog has stubby fingers which makes it well adapted to life in and along mountain torrents. It has black larvae with very small white spots. It is related to the common frog which is more widespread. It was first described in 1993! EUROPE: The stripeless treefrog, Hyla meridionalis, lives in trees, grasses and bushes away from water. It feeds on insects. This amphibian can change color, which is related to temperature and mood and not for camouflage. Females lay a cluster of a thousand eggs at the bottom of warm, clean streams. It takes them 2 months to develop. After metamorphosis the young live on the ground. Later in their life cycle they become tree dwellers. EUROPE: The yellow-bellied toad, Bombina variegata, lives in mountain and hillside pools and puddles and in village ponds. When threatened it shows its yellow belly. If this toxic display warning does not frighten the predator away it secretes a venom from its cutaneous gland. This stings the predator. Females lay over 100 eggs which hatch in 12 days producing larvae. Adults hibernate in the ground. NORTH AMERICA: The bullfrog, Rana calesbeiana, can be 7 inches long. It has webbed toes. Its native habitat is central and eastern North America. It lives in and by lakes, rivers, ponds, marshes and swamps. It has been introduced to west NA and populated it. Bullfrogs feed on small fish, snakes, mice and birds. Breeding males establish territories and croak from the same spot nightly. Females lay 10,000 to 20,000 eggs in a film on the water. Tadpoles becomes frogs in mid summer. NORTH AMERICA: The Great Plains toad, Bufo cognatus, lives in the grasslands and brushlands of the Great Plains. It is nocturnal. When it is threatened it inflates its body, lowers its head and closes its eyes. This toad feeds on cutworms. This helps farmers since cutworms destroy crops. NORTH AMERICA: The Pine Barrens treefrog, Hyla andersonii, honks! It lives in pitch pine lowlands, small pools in sphagnum or cranberry bogs, the backwaters of streams and in white cedar swamps. It is found in North and South Carolina, Georgia, west Florida and New Jersey. It breeds and lays eggs in May and June. It is endangered. NORTH AMERICA: The spotted salamander, Ambystoma maculatum, lives in deciduous forests near water in the East United States and southeast Canada. It stays underground in a burrow. It goes to breeding ponds when spring rains arrive. Females lay up to 200 eggs in a single mass.
NORTH AMERICA: The spring peeper, Pseudacris crucifer, lives in ponds and swamps. It is one of the first animals to come out in the spring. It comes out on spring nights and peeps. Some people call them pinkletinks. This chorus frog hides under logs and loose bark all day. It comes out at night to feed. It lives along the East coast of North America from Florida to Canada. SOUTH AMERICA: The Argentina horned frog, Ceratophrys cornula, burrows in the wet leaves on the rainforest floor in Argentina, Columbia, Uruguay and Brazil. It is active in the morning and evening and avoids mid-day heat. Females are bigger than males. Adult frogs are 4 to 6 inches and live 6 years. Juveniles actively hunt. Adults sit and wait. Prey includes snails, mice, frogs and tadpoles. This frog sleeps with its eyes open, like most frogs. SOUTH AMERICA: The emerald glass frog, Centrolenella prosoblepon, is also called the giant glass frog. It lives in riparian habitats. It lives in the rainforest canopy close to streams. It comes down to the banks to mate. It calls to females ticks ticks ticks. The female lays dark eggs on or by plants close to the stream. This frog is nocturnal and feeds on insects. SOUTH AMERICA: The poison dart frog, Dendrobates azureus, is a diurnal frog that lives in a few remote rainforest islands. It secrets a toxin that paralyzes all that touch it. It breeds in the trees. Females lay 500-1200 eggs in plants. Tadpoles stay in trees until they become frogs. The adults check the eggs and tadpoles. They even lay eggs for the tadpoles to eat. This frog was discovered in 1968. SOUTH AMERICA: The red-eyed, Agalychnis callidryas, lives in lowland rainforest trees near water. It is a nocturnal carnivore feeding on crickets, moths, grasshoppers, flies and smaller frogs. Males inflate their vocal sacs and croak to attract females. When one croaks they all join in. If bothered by a predator this frog opens its eyes to scare them away. This is called startle coloration. Predators include bats, snakes, birds and s. SOUTH AMERICA: The South American common toad, Bufo margaritifer, lives in damp woods and fields. It burrows under roots. This nocturnal predator feeds on worms, spiders, larva, insects, snakes and mice. It swallows its food alive. This toad secretes a toxic toad milk from its skin. When threatened it inflates its lungs and leans its head down making it look larger. This toad can live to be 40 years old!