From Tadpole to Frog

Mr. Ribbit, the science teacher, cleared his throat. “ Ribbit! Do you know how we became frogs?” he croaked. The young frogs looked at each other. Mr. Ribbit held up two pictures. In one hand was a picture of a tadpole. In the other was a picture of a frog. Today we are going to learn about metamorphosis. Ribbit! ” he said.

Meta . . . what?” asked Freddy. “ Metamorphosis, ” Mr. Ribbit repeated. “ It is how we change from tadpoles into frogs. In the spring male frogs attract female frogs by singing. The frog couple starts their family in the pond. Ribbit! The male frog fertilizes the eggs in the water. A few days later, the eggs begin to change. ” Do they become tadpoles?” asked Hetty.

Ribbit! Yes. At this stage, the head is big and the tail is very long, ” explained Mr. Ribbit. Soon the eggs hatch and the tadpoles come out. Tadpoles, like fish, use gills to breathe. ” But Mr. Ribbit, we aren’t fish, are we?” asked Lily. Of course not! We are amphibians. Who knows what that means?”

Amphibians can live on land and in water, ” answered Boris. Right! But at first, tadpoles can only live in the water. ” What do tadpoles eat?” asked Freddy. Ribbit! As soon as they are born, tadpoles eat plants and algae. A few days later, they develop teeth. Then the tadpoles start to eat insects. ”

Mr. Ribbit continued, “ Tadpoles use their tails to swim. They are very active at this age. Tadpoles swim around in a group called a school. Six to nine weeks after they are born, metamorphosis begins. Ribbit! The back legs begin to appear and the tadpoles use them for swimming. The body grows larger, and the head begins to take shape. Next, the front legs begin to grow. ”

That looks like my brother! ” Hetty laughed. Ribbit! It looks just like a small frog except for the long tail. The tadpole is almost a frog now, ” said Mr. Ribbit. During the last days of metamorphosis, the tail slowly disappears into the body. Remember the tadpoles’ gills? Ribbit! They don’t need them anymore.