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Lesson: Freaky Frogs: A Web Quest for Answers
Glencoe Biology: The Dynamics of Life
Unit 9, Chapter 30, Section 30.2
Context of Lesson
At this point in the curriculum, students should have completed sections 30.1 and 30.2. Ideally, students
would also have completed the Mini Lab 30.2 “Compare and Contrast Frog and Tadpole Adaptations.”
This lesson extends their understanding of amphibians as well as the nature of science by conducting a
Web Quest that involves making inferences, interpreting graphs, and reading about scientists’ research.
Ten years ago school children in Minnesota encountered large numbers of deformed frogs while on a
science field trip. One of every two frogs they found had deformities. Their findings launched a 10-year
search for a cause. Various hypotheses were presented. Today scientists are closer to understanding
why the numbers of deformed frogs have increased and the numbers of amphibians have decreased
world-wide.
Main goals/ Objectives
As a result of performing this investigation, students will be able to:
 Interpret a data graph
 Explain why amphibians are good indicators of environmental change
 Explain that scientists’ background knowledge and creativity influence their doing inquiry so they
may have different observations and interpretations of the same phenomenon.
Materials
Reserved computer lab or portable laptops for students (one computer for two students or one
computer per student)
Student Web Quest Handouts
Facilitation (45 minutes)
Ideally students should work in pairs at a computer. Either traveling to the computer lab or bringing a
portable set of laptops, if available, to your students is sufficient. If the teacher prefers, students can
complete this assignment individually, assuming there are enough computers. If students are working in
pairs they can each submit a completed Web Quest OR can submit one with both of their names listed,
at the teacher’s discretion.
Homework
Students should have competed sections 30.1 and 30.2 as well as Mini Lab 30.2.
Lesson (45 minutes)
Instruct the students that they will be completing a Web Quest to explore a very strange phenomenon
involving frogs.
Explain that they will be working in pairs or individually to complete the assignment. They will be using
computers to investigate several websites about the frogs. All of the instructions are on their Web Quest
handout. They should follow the handout and not skip ahead. They should make sure to record the
answers to the questions on the handout.
Communicate that you, the teacher, will be moving from student to student, checking progress and
helping with any questions they might have.
Tell the students that they will need to submit their completed handout by the end of the class period
today.
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Extensions
The extensions of this lesson are numerous. Students could be asked to find additional information
about malformed frog sightings in their area, or internationally. Classes of students can join one of the
organizations that collect and report data on malformed frogs. It is the teacher’s discretion and the
students’ interest that will dictate how far students carry this lesson.
Modifications/Adaptations
Since students ideally would be discussing their ideas in groups of two and using computers, the verbal
and visual nature of this lesson is well suited for students with special needs. Pairing challenged
students with regular education students is also an appropriate accommodation if students will be
working in pairs or in groups. Challenged students should be allowed to answer orally or to make
drawings of their ideas.
Evaluation
Students’ completed Web Quests will be evidence of understanding.
Teacher Learning Platform
During professional development, teachers will experience and practice debriefing the nature of science
component of this activity as well as other similar discussions about inquiry and the nature of science.
The resources also provide excellent support for teachers who would like more information frog
population declines and deformities.
Resources
National Geographic Explorer (Student Magazine)*
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/0403/articles/mainarticle.html
National Geographic News Article about deformed frogs*
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/07/0709_020709_deformedfrogs.html
Frog Watch USA
http://www.nwf.org/frogwatchUSA/
North American Reporting Center for Amphibian Malformations
http://frogweb.nbii.gov/narcam/
Deformed Frogs! Introduction
http://kie.berkeley.edu/roosevelt/frogs.html
*Reccommended
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Freaky Frogs: A Web Quest for Answers
Name ________________________
Date _____________
Instruction: Follow the steps in this Web Quest. Go to the sites listed. Be
careful when you type them in since one wrong letter will prevent you from
going to the site. Answer the questions in bold using the information at the
sites you visit. If you have any questions, be sure to ask your teacher for
help. Be sure to use complete sentences when answering the questions.
1. To get started, take a look at the frogs that have been found, go to the
following links.
http://www.pca.state.mn.us/hot/frogphotos.html
http://ic.ucsc.edu/~flegal/etox80e/SpecTopics/Amphibians/amp_p21.
jpg
http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngexplorer/templates/output/a
rticles/gallery.tmpl?DB_NUM_PARAMS=2&DB_PARAM_0=0403&DB_PARAM_1=3
a. What are some possible causes of the deformities?
2. Go to the next link
http://www.nwf.org/frogwatchUSA/content_decline.cfm
Answer the following question using what you have learned.
a. Why are frogs more sensitive to changes in their environment?
3. Read the following article. If there are headphones at your computer, you
can listen along by clicking the link at the right side of the page.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/science/july-dec96/frogs_1223.html
a. Who were the first people to find the deformed frogs?
b. What did DR. ROBERT McKINNELL find when he analyzed the DNA of the
deformed frogs?
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c. What are LINDA QUINTERO, MICHELLE DAHN, and GUTHRIE SWENSON worried
about?
4. Go to the following link. You will see a graph of the numbers of deformed
frogs found at three different locations, Site 1, Site 2, and Site 3. Data
from 1997, 1998, and 1999 is shown.
http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-043-01/images/fig2.jpg
a. Which site had more deformed frogs in 1998, Site 1 or Site 2?
b. Look at the data for Site 3. Why do you think there were so many more
frogs in 1998 than in 1999?
c. Not only were there fewer frogs with deformities at Site 3 in 1999, but
there were fewer frogs in general. What do you think happened to all
the frogs?
5. Read the brief article at the following link:
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2002/07/09/frogs_deform020709.html
a. What do scientists think is the causing the frogs to be deformed?