Editors: Brian A. Jerome Ph.D. Stephanie Zak Jerome Assistant Editors: Lyndsey Tomasi What is an Graphics: Fred Thodal Amphibian? Teacher s Guide Visual Learning Company 1-800-453-8481 www.visuallearningco.com
A Message from our Company... Visual Learning is a Vermont-based, family owned company specializing in the creation of science programs. As former classroom science teachers, we have designed our programs to meet the needs and interests of both students and teachers. Our mission is to help educators and students meet educational goals while experiencing the thrill of science! Viewing Clearances The video and accompanying teacher s guide are for instructional use only. In showing these programs, no admission charges are to be incurred. The programs are to be utilized in face-to-face classroom instructional settings, library settings, or similar instructional settings. Duplication Rights are available, but must be negotiated with the Visual Learning Company. Television, cable, or satellite rights are also available, but must be negotiated with the Visual Learning Company. Closed circuit rights are available, and are defined as the use of the program beyond a single classroom but within a single campus. Institutions wishing to utilize the program in multiple campuses must purchase the multiple campus version of the program, available at a slightly higher fee. Video streaming rights are available and must be negotiated with the Visual Learning Company. Discounts may be granted to institutions interested in purchasing programs in large quantities. These discounts may be negotiated with the Visual Learning Company. Use and Copyright: The purchase of this video program entitles the user the right to reproduce or duplicate, in whole or in part, this teacher s guide and the black line master handouts for the purpose of teaching in conjunction with this video, What is an Amphibian?. The right is restricted only for use with this video program. Any reproduction or duplication, in whole or in part, of this guide and student masters for any purpose other than for use with this video program is prohibited. The video and this teacher s guide are the exclusive property of the copyright holder. Copying, transmitting, or reproducing in any form, or by any means, without prior written permission from the copyright holder is prohibited (Title 17, U.S. Code Sections 501 and 506). Copyright 2011 ISBN 1-59234-681-3 Visual Learning Company 1-800-453-8481 2
A Message from our Company Viewing Clearances Use and Copyright Student Learning Objectives Assessment Introducing the Program Key Vocabulary Program Viewing Suggestions Video Script Literature Connections Answer Key to Student Assessments Answer Key to Student Activities What Do You Know Now? What Have You Learned? Video Review Video Quiz Word Find Salamanders vs. Frogs Metamorphosis 2 2 2 4 4 5 5 5 6 8 9 9 10 11 12 12 13 14 15 3 Visual Learning Company 1-800-453-8481
Student Learning Objectives Upon viewing the video and completing the enclosed student activities, students will be able to do the following: Understand that amphibians such as frogs have the ability to live on land and swim in the water. Explain that camouflage is the ability of an animal to blend in with its surroundings. This often prevents dangerous predators from seeing them. Differentiate between a frog, toad and salamander. Explain that amphibians possess the following characteristics: backbone, cold-blooded, ability to breathe through moist skin, a life that begins when eggs hatch in water, ability to go through metamorphosis and then live on land later in life. Define metamorphosis as the process of an animal changing form during its life. State that most amphibians spend the first part of their lives in water and have the ability to live on land later in life. Describe the main stages in the metamorphosis of a frog. Assessment What Do You Know Now? (p. 10): This preliminary assessment is an assessment tool designed to gain an understanding of students preexisting knowledge. It can also be used as a benchmark upon which to assess student progress based on the objectives stated on the previous pages. What Have You Learned? (p. 11): This post assessment can be utilized as an assessment tool following student completion of the program and student activities. The results of this assessment can be compared against the results of the preliminary assessment to assess student progress. Video Review (p. 12): The Video Review can be used as an assessment tool or as a student activity. There are two sections. The first part contains questions displayed during the program. The second part consists of a five-question video quiz to be answered at the end of the video. Visual Learning Company 1-800-453-8481 4
Introducing the Program Before having your students view the video obtain an image of a tadpole and show it to your students. Ask them what this animal is commonly called. Write the word tadpole on the board. Then ask students what type of vertebrate animal it is. In other words is it a fish, amphibian, reptile, bird, insect, or mammal? Surprisingly, tell them it is not a fish but an amphibian. Write the term amphibian on the board. Next, show students an image of an adult frog. Explain to students that the adult frog was once a tadpole. Explain that most amphibians begin the early part of their lives in water, but then go through physical changes that enable them to live on land. Metamorphosis is the process by which animals go through physical changes as they grow older. Write the term metamorphosis on the board. Tell students to pay close attention to the video to learn more about the process of metamorphosis and amphibians. Key Vocabulary Amphibian Backbone Camouflage Cold-blooded Frog Gills Metamorphosis Tadpole Toad Salamander Program Viewing Suggestions The student master Video Review is provided (p. 12) for distribution to students. You may choose to have your students complete this Master while viewing the program or do so upon its conclusion. The program is approximately 10 to 12 minutes in length and includes a five-question video quiz. Answers are not provided to the Video Quiz in the video, but are included in this guide on page 9. You may choose to grade student quizzes as an assessment tool or to review the answers in class. The video is content-rich with numerous vocabulary words. For this reason you may want to periodically stop the video to review and discuss new terminology and concepts. 5 Visual Learning Company 1-800-453-8481
