We have been enjoying reading By Pond and River by Arabella Buckley ($1.99 download #27 from Yesterday’s Classics) with the boys this week on the iPod Touch iBooks App.  We had been picking different chapters – but this week picked Chapter 1 – A Frog’s Life.

Jon had questions on why a tadpole could stay under water, but a frog needed to have his head out of water. Specifically, when would the tadpole need access to a rock, or out of water spot. On Page 21 we learned about the tufts/gills that it uses to breathe, by taking air out of the water.

He also had questions on what to feed the tadpoles.  Our story tells us on page 22 that they have a sharp beak that it uses to tear off pieces of weed to eat.  We did gather some of the plants from the ditch – and we noticed some of the trimmings this week.

The chapter weaves us through the Frogs Life in a scientific, yet narrative story. Easy to read, and easy to follow along as the listener.

Wednesday we went back to the ditch with Daddy – and found about a dozen frogs.  We had been looking in the water and couldn’t find them. Jon says, “Pacific Tree Frogs hide in the grass, instead of the water.  I was looking in the wrong place.”  We kept them long enough to look and study them, then set them free in the stream again.

Thursday, we headed to the library – and I gave them the task of – “Find out what sort of frogs are in our area. Use the card catalog to find the books. Do not ask the librarian for help. Do not use the internet computers. Check out the two books that you think give you the most information.” It took them a little bit  – but they were able to pinpoint that our little green frogs are in deed Tree Frogs, and – that they are Pacific Tree Frogs. 

They also learned that the tree frogs are not in the trees  – but in the grass and low shrubs near the water sources.

The boys enjoyed the success of finding the frog in several books. On Friday – I will post how we used the frogs as our focus for Nature Journaling.