You know we love frog activities for kids here at STEAMsational, and today, we’re diving into the fascinating world of frogs and their drinking habits with a simple experiment to show kids how frogs take in water with this lesson plan for our How Frogs Drink Water Science Experiment! In this experiment, kids will simulate how a frog takes in water to learn more about these amazing amphibians. Whether your students are in elementary or middle school, get ready for a ribbiting adventure that’ll leave them croaking for more knowledge!
How do frogs hydrate?
That’s what students will learn in this fun frog osmosis science experiment. Sporting scientist hats, students will discover a frog’s unique drinking methods and learn the hydration secrets of amphibians.
Hoppy Hydration: How Frogs Drink Water Science Experiment
Follow along with this lesson guide to get what you need to teach the how frogs drink water science experiment.
Table of Contents
Here’s some background info that will help you teach how frogs drink water and other fun facts about common frogs, what frogs need, how frogs absorb water, and properties of absorption that frogs use to survive.
Materials Needed for the Frog Biology Science Experiment
Take a look at the list of supplies below that you’ll need to do this frog anatomy science project.
This ensures smooth sailing when conducting the experiment with students, allowing us to focus on the fun of froggy exploration without any interruptions!
Take a look at our list of stuff you’ll need to get you prepped and ready for the How Frogs Drink Water Science Experiment!
Don’t hesitate to explore alternative sources for specialty supplies. Local science museums or educational centers might offer borrowing or rental programs.
Community groups or online forums could also be treasure troves for sharing or trading materials. Remember, a bit of creativity can go a long way in saving both money and time.
Frog Teaching Resources
Here are some teaching resources you can use alongside any study of frogs!
Frog Math Story Word Problems Box
Tropical Frogs Memory Sort Game
Amazing Frogs of the World Science Kit
More Frog Projects to Try
Here are some other fun hands-on frog science lessons!
- Gooey Frog Egg Slime Recipe- Just 3 ingredients!
- 3D Poison Dart Frog Craft and Lesson Plan
- Poison Dart Frog STEM Activity
- Frog Life Cycle Activities
Frog Osmosis Science- How a frog drinks water!
Here is how frogs can drink water through their skin!
Frogs have developed a remarkable and unique method of hydrating themselves that sets them apart from many other animals. Unlike creatures that drink water using their mouths, frogs absorb water directly through their skin.
A special area on a frog’s belly known as the “drinking patch” has skin that is thin and permeable. This means that water can travel through the skin through osmosis.
This drinking patch is crucial for a frog’s survival, particularly in their often humid environments. When it’s time for a frog to rehydrate, it will seek out moist locations like puddles, wet grass, or even just a damp area.
Frogs can sit in a pool of water and allow their drinking patch to make contact with the wet surface. This position maximizes the amount of skin exposed to moisture.
This method ensures frogs stay hydrated, even in areas with irregular rainfall.
Frog Science Books for the Classroom
Here are some books to learn more about frogs with your class!
Frogs: Scholastic Discovery Book
Frog Heaven: Ecology of a Vernal Pool Book
Poison Dart Frogs Up Close Book
Face to Face with Frogs National Geographic Book
How Frog Osmosis Works
Here is how osmosis works to hydrate frogs through the drinking patch on a frog’s stomach.
Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration. In frogs, this semi-permeable membrane is the skin of the drinking patch.
Here is how osmosis helps hydrate frogs through the skin.
- The drinking patch is located on the belly and the undersides of the thighs of the frog. The skin in these areas is permeable and contains a high density of blood vessels close to the surface.
- When a frog sits in a water source that has a lower concentration of solutes (like salts and other dissolved materials) compared to the fluids inside the frog’s body, then the water moves through a frog’s skin into it’s body, which has a higher concentration of solutes.
- As the water passes through the skin via osmosis, it is absorbed directly into the bloodstream. This process of direct absorption allows the frog to hydrate itself efficiently without the need for drinking through the mouth.
This specialized adaptation allows frogs to efficiently manage their water intake and helps them thrive in a variety of environments, ranging from rainforests to deserts.
Science Facts about Frogs
Here are some additional topics that you can teach students about frogs alongside the frog osmosis lesson.
Adaptation
Discuss how frogs have adapted to their environments in other his can lead to a broader conversation about adaptations in other animals and how these adaptations help them survive.
Amphibian Biology
Use the topic to teach about amphibians in general, including their life cycles (egg, tadpole, adult), habitats, and other unique biological features besides the drinking patch, like their ability to breathe through their skin and lungs.
