Let’s Learn More About Frogs & Toads!

Meet one of our toads!

Missing our amphibian Critter Connections? Marjorie’s got you covered! Click here to watch a virtual Critter Connection with Gamakichi the toad!

Guiding Question: What do you notice about the toad? How is it similar to a frog? How is it different?

What does a frog feel like?

(Disponible en español)

How is a frog’s skin different from other animals? Let’s explore it with this hands-on activity! Click here for full instructions in both English and Spanish.

Teaching Tip: Take this activity a step further by asking your scientist to think about how it compares to other animals.

From tadpole to frog!

Let’s explore the frog life cycle with this great book, “Watch a Frog Grow.” Click here to borrow it from the Internet Archive. 

Guiding Question: What are some of the stages of the frog life cycle? What are some of the major body parts that the frog has to grow over time? What are some big differences between a tadpole and an adult frog?

Surviving the winter

Wood frogs are one of the amazing species that Dr. Allison works with. The wood frog’s body makes its own anti-freeze that allows it to survive the winter! Click here to check out this great video explaining the process.

You can also click here for more information about our work with wood frogs.

Toadlets!

We talked about froglets last week, and, as you may have guessed, toads have a similar stage of growth. This is a toadlet! You can see how small it is compared to an adult toad (like Gamakichi), but it still looks more like a toad than a tadpole

As the summer goes on, Dr. Allison will encounter lots of these cuties in the field. Click here to check out an awesome video from a couple of summers ago with a toadlet watching a smooth greensnake hatch! 

Behind the Scenes

Did you know that there is a frog living in the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven? It’s a Cuban tree frog and it’s pretty hard to spot. Marjorie was lucky enough to snap this shot of it beautifully blending in!