Polliwog School

We recently started our Plants and Animals unit in science. We are also reading non-fiction animal books in our Guided Reading Comprehension Centers. Not only are students learning many interesting facts about animals, they are also learning how to navigate through non-fiction texts and apply reading strategies for better understanding.

This week was a particularly exciting week with the introduction of tadpoles into the classroom. Students created many "I wonder..." statements as they read their books on frogs and tadpoles. We will continue to read books to try to answer some of their questions, such as...

-I wonder when they will get their legs?

-I wonder why frogs make croaking sounds?

-I wonder if they were here before dinosaurs?

-I wonder how they get their food when they are so tiny?

Check back on the blog soon for a chart of student generated questions and answers about frogs. We will also try to update the blog as the tadpoles go through each stage of their growth.

Stage One of Observation:

After reading Why are Frogs Wet? by Judy Hawes, we wondered, "Do our tadpole have gills? Or, have they already developed lungs?" We did not see any feathery gills mentioned in the text. Students also observed the tadpoles are starting to coming up to the surface for air. So, we think that they now have lungs.

Here are some more student observations:

"Their tails are helping them swim. They eat algae. They are a little active."- Veronika

"Some are at the bottom and some are at the top. They are not very active. They are more active today then on Friday."- Jake (4-11-11)
"They look like they are playing tag."- Koji

Here is a video of some of the tadpoles swimming in their bowl.