Key Stage 1 Carnival of the Animals

Amphibians

Learn about the characteristics and habitats of amphibians and research and create life cycle of the frog.
Teaching Outcomes
To identify the characteristics of amphibians and research the life cycle and habitat of the British common frog before looking at other amphibians from around the world.
To use a world map and globe to locate habitats of amphibians.

Children will:

• Learn about the characteristics and habitats of amphibians.
• Research and create life cycle of the frog.
• Find out about other amphibians and locate their habitats on the world map.

• Information sheet with letter and illustration
• Life cycle of a frog models

• Stories of Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel
• Information books about frogs, toads and amphibians around the world
• ‘Big Book’ such as Growing Frogs by Vivian French
• Paper for life cycle diagrams
• Ready folded ‘zigzag’ information books
• World map or globe

'Frog and Toad' in 2nd half of BBC 'Words and Pictures' – YouTube clip
Classification of amphibians from sheppardsoftware.com
Frogs in habitat from bbc.co.uk
Keeping tadpoles from ypte.org.uk
Frog life cycle game from sheppardsoftware.com
Life cycle game from softschools.com (requires Flash)
Froggy song – YouTube clip
Amphibian photos from naturephoto-cz.com
More amphibian photos from animals.nationalgeographic.com

Understand that sounds can be made in different ways and begin to build a pattern of sounds to represent a particular amphibian; make improvements to their work.

Teaching Outcomes
To identify key characteristics of amphibians.
To investigate different sounds and find suitable sounds that could represent amphibians in a musical composition.

Children will:

• Understand that sounds can be made in different ways.
• Suggest words and sounds to express amphibians’ movements and calls.
• Begin to build a pattern of sounds to represent a particular amphibian.
• Begin to recognise tempo, dynamics and pitch.
• Make improvements to their work.

• Photographs of amphibians from around the world

• Flip chart
• Michael Finnigin, tap your chinigin by Sue Nicholls (optional)
• Clap Your Hands Follow Me: Action Songs and Activities for Under Fives by Emily Skinner

Photographs of amphibians from naturephoto-cz.com
More photographs of amphibians from animals.nationalgeographic.com
Example of Bobby Shaftoe tune – YouTube clip
Example of Frere Jacques tune – YouTube clip

Begin to recognise tempo, dynamics and pitch; learn how sounds can be described using given and invented signs and symbols; make improvements to their work.

Teaching Outcomes
Children continue to investigate different sounds using simple percussion instruments to compose musical patterns that could represent amphibians and experiment with ways to record their musical ideas.

Children will:

• Begin to recognise tempo, dynamics and pitch.
• Recognise that sounds can be made in different ways then described using given and invented signs and symbols.
• Make improvements to their work.

• Photographs from previous sessions

• List of words on flip chart
• Michael Finnigin, tap your chinigin by Sue Nicholls (optional)
• Percussion instruments
• A3 paper

Example of the tune for 'John Brown's Body' – YouTube clip

Use musical terms to create composition using previous musical ideas; rehearse, following signs and symbols under the direction of a leader/conductor; perform and record your whole class composition.

Teaching Outcomes
To create a composition to perform to ‘Saint-Saëns’ and record for Frog and Toad.

Children will:

• Use musical terms in order to create a whole class composition using their previous musical ideas.
• Experience rehearsing together, following signs and symbols under the direction of a leader or conductor.
• Perform with others, starting and finishing together and maintaining a steady pulse.
• Record their performance.
• Express feelings about the music.

• Amphibians syllables information sheet
• Lily pad recording information sheet

• Photographs and recording sheets from previous sessions (displayed on working wall)
• Percussion instruments
• Resources for audio recording
• Visiting adult playing ‘Saint-Saëns’
• School website

There are no weblinks needed for this session.