Have you ever heard of a frog that can freeze and come back to life? Meet the North American wood frog! This amazing frog has some special tricks to survive the cold winter. Let’s learn about how it does this incredible feat!
The North American wood frog has a superpower called freeze tolerance. When it gets really cold, around 32 degrees Fahrenheit, the frog’s body starts to change. It makes a lot of glucose, which is a type of sugar. This sugar helps the frog survive even when it freezes!
When the weather gets too chilly, the wood frog’s heart stops, and its blood stops moving. It might seem like the frog is dead, but its cells are still working. This is like a magic trick that lets the frog stay frozen for up to seven months!
When the weather warms up and spring arrives, the wood frog starts to thaw. Its heart starts beating again, and blood begins to flow. The frog wakes up from its long winter nap and is ready to hop around and enjoy the springtime!
The North American wood frog is a true wonder of nature. Its special abilities help it survive the freezing winter and show us how amazing life can be in tough conditions. Isn’t nature incredible?
Try a simple experiment to understand how the wood frog survives freezing temperatures. Fill a small plastic container with water and add a spoonful of sugar. Place it in the freezer and check it every hour. Notice how the sugar affects the freezing process. Discuss with your classmates how this might be similar to the wood frog’s use of glucose to survive the cold.
Find your pulse and count how many times your heart beats in one minute. Imagine if your heart stopped like the wood frog’s during winter. Discuss how important the heart is and what happens when it starts beating again in spring. How do you think the frog feels when it wakes up?
Go on a nature walk and observe the environment around you. Look for signs of animals preparing for winter. How do other animals survive the cold? Write down or draw what you see and compare it to the wood frog’s freeze tolerance ability. Share your findings with your class.