Video Script 1. If you ve ever been startled by a frog jumping into a pond, 2.... seen a bright orange newt while walking in the woods, 3....or seen a toad hopping in the garden, then you ve had first hand experience with a group of animals called amphibians. 4. What exactly are amphibians? 5. What do they look like? 6. What are some of the different types of amphibians? 7. How do they change throughout their lives? 8. And what makes an amphibian an amphibian? 9. During the next few minutes we re going to answer these questions as we explore the fascinating features of amphibians. 10. Graphic Transition Amphibians Around Us 11. If you ve ever walked along the edge of a wetland, a stream, or a pond you may have seen animals like these called frogs. 12. Frogs are examples of amphibians. They have the ability to live on land, 13....and they can swim in the water. 14. Brown colored toads, which are also amphibians, look similar to frogs but they live mostly on land. 15. Toads have drier, bumpy skin. 16. Notice how well this toad blends in with its surroundings. 17. Camouflage is the ability of an animal to blend in with its surroundings. This often prevents dangerous predators from seeing them. 18. In the moist tropics there are thousands of different kinds of frogs and toads. 19. Some even have poisonous skin. In some cultures people rub arrow tips on the poisonous skin. These arrow tips are used to paralyze prey when hunting. 20. This amphibian is a salamander. 21. You Observe! Describe the body of this salamander. 22. This salamander has a long, slender body with a tail. 23. Some salamanders live most of their lives in water, 24....while others such as this colorful, adult newt live mostly on land. 25. Graphic Transition What are Amphibians? 26. What makes an amphibian an amphibian? Visual Learning Company 1-800-453-8481 6
Video Script 27. First, amphibians are animals that have backbones. Their backbone consists of many smaller connected bones that contain nerves that control movement and other body activities. 28. Amphibians are also cold-blooded, but their blood isn t really cold all the time. Their blood temperature goes go up and down with the surrounding temperature. 29. This is why amphibians that live in cold climates must hibernate in winter. 30. You Observe! Describe the skin of this frog. 31. The skin of this frog is smooth and moist. 32. Most amphibians have the ability to breathe through their smooth, moist, thin skin. 33. Another amazing characteristic of amphibians is that they live part of their life in the water 34. and part of their life on land. 35. In order to do this amazing thing their bodies change form. 36. Graphic Transition Metamorphosis in Amphibians 37. Have you ever seen an animal like this swimming in a pond? 38. Believe it or not, it s not a fish but an amphibian. 39. It s the larval form of a frog commonly called a tadpole. 40. Most amphibians go through dramatic changes in form throughout their lives. 41. In fact, the word amphibian means double life. 42. You Decide! Where do amphibians begin their lives? 43. Amphibians spend the first part of their lives in water. They often spend the second part of their lives on land. 44. As amphibians grow older they go through metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is the process of an animal changing its form as it gets older. 45. The life of amphibians begins with eggs developing in water. 46. From each egg emerges a legless tadpole. 47. To breathe in water tadpoles have special structures called gills. 48. As the tadpole matures it forms legs, and the tail begins to disappear. 49. Eventually sac-like lungs start to develop inside the tadpole, and gills begin to disappear. 7 Visual Learning Company 1-800-453-8481
Video Script 50. When the legs and lungs are fully developed the frog can live on land. 51. Graphic Transition Video Review 52. During the past few minutes we ve explored some of the interesting features of amphibians. 53. We began by investigating some of the different kinds of amphibians. 54. Then we discussed some basic characteristics common to amphibians, answering the question what makes an amphibian an amphibian. 55. Last, we explored the fascinating process of metamorphosis by looking at a common amphibian, a frog, 56. rounding out our discussion of the fascinating features of amphibians. 57. Graphic Transition Video Quiz 58. Fill in the correct word to complete the sentence. 1. This is an amphibian called a. 2. Most amphibians can breathe through their thin. 3. Most amphibians begin their lives in. 4. This is an amphibian called a. 5. is the process of an animal changing form as it grows older. Literature Connections Pfeffer, Wendy. From Tadpole to Frog. New York: Collins, 1994. Sill, Cathryn P. About Amphibians: A Guide for Children. New York: Peachtree Publishers, 2004. Anderson, Judith. Once There Was a Tadpole. New York: Barron s Educational Series, 2010. Himmelman, John. A Salamander s Life. Connecticut: Children s Press, 1998. Lamstein, Sarah Marwil. Big Night for Salamanders. New York: Boyds Mills Press, 2010. Visual Learning Company 1-800-453-8481 8
Answer Key to Student Assessments What Do You Know Now? (p. 10) What Have You Learned? (p. 11) 1. water 2. camouflage 3. salamanders 4. cold-blooded 5. skin 6. legs 7. metamorphosis 8. tadpole 9. breathe underwater 10. lungs Video Review (p. 12) 1. This salamander has a long, slender body with a tail. 2. The skin of this frog is smooth and moist. 3. Amphibians spend the first part of their lives in water. They often spend the second part of their lives on land. Answer Key to Student Activities Word Find (p. 13) 1. skin 2. breathe underwater 3. legs 4. camouflage 5. lungs 6. cold-blooded 7. water 8. metamorphosis 9. tadpole 10. salamanders Video Quiz (p. 12) 1. salamander 2. skin 3. water 4. toad 5. metamorphosis Metamorphosis (p. 15) Eggs are small round structures, often with a dark spot in the center. The tadpole with legs should appear similar to the larval tadpole but with two small legs appearing before the base of the tail. Salamanders vs. Frogs (p. 14) 1. Salamanders and frogs both begin their lives in water. As they grow they go through a process called metamorphosis. As adults they have lungs and can live on land. They both are vertebrates and are cold-blooded. 2. Salamanders have long, slim bodies unlike frogs. Salamanders also have tails. Frogs only have tails during early development. As adults, frogs have very strong hind legs allowing them to jump. 9 Visual Learning Company 1-800-453-8481
What Do You Know Now? Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer. Name: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Most amphibians spend the first part of their lives in: air water grass trees The ability of an animal to blend in with its surroundings is called: camouflage hiding adaptation hibernation Amphibians with long, slender bodies and tails are: frogs toads snakes salamanders Amphibians have a backbone and are: warm-blooded mammals cold-blooded invertebrates Most adult amphibians have the ability to breathe through their thin, moist: skin gills nose lungs 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. An adult frog has the ability to jump with its powerful: legs fins gills tail Most amphibians go through dramatic changes in their lives referred to as the process of: change metamorphosis alteration growth The larval form of a frog is commonly called a(n): fish reptile egg tadpole What is the job of gills in tadpoles? breathe underwater breathe on land digest food pump blood Adult amphibians can breathe through their skin or with sac-like structures called: gills stomachs lungs noses Visual Learning Company What is an Amphibian? 10
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What Have You Learned? Fill in the bubble next to the correct answer. Most adult amphibians have the ability to breathe through their thin, moist: skin gills nose lungs What is the job of gills in tadpoles? breathe underwater breathe on land digest food pump blood An adult frog has the ability to jump with its powerful: legs fins gills tail The ability of an animal to blend in with its surroundings is called: camouflage hiding adaptation hibernation Adult amphibians can breathe through their skin or with sac-like structures called: gills stomachs lungs noses 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Name: Amphibians have a backbone and are: warm-blooded mammals cold-blooded invertebrates Most amphibians spend the first part of their lives in: air water grass trees Most amphibians go through dramatic changes in their lives referred to as the process of: change metamorphosis alteration growth The larval form of a frog is commonly called a(n): fish reptile egg tadpole Amphibians with long, slender bodies and tails are: frogs toads snakes salamanders Visual Learning Company What is an Amphibian? 11
1. Video Review While you watch the video, answer these questions: You Observe! Describe the body of this salamander. Name: 2. You Observe! Describe the skin of this frog. 3. You Decide! Where do amphibians begin their lives? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Video Quiz Fill in the correct word to complete the sentence: This is an amphibian called a. Most amphibians can breathe through their thin. Most amphibians begin their lives in. This is an amphibian called a. is the process of an animal changing form as it grows older. Visual Learning Company What is an Amphibian? 12
Word Find Name: Find the following vocabulary words in the puzzle below. AMPHIBIAN CAMOUFLAGE FROG GILLS METAMORPHOSIS TADPOLE TOAD SALAMANDER In the space provided below write three sentences about amphibians using the vocabulary words listed above. Visual Learning Company What is an Amphibian? 13
Salamanders vs. Frogs Name: Using complete sentences, answer the questions below about salamanders and frogs. 1. Write three sentences describing how the salamander and the frog are similar. 2. Write three sentences describing how the salamander and the frog are different. Visual Learning Company What is an Amphibian? 14
Metamorphosis Name: Most amphibians go through dramatic changes in form throughout their lives. In fact, the word amphibian means double life. Amphibians spend the first part of their lives in water. They often spend the second part of their lives on land. As amphibians grow older they go through metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is the process of an animal changing its form as it gets older. The life of amphibians begins with eggs developing in water. From each egg emerges a legless tadpole. To breathe in water tadpoles have special structures called gills. As the tadpole matures it forms legs, and the tail begins to disappear. Eventually sac-like lungs start to develop inside the tadpole, and gills begin to disappear. It then develops the ability to live on land. Below are pictures of two of the stages frogs go through in metamorphosis. Draw the two missing stages. Tadpole with legs Tadpole Adult frog Eggs Visual Learning Company What is an Amphibian? 15