Croaking   Critters

Introduction

One frog, two frogs, three frogs, four.
How many different frogs are there to explore?
One toad, two toads, three toads, four.
There are too many toads in this world to ignore!

Find a frog or toad to learn about,
Then make a slide show about it and try it out.
You can do it, without a doubt,
Because when we work together we help each other out!

    Each week we will go into the computer lab to put together a "slide" for the slide show presentation on frogs and toads. (Frogs and toads are called amphibians.) This is what you need to do.

• First pick a frog or toad to learn more about.
• Find a picture of the amphibian.
• Find both the common and scientific name of your amphibian.
• What does your amphibian eat? (Diet)
• Where does your amphibian live? (Habitat)
• How long does your amphibian live? (Life Span)
• What else is special about your amphibian?

To pick your amphibian, click on the frog or toad.
or check this government site.  You may also choose to look by states using the links below.
Florida
Georgia
Kentucky
Minnesota
Missouri
Ohio
Texas
West Virginia

Click here to find the map you need for slide 2.

Resources to explore if you finish your project early.
Amphibians
What is an amphibian

To make your slide show...

Slide 1 - Opening Slide

1. First you'll find a picture of the frog or toad of your choice using one of these links.
2. Write down the common name and scientific name of your frog.
3. Add a bookmark so you can come back and look at the page again.
4. Copy the picture to the file with your name on it.

1. Open the KidPix program.
2. Go to "file" at the top of the page.
3. Go down to three to "import a graphic". Find and open your folder.  Click on your picture.
4. Now go to "save a picture" and save this as "slide 1".
5. Bring your arrow over to the left and click on the typewriter.
6. Now click in the spot you want to type the name of your frog or toad and type it! How does it look? You can change the size of  the letters by moving the arrows by the number at the bottom of the page.  The bigger the number, the bigger your letters will be.  You can even make your letters look different by using the arrows on the bottom left.  Experiment to see which one you like best.  When you have it just the way you want it, save it again.
7. Now add the scientific name.  Use the same steps as in step 6.  Then save it again.  Now you have finished slide 1.

Slide 2 - Habitat

1. Go and find the map that will show where your amphipian lives. Click on the name of the continent then save the map the same way you saved your amphibian picture on day one. Call this "slide 2".
2. Open KidPix and add your map the same way you added your picture on day two.
3. Now color the parts of the map where your frog lives.  Click on the paint bucket and then click on the color you want to use.  Now click on the part of the map you want to fill in. If the color fills too much of the map, click on the "undo guy" on the left and go to step 4.
4. If you could not use the paint bucket to fill in your map, click on the paint brush.  Choose a color and then use the paint brush to fill in your map.  Save your work!
5. Now add a sentence or two about your amphibians habitat. Remember to use the typewriter and save your work.  This is an example of several sentences that two fourth grade students wrote about the habitat of the Poison Arrow Frog. The Arrow Frog's habitat is in the rainforest in South Central America.  They also live in Costa Rica. They sometimes live in water or trees.(Kaelyn and Nicole, Mrs. Bucklin's 4th grade class.)

Slide 3 - Characteristics

1. Go back to the page you "bookmarked".  Open the bookmark by clicking on "bookmarks" and then click on the page you saved.   How long does it live?(life span)  How big does it get?(size)  Is there anything else special about your frog?( Poisonous, carries its babies, etc.) Put this information on your slide show information sheet.
2. Open Kid Pix and put in your picture of your frog or toad.  Use the typewriter to add the size and life span of your amphibian. Save as "slide 3".

Slide 4 - Prey

1. Go back to the page you bookmarked.  Find out what your amphibian eats.  This is their prey. Write this down.
2. Now open Kid Pix.  On this slide you need to put down what your frog or toad eats.
3. Save this as "Slide 4"

Slide 5 - Predators

1. Go back to the page you bookmarked.  Find out what eats your amphibian.  This is their predators. Write this down.
2. Now open Kid Pix.  On this slide you need to put down what eats your frog or toad.
3. Save this as "Slide 5"

The Slide Show

Open Kid Pix.  Click on Slide Show.  You will see moving vans.  You will put each of the slides you made into a moving van.

1. Use pick a picture to put in slide 1.  Then click OK.
2. Do the same for slide 2, 3, 4, and 5.
3. Now use the slide bar at the bottom of the page.  The farther you move it to the right the longer your slide will be on the screen.
4. Click Play to see your slide show!  Save your slide show as the name of the amphibian it is about.

You will have a chance to practice your slide show before the frog festival.  During the frog festival you will present your slide show to our class and guests.  You need to speak loudly enough so that the audience will hear you.  Remember to smile!

Now your slide show is finished.  You have learned more about frogs and toads,  how to use the computer, and practiced reading and finding information.  Did you have fun too?  If you could do another project, what would it be about?