The Gist
Out of 8,000+ frog species, Guardian Frogs are one of the first to show females that call & males that care for offspring. Students will gain wonder and appreciation for how diverse animal mating systems are while doing fun activities and analyzing real data.
Driving Question(s):
- Across animal species, is there truth to the stereotype that males are “competitive,” while females are “caring”, or is this an oversimplification?
- Are the smooth guardian frogs of Borneo the first known species of frog with “competitive females” and “caring males”?
Essential Question(s):
- How can we use scientific methods to identify a general pattern?
- Why do exceptions matter in science and in life?
Hooks
- Part 1: Highly interactive card-based activity that simulates data collection + amazing animal videos
- Part 2: Atmospheric videos of Borneo, first person narrative of an early career Latina scientist + use of authentic data
Estimated time3 x 45min classes
Grades5-9
Lesson summaries
Supporting Multimedia
PDFLesson 1
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Role With It Cards
Part of a fun simulated data collection activity. Students "introduce" their card (by vocalizing and dancing) and build a data table.