Frog Life Cycle Storyboard: Grade 1 Science Activity

Q: What are the stages of a frog’s life cycle for first graders?

For first grade, teach four stages : eggs laid in the water, a tadpole that swims with a tail and breathes with gills, a froglet that grows legs while its tail shrinks, and an adult frog that can live on land and lays eggs of its own. Four stages fit four storyboard cells, and the order matches the sequence words First, Next, Then, and Finally.

Q: What is the difference between a tadpole and a froglet?

A tadpole looks more like a small fish: it has a tail, no legs, and gills for breathing underwater. A froglet is the in-between stage. It has grown legs, its tail is getting shorter, and it is getting ready to breathe air. Showing the two side by side in separate cells helps first graders spot what changed instead of just memorizing the names.

Q: Why is a frog’s life cycle called a cycle?

It is called a cycle because it never really ends. The adult frog lays eggs, and those eggs start the same stages all over again. To make this clear to young students, have them point from the last cell back to the first and say, “And then it starts again.” That simple routine builds the idea of a repeating pattern in nature.

Q: How can first graders take research notes before writing an informational text?

First graders take notes best with pictures plus one short sentence . A storyboard cell gives them both: they place the image, then finish a frame like “I learned that ___.” Each cell becomes one fact they can turn into a sentence later. Keep the notes as a planning step only, and have students write and illustrate their final piece by hand.

Q: How can I support English learners with life cycle vocabulary?

Pair every new word with a picture . Have students point to the eggs, tadpole, gills, froglet, and frog in their cells as they say each word aloud. Typed sentence frames give them the structure to speak and write in full sentences, and students can add a label in their home language next to the English word to connect what they already know.

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Lesson Plan Overview

Template and Class Instructions

Lesson Plan Overview

This unit asks first graders “How do living things grow and change?” In this activity, students show the life cycle of a frog in a four-cell storyboard with cells titled First, Next, Then, and Finally. The teacher models first. Then students use the pond scene in each cell, add the stage of the frog’s life that belongs there, and finish the two sentence frames typed into each cell: the frame that matches the cell title (“First, ___.” “Next, ___.” “Then, ___.” “Finally, ___.”) and “I learned that ___.” Students can use science words such as eggs, tadpole, gills, froglet, and frog. Storyboard That puts every stage side by side so students can see the whole cycle and check the order, and placing one important detail in each cell helps them practice finding important details and the main idea in what they read.

In the sample, the first cell shows eggs in the pond, the second a tadpole with a tail and gills, the third a froglet growing legs, and the last an adult frog that lays eggs, which starts the cycle again. Students can also keep the storyboard as research notes for the unit’s informational writing. Look for one stage in each cell, stages in the right order, a picture that matches each sentence, and an “I learned that” sentence with a true fact. The storyboard is the research and planning step, not the graded piece: students still draw and write on their own, and the unit’s quizzes and published informational writing are assessed as the curriculum designs them. For another option, students can use the same four-cell layout to show the life cycle of a plant, from seed to grown plant to new seeds.

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Template and Class Instructions

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Due Date:

Objective: Show how a frog grows and changes.

Student Instructions

Look at the pond in each cell.
In each cell, add the frog at one stage of its life.
Put the stages in order: first, next, then, finally.
Finish the first sentence in each cell.
Finish “I learned that ___.” with something you learned.
Share your life cycle with a partner.

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Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level K-1

Difficulty Level 1 (Introducing / Reinforcing)

Type of Assignment Group

Copy Activity

Lesson Plan Overview

Copy Activity

Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)

Due Date:

Objective: Show how a frog grows and changes.

Student Instructions

Look at the pond in each cell.
In each cell, add the frog at one stage of its life.
Put the stages in order: first, next, then, finally.
Finish the first sentence in each cell.
Finish “I learned that ___.” with something you learned.
Share your life cycle with a partner.

More options

Copy This Storyboard

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level K-1

Difficulty Level 1 (Introducing / Reinforcing)

Type of Assignment Group

Copy Activity

Find the Facts First: Gather One Important Detail for Each Life Cycle Stage

Preview the four stages with pictures.

Before reading, show images of eggs, a tadpole, a froglet, and a frog. Ask students what they notice and name each stage together so the words are familiar when they hear them.

Read a short nonfiction text aloud.

Choose a simple informational text about frogs. Pause after each stage is described so students have time to think about what they just heard.

Ask for one important detail at each pause.

Ask, “What is one important thing we learned about this stage?” Record a short answer, such as Tadpoles have gills, on chart paper under the stage name.

Sort the details into First, Next, Then, and Finally.

Have students help you put the chart in order using the sequence words. Ask them to explain how they know which stage comes next.

Find the main idea as a class.

Look at all four details and ask, “What are all of these about?” Guide students to a main idea sentence like A frog changes as it grows.

Have students add one detail to each cell.

Students open their storyboards and use the class chart to finish “I learned that ___.” in each cell, choosing the detail that matches the picture in that cell.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Frog Life Cycle in First Grade

What are the stages of a frog’s life cycle for first graders?

For first grade, teach four stages: eggs laid in the water, a tadpole that swims with a tail and breathes with gills, a froglet that grows legs while its tail shrinks, and an adult frog that can live on land and lays eggs of its own. Four stages fit four storyboard cells, and the order matches the sequence words First, Next, Then, and Finally.

What is the difference between a tadpole and a froglet?

A tadpole looks more like a small fish: it has a tail, no legs, and gills for breathing underwater. A froglet is the in-between stage. It has grown legs, its tail is getting shorter, and it is getting ready to breathe air. Showing the two side by side in separate cells helps first graders spot what changed instead of just memorizing the names.

Why is a frog’s life cycle called a cycle?

It is called a cycle because it never really ends. The adult frog lays eggs, and those eggs start the same stages all over again. To make this clear to young students, have them point from the last cell back to the first and say, “And then it starts again.” That simple routine builds the idea of a repeating pattern in nature.

How do I help first graders find the main idea and important details in a nonfiction text?

Read a nonfiction text aloud and stop after each part to ask, “What is one important thing we learned?” Record one detail per stage. When all the details are collected, ask what they have in common to find the main idea, such as a frog changes as it grows. Keeping each detail in its own storyboard cell makes the difference between a detail and the big idea easy to see.

How can first graders take research notes before writing an informational text?

First graders take notes best with pictures plus one short sentence. A storyboard cell gives them both: they place the image, then finish a frame like “I learned that ___.” Each cell becomes one fact they can turn into a sentence later. Keep the notes as a planning step only, and have students write and illustrate their final piece by hand.

How can I support English learners with life cycle vocabulary?

Pair every new word with a picture. Have students point to the eggs, tadpole, gills, froglet, and frog in their cells as they say each word aloud. Typed sentence frames give them the structure to speak and write in full sentences, and students can add a label in their home language next to the English word to connect what they already know.