I’ve always been fascinated by poison dart frogs, especially after doing some of our frog activities for kids, and I must have passed that fascination down, because Monkey was dying to learn more about poison dart frogs this week. We conducted our own poison dart frog science facts dive, culminating in the poison dart frog craft shared in this post. If you want to use the poison frog lesson plan that we used and learn how to make a poison dart frog out of clay, keep reading!
Table of Contents
How to Make a Realistic Clay Frog
In this poison dart frog model build and dart frog science lesson plan, your students will learn how to make a poison dart frog using air dry clay.
While doing this activity, don’t forget to download our FREE resources to go along with the poison dart frog lesson plan!
Get the Poison Dart Frog Worksheet
I created a posion dart frog fact sheet that we used to learn the science about poison dart frogs.
The colorful page will spark interest in poison dart frogs and facilitate further study.
Click to purchase the poison dart frog science worksheet!
Poison Dart Frog Coloring Sheet
If you want to color a poison dart frog, get the FREE poison dart frog coloring sheet here! These cute poison dart frog coloring pages also show students how to draw a poison dart frog!
Grab the printable poison dart frog coloring page here by clicking the image below.
Poison Dart Frog Facts
Want to know more facts about poison dart frogs? Here are eight fun facts about poison dart frogs that your students will love learning!
- Poison dart frogs are known for their vibrant colors, which serve as a warning to potential predators that they are toxic.
- Dart frogs are usually quite small, with some species being as small as your fingertip.
- Poison dart frogs get their name from the toxins found on their skin. These toxins are a defense mechanism that helps protect them from predators.
- Dart frogs eat small insects, which they catch using their long, sticky tongues.
- Poison dart frogs are mainly found in Central and South America, particularly in rainforests and tropical environments.
- Unlike some other frogs, poison dart frogs are excellent parents. The male frogs are responsible for carrying and protecting their tadpoles on their backs until they become fully grown frogs.
- There are over 170 different species of poison dart frogs, each with its own unique coloration and toxin levels.
- Indigenous people of Central and South America have used the toxins from these frogs to poison the tips of blow darts for hunting. This is why the frogs are known as “dart” frogs.
Where do Poison Dart Frogs Live?
Poison dart frogs are typically found in the rainforests and tropical areas of Central and South America.
These regions are warm and humid, which provides an ideal environment for these colorful frogs to thrive. Poison dart frogs prefer to live in areas with lots of vegetation, like dense forests or near streams and rivers.
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
Poison Dart Frog Life Cycle
The life cycle of a poison dart frog consists of several stages:
Eggs: It all begins when a female poison dart frog lays her eggs in a safe place, such as under leaves or in the crevices of trees. She may lay a few eggs or a small clutch.
Tadpoles: After a few weeks, the eggs hatch into tadpoles. Tadpoles are aquatic and have gills, allowing them to breathe underwater. They feed on tiny organisms and algae in the water.
Metamorphosis: As the tadpoles grow, they undergo a process called metamorphosis. During this stage, they start developing lungs and legs. Their tails shrink, and their bodies change shape.
Juvenile Frogs: Once the tadpoles have completed metamorphosis, they become juvenile frogs. At this stage, they leave the water and venture onto land. Their skin may start to produce toxins, which they inherit from the food they eat in the wild.
Adult Frogs: As the juvenile frogs continue to grow, they eventually become adult poison dart frogs. These are the frogs known for their bright colors and toxic skin. They are now ready to find a mate and begin the cycle anew.
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
How to Make the Poison Dart Frog Craft
This poison frog craft was a lot of fun and kept us busy all afternoon. We spent that time discussing facts about poison frogs and more science about poison frogs.
Get the Poison Dart Frog Fact Sheet
I created a posion dart frog fact sheet that we used to learn the science about poison dart frogs.
The colorful page will spark interest in poison dart frogs and facilitate further study.
Get the poison dart frog fact sheet!
Poison Dart Frog Coloring Sheet
If you want to color a poison dart frog, get the FREE poison dart frog coloring sheet here! These cute poison dart frog coloring pages also show students how to draw a poison dart frog!
Grab the printable poison dart frog coloring page here by clicking the image below.
Supplies for the Poison Dart Frog Craft
Here are the supplies that you’ll need to have on hand when you make your own clay poison dart frog craft. This post contains affiliate links for your convenience.
- Air dry clay
- Flexible crafting wire
- Clay-shaping tools
- Acrylic clear glaze
- Paintbrushes
- Wire Cutters
- Black beads for frog eyes
- Poison Dart Frog Worksheet
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 to Make a Poison Dart Frog out of Clay
Follow along with this easy tutorial to learn how to make a poison dart frog craft.
First, have students form the body of the frog out of wire.
Our frog’s legs ended up being too short, so make sure you leave plenty of wire length to make the legs.
We used three pieces of wire, one for the body/head and two for the legs.
Knead your clay until it is pliable. Wrap it around the wire to make the frog’s body. This process can take quite some time.
Add texture to the frog using clay-shaping tools. We tried to make our frogs look as realistic as possible.
You can use the poison dart frog fact sheet to study the parts of the frog that make your sculpture look more realistic (like how their eyes are hooded).
Allow your poison dart frog craft to dry for at least 24 hours.
If you want to paint your frog, use acrylic paint to add additional details to your clay frogs. Wait another 24 hours for the paint to dry.
When your frog is dry, glaze it with acrylic glaze for an authentic, “wet frog” look.
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
Reptiles and Amphibians for Kids Book
Poison Dart Frog Lesson Plan
Grab this printable lesson plan for how to do the dart frog craft and teach kids about poison dart frogs at the same time!
Poison Frog Craft and Frog Science Lesson Plan
Learn fun facts about the dart frog and how they live in this fun science poison dart frog lesson plan and poison frog craft for elementary!
Materials
- Pictures and videos of poison dart frogs in their natural habitat
- A globe or world map
- A large poster or images of rainforests
- Art supplies (paper, colored pencils, markers, crayons)
Recommended Products
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STEM Shirts for Teachers
These STEM shirts are adorable and super fun to wear while teaching STEM or science.
