Amphibians

This page includes links to resources to go along with my Amphibians Unit! Find the Amphibians Unit and other nature-based learning materials in my Shop!

1.) Amphibian Vocab Activity (external links)

• Ectotherm and endotherm
  • Endotherms & Ectotherms (article) – from Khan Academy
  • Endotherm and ectotherm entries on Britannica Kids
• Aquatic and terrestrial (and marine)
  • Terrestrial definition (see definition 2b) from Merriam-Webster
  • Aquatic definition (see definition 1) from Merriam-Webster
• Reptile and amphibian
  • Amphibian or Reptile? Here’s the difference – by M. Schick at the Shedd Aquarium
  • Exploring similarities, celebrating differences: Amphibians and Reptiles – from the Greater Cleveland Aquarium
• Vertebrate and invertebrate
  • Vertebrate – from Britannica Kids
  • Invertebrate – from Britannica Kids
• Lungs and Gills
  • How do Frogs and Tadpoles Breathe? from Science ABC
  • Meet the Peter Pan of Salamanders, the Axolotl – from WWF
  • How do fish gills work? – Highlights for Kids
• Newt and Salamander
  • Salamander and Newt – San Diego Zoo
  • Newt – from Kids WordSmith
  • Salamander – Britannica Kids

2.) Amphibian Research Project: suggested resources (external links)

• Search the species database on AmphibiaWeb
• The National Wildlife Federation has a list of US amphibians by category
• I created a list of Department of Wildlife websites for each US state – These websites usually include info on native species – including amphibians!
• Websites for National Parks, State Parks, and other Natural Areas often have information on local species, including amphibians. Find the website for a park near you.
• View the amphibians category in this animal database – from the San Diego Zoo website

3.) Additional lesson plans and free activities – for educators (external links)

• Lots of Amphibian and Reptile Education Resources from Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (various grade levels)
• Educator resources from AmphibiaWeb
• Fun with Frogs lesson plan from the National Park Service

4.) References (external links)

These include reference websites, books, and materials I used to research and fact-check the information within the Amphibians Unit as well as websites you may find helpful when gathering background information on this unit’s topic. Use the links below to enjoy the wealth of information these references have to offer!

• Black, R. (2012). World’s Smallest Frog Discovered. BBC News. Available: https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-16491477
• Clark, M.A., Douglas, M., and Choi, J. (2018). Biology. Open Stax. Ch 29.3. Available: https://openstax.org/books/biology-2e/pages/29-3-amphibians
• Fowler, S., et al. (2013). Concepts in Biology. OpenStax. Ch 15.6. Available: https://openstax.org/books/concepts-biology/pages/15-6-vertebrates
• San Diego Zoo (n.d.). Chinese Giant Salamander. Available: https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/chinese-giant-salamander
• San Diego Zoo (n.d.). Goliath Frog. Available: https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/goliath-frog
• San Diego Zoo (n.d.). Salamander and Newt. Available: https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/salamander-and-newt
• Wake, DB and Koo, MS. 2018. Primer: Amphibians. Current Biology 28(21): R1237-R1241. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2018.09.028

5.) More units from Wild Earth Lab