Our study of the rainforest included vegetation, people, and location up to this point. Animal life is a very wonderful aspect of the endangered rainforest. Creatures of unique habits and adaptations find home in the vast plant life that is provided by the tropical rainforest. There are thousands of species that you can learn about and study as you travel though the Internet pages of rainforest sites; however, the subject of this lesson is restricted to frog

Background Information:

There are some very dangerous frogs in the Amazon. There are some documented accounts of travelers touching some species of the Dart-Poison Frog and going blind and even death. In the natural environment, some Dart -Poison Frogs eat ants and develop the toxin dangerous to man from their diet. The Formic Acid in ants has a toxicity impact on the frog's poison. Most of the very dangerous Dart -Poison frogs do not live in Manu, but in other parts of the Amazon and in Central America.

There are several species of Dendrobates that are also considered Dart-Poison Frogs and are very dangerous to the touch. These frogs are very colorful and use these colors as warning signs for predators. Also, there are many non-poisonous frogs that mimic the colors of the dangerous ones for protection.Link on to http://www.pbs.org/edens Use the drop down menu to find the site containing information on the Manu people of Peru’s rainforest. From this point you can click on any of the sites that you find interesting. Explore and enjoy!

Procedure: Students will each receive a full set of frog model templates with a color guide, which they will color. Download frog templates here: Template 1, Template 2, Template 3, and Template 4

Students will link on to a website for kids about frogs. After reading the information, students will complete a Venn diagram on North American Frogs and Rainforest Frogs. Click here:http://www.pca.state.mn.us/kids/frogsforkids.html.

Evaluation/Alternative Assessment:

Students can discuss the differences and likenesses between the two frog types.