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Frog Symphony

Activity

An Evening Chorus

Go outside at dusk or night and listen for frog calls. How many species do you think you hear? How many individuals? What direction are the sounds coming from? Compare the different calls you hear.
A lake frog sitting in the water with its vocal sacs inflated on the sides of its face, singing
a yellow and pink reed frog singing with vocal sac full of air sitting on a lily pad
a pink and beige reed frog calling with vocal sac inflated

Science Seed

Frog are amphibians. Different frog species can be distinguished by their unique calls, which vary in pitch (how high or low), duration (length), and pattern. In Austin, we have many different species of frogs including American bullfrog, Blanchard’s cricket frog, cliff chirping Frog, spotted chorus frog and more. Frog calls are used to attract mates, establish territory, and communicate distress if they sense a predator nearby. Calls are created through specialized organs like vocal sacs or air bladders, which help amplify the sound of the call. The frequency (how often) and pattern of calls vary based on species and environmental factors like temperature and humidity. By monitoring frog populations through their calls, we can learn about the health of an ecosystem since amphibians require clean water to survive. Changes in call patterns may indicate environmental changes that cause population fluctuations.
botany jar illustration

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earn Badges

Badges can be earned through hands-on experiences within each of the 16 branches of science, or “Science Slices.” You can earn a badge in each branch of science by doing four activities in these categories. We also encourage participants to keep a Nature Journal to record their memories, and to express themselves creatively through writing or drawing after each activity. We recommend that each child (and parent if they’d like) write or draw in a journal after each activity, with expectations of your children that match their age (the goal is self-expression, not perfection).

Explore Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired

The Ecologist School Pocket Guide: TSBVI edition is a collaboration between Families in Nature and the Texas School for the Blind & Visually Impaired as an effort to help our community learn more about the TSBVI campus, while getting outside into nature together! This booklet has 80 lessons across 16 different branches of science to help you play, learn, and volunteer on campus!

join Families in Nature

It is our vision to inspire all families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists. Becoming a member of Families in Nature will give your family the opportunity to have adventures in nature, experience field science, develop as youth conservation leaders, and make memories that will last a lifetime. Memberships are free for everyone.

Who are we?

Families in Nature works to create opportunities for nature connection with the purpose of sparking a deep love and desire to protect, conserve and restore the environment. Our mission is to connect children and their families to nature and to each other through time spent learning, playing, and volunteering outdoors. It is our vision to inspire ALL families to fall in love with nature and foster the next generation of conservationists.
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