From tadpole to frog

1. Did you know that there are more than 2,000 types of frogs? Some live on or near water all the time. Others inhabit land. They live there most of their lives.

2. People who study animals are called biologists. They have found that one thing is the same about all frogs. Each begins as tadpole. The tadpole is one stage in a frog’s development. It follows the egg stage.

3.A tadpole is not fully formed when it hatches. This is an early stage of its growth. It lives in the water. Most tadpoles can be found in lagoons. Some live in other quiet bodies of water.

4. The tadpole breathes through gills. It is like a fish. In some ways it is more like a fish than like a land animal. That is why water is the best environment for to live in at this stage of its life.

5. The tadpole’s body goes through slow , gradual changes as it grows. First the tail gets longer. Then the tadple can swim. It darts around in the water, moving quickly to find food. It eats underwater plants called algae.

6. Soon , the tadpole’s body grows legs. At this point, it is also loses its gills. It does all its breathing on land. The tadpole can do thi because its gills have been replaced by lungs.

7.The last change for the tadpole has to do with its tail. When it first hatches, the tail is the longest part of its body. Over time, the tail gets shorter and shorter. Soon, the tail is gone, and the animal becomes a frog.