Year 1 Science: Amphibians: smooth, wet skin
Part of the Year 1 Science animal groups chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page · Download worksheet (PDF) · Answers (PDF)
Amphibians: smooth, wet skin
An amphibian can live in water and on land. The name means “both kinds of life”. A frog is an amphibian. A frog starts life as a tadpole in water. A tadpole has a tail and breathes with gills. Later, the tadpole grows legs and lungs, and it can live on land too.
An adult frog has smooth, wet skin, with no scales. Frogs lay their eggs in water. The clump of eggs is called frogspawn.
Key ideas
- An amphibian can live in water and on land.
- An adult frog has smooth, wet skin.
- Frogs lay their eggs in water, as frogspawn.
- A tadpole breathes with gills. An adult frog has lungs.
Key words. The five groups are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. A clue is a feature we can see, like fins or feathers.
Method. Look for the clues, then match the animal to one group.
- Look at its skin. An adult frog has smooth, wet skin.The skin is smooth and wet.
- Look at where it lives. A frog lives in water and on land.It can live in water and on land.
- Look at its eggs. Frogs lay their eggs in water.Its eggs are laid in water.
- Match the clues to a group. Compare the clues with the five groups.This frog = amphibian
- Write the answer. Amphibian
Check. The clues fit the amphibian group. ✓
Watch out. A frog lives in water and on land, but it is not a fish. Check its skin: smooth and wet.
Method. Count the legs one at a time.
- Look at the picture. Find every one, including the ones at the back.Find each leg: two at the back and two at the front.
- Count each one once. Say one number for each one, in order.1, 2, 3, 4
- Write the answer. 4
Check. Count again from the other side. You get 4 again. ✓
Watch out. Touch each one as you count it, so you do not miss one or count one twice.
Method. Think about how a tadpole breathes, and what changes when it becomes a frog.
- Look at the tadpole. A tadpole lives in water and has a tail.It has no legs yet.
- Think about how it breathes. Tadpoles breathe with gills, like a fish.Gills
- Write the answer. Later, the frog grows lungs.Gills
Check. The tadpole lives in water, where gills work. ✓
Watch out. An adult frog breathes with lungs, not gills.
Watch out
Watch out: a frog is not a fish, even though it can live in water. Look at its skin. A fish has scales and fins. A frog has smooth, wet skin and legs.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. The word amphibian comes from two old Greek words that mean “both lives”. Talk about the tadpole growing into a frog, step by step. Only look at frogspawn and tadpoles from the edge of a pond.
Exercise 4B Amphibians
Key words. The five groups are fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. A clue is a feature we can see, like fins or feathers.
Method. Look for the clues, then match the animal to one group.
- Look at its skin. Amphibians have smooth, wet skin.The skin is smooth and wet.
- Look at its legs. A frog has four legs for jumping.It has four legs.
- Look at where it lives. Amphibians live in water and on land.It lives in water and on land.
- Match the clues to a group. Compare the clues with the five groups.This frog = amphibian
- Write the answer. Amphibian
Check. The clues fit the amphibian group. ✓
Watch out. A frog lives in water and on land, but it is not a fish. Check its skin: smooth and wet.
Method. Think about what we know about animals.
- Read the question. Find the part that matters.What is the skin of an adult frog like?
- Think of the fact. We found this fact on this page.An adult frog has smooth, wet skin. A snake has dry, scaly skin.
- Write the answer. smooth and wet
Check. Say the fact out loud in your own words. ✓
Watch out. Look at the words of the question again, then think about the fact.
Method. Think about what we know about animals.
- Read the question. Find the part that matters.Does a tadpole live in water or on land?
- Think of the fact. We found this fact on this page.A tadpole lives in water and breathes with gills.
- Write the answer. water
Check. Say the fact out loud in your own words. ✓
Watch out. Look at the words of the question again, then think about the fact.
Method. Think about what we know about animals.
- Read the question. Find the part that matters.What is the name for a frog’s eggs?
- Think of the fact. We found this fact on this page.The clump of eggs that a frog lays is called frogspawn.
- Write the answer. frogspawn
Check. Say the fact out loud in your own words. ✓
Watch out. Look at the words of the question again, then think about the fact.
Method. Think about what we know about animals.
- Read the question. Find the part that matters.Where do frogs lay their eggs?
- Think of the fact. We found this fact on this page.Frogs lay their eggs in water, as frogspawn.
- Write the answer. in water
Check. Say the fact out loud in your own words. ✓
Watch out. Look at the words of the question again, then think about the fact.
Method. Think about what we know about animals.
- Read the question. Find the part that matters.Smooth, wet skin with no scales: which group?
- Think of the fact. We found this fact on this page.Smooth, wet skin with no scales is the amphibian clue.
- Write the answer. amphibian
Check. Say the fact out loud in your own words. ✓
Watch out. Look at the words of the question again, then think about the fact.
Method. Think about what we know about animals.
- Read the question. Find the part that matters.Fins and scales: which group?
- Think of the fact. We found this fact on this page.Fins and scales are the fish clues.
- Write the answer. fish
Check. Say the fact out loud in your own words. ✓
Watch out. Look at the words of the question again, then think about the fact.
Method. Think about what we know about animals.
- Read the question. Find the part that matters.Feathers and a beak: which group?
- Think of the fact. We found this fact on this page.Feathers and a beak are the bird clues.
- Write the answer. bird
Check. Say the fact out loud in your own words. ✓
Watch out. Look at the words of the question again, then think about the fact.
Method. Think about what we know about animals.
- Read the question. Find the part that matters.Does an adult frog have gills or lungs?
- Think of the fact. We found this fact on this page.A tadpole has gills. An adult frog has lungs.
- Write the answer. lungs
Check. Say the fact out loud in your own words. ✓
Watch out. The tadpole has gills, but the grown-up frog has lungs.
Method. Check Tom’s idea against the features of a fish.
- Read what Tom says. He says a frog is a fish, because it lives in water.Frog = fish?
- Check the features. A fish has fins and scales. A frog has smooth, wet skin and legs.No fins, no scales
- Decide who is right. Living in water is one clue, but it is not enough.No. A frog is an amphibian.
Check. A frog has smooth, wet skin, and a fish has scales. ✓
Watch out. Look at all the clues, not only one.
Method. Think about the life of a frog, from the egg to the adult.
- Think about the first stage. Frogs lay eggs in water first.frogspawn
- Think about the next stage. The eggs hatch into tadpoles that swim in water.frogspawn, tadpole
- Think about the last stage. The tadpole grows legs and turns into a frog.frogspawn, tadpole, frog
Check. Read it back in order: frogspawn, then tadpole, then frog. ✓
Watch out. The frog is the last stage, not the first.
Method. Look at both pictures and say what is the same and what is different.
- Look at the frog. Note the skin and the legs.Smooth, wet skin and four legs
- Look at the fish. Note the skin and the fins.Scales and fins
- Compare them. Say one thing that is the same and one that is different.Both have eyes. A frog has smooth, wet skin; a fish has scales.
Check. Both animals have eyes and a body. Their skin is different. ✓
Watch out. Compare the same features in both animals.