Frog Dissection Lesson Plans

Few activities elicit as many comments on either end of the enthusiasm spectrum as a frog dissection. The comments include things like  “Ew, gross!  Is it slimy?” and “Cool!  Do we get to cut that open?” However, even though many students initially shy away from the idea, dissections are one of the best ways for young scientists to learn about anatomy, physiology, and amphibians. 

Dissections should only be conducted when students have adequate background knowledge on the organs they’ll see, as well as a clear understanding of the behavior expected during the lab. They should also be well-versed in lab safety and have a parental signature on a lab safety contract. This will usually prevent unsafe actions during a lab, and also provide the teacher with objective consequences if a rule is broken.

Before beginning the dissection, it is helpful to provide one or two focus questions that should be answered by completing the lab. What are the basic internal and external structures of a frog, and how are they similar or different as compared to humans? How is an adult frog adapted to live both on land and in water? How is the skin of a frog specific to amphibians? Questions like these will help focus students on a specific objective, rather than the act of simply cutting open an organism to look at its parts. 

If you don’t have the budget or the inclination to conduct an actual frog dissection, there are many virtual dissections available free of charge online. Virtual dissections can also be conducted by students who have ethical objections to real dissections, and they can be tested on the same material as if they had completed the actual dissection along with the rest of the class. In some cases, teachers may prefer to use virtual dissections, as all students are guaranteed to see the same structures depicted in the same way.

For lesson plans and lab worksheets involving frog dissections, check out the links below.

Frog Dissection Lessons:

Frog Dissection

In this lesson students