Frog Shirts for Teachers
When learning about frogs, wear these awesome frog shirts for teachers!
Teach Kids to Read Frog Teacher Shirt
100 Days of School 100 Days Smarter Frog Teacher Shirt
Teaching is Un-frog-gettable Teacher Shirt
Ecology and Environment
Discuss the importance of wetlands and other aquatic environments for the survival of frogs. This can also include the impact of environmental changes and pollution on amphibian populations.
Conservation
Teach about the conservation status of different frog species and the importance of biodiversity. Discuss how protecting frog habitats helps maintain ecological balance.
Here are some frog science books you can read with your class before or after conducting this experiment.
How Frogs Drink Water Science Experiment Lesson Plan
Through hands-on activities, students discover the unique methods frogs use to absorb water, delving into concepts of biology, physics, and chemistry along the way.
From investigating surface tension to understanding the role of frog anatomy, this frog science experiment offers an engaging and educational journey into the science of amphibian hydration.
Get the printable lesson plan for the how to frogs drink water science experiment below and make sure to grab the free frog resources to expand on the lesson!
How Frogs Drink Water Science Experiment
One fascinating fact about frogs is that they don't use their mouths to drink. Instead, frogs use osmosis to absorb water directly through their skin into their bodies.
Use this how do frogs drink water science experiment lesson plan to teach how frogs drink through osmosis to elementary and middle school students.
Materials
- Egg
- Vinegar
- Salt
- Sugar
- Jar
Tools
- Measuring tape
- STEM notebook/journal
- Pencils
Instructions
Here is how to complete the how does a frog drink science experiment.
Objective
Students will understand the concept of osmosis and how frogs use osmosis to absorb water through their skin.
Day 1
Introduction (10 minutes)
Begin by asking students if they know how they drink water and how they think animals like frogs drink water.
Introduce the concept that while humans drink water with their mouths, frogs absorb water through their skin. Show a picture or model of a frog and point out the drinking patch area.
Explanation (10 minutes)
Explain osmosis using simple terms: "Osmosis is the movement of water through a barrier from where there is a lot of water to where there is not much water. This barrier lets water through, but not other things like sugar or salt."
Show an animation or video that illustrates how osmosis works, focusing on the movement of water through a semi-permeable membrane.
Activity: Demonstrating Osmosis (15 minutes)
Divide the students into groups of 4-5 and provide each group with the materials to complete the experiment.
First, have students record the length, circumference, and observations of their group's raw egg in the science journals.
Then, instruct the students to carefully place the egg in a jar filled with vinegar until the egg is fully covered and let it sit for 24 hours. 
Day 2
Exploration (30 minutes)
During the next lesson, have the students carefully take their eggs out of the vinegar and gently rub away any remaining shell.
Have the students record the length, circumference, and observations of the egg in their science journals.
Instruct the students to empty their jars of vinegar used to prepare your frog model and rinse. Pat dry and refill the jar with water.
Place the model in the water and let sit overnight.
Day 3
Observations (30 minutes)
Ask the students to remove their eggs once again and observe any changes. Have the students record the new length and circumference and any other observations they notice. 
Instruct the kids to empty and rinse their jars again. In the clean jar, have the students make a solution of 2 cups water, 1 tbsp sugar, and ¼ tsp salt until all particles are dissolved.
Have the students place their eggs in the jar of solution until the next class period.
Day 4
Experiment completion (20 minutes)
Remove the egg from the solution and look for changes. Record the size and note any observations you make. What happened? Where did the water go? 
Discussion (10 minutes)
Relate the activity back to frogs by explaining that the water moves into the frog's skin (like it moved into the corn syrup baggie) where the inside of the frog has higher concentrations of things water likes to move towards.
Show a diagram of a frog’s skin and point out the drinking patch, explaining that it works just like the baggie in water.
Conclusion and Assessment (10 minutes)
Hand out a worksheet that includes diagrams for labeling and a few short answer questions about osmosis and frog hydration.
Review the key points of the lesson, emphasizing how osmosis helps frogs absorb water through their skin.
Recommended Products
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Here are some fun frog books to read with your students!
Frog Books for Kids
Here are some frog science books and books featuring frogs that you can use in your classroom to go along with any frog STEM activity!
Toads and Other Amphibians Book
I Don’t Want to Be a Frog Book
Kids Explore Poison Dart Frogs
Liesl
Friday 10th of May 2024
Question, at the end it talks about a corn syrup baggie but there is no baggie in the actual experiment. What does this mean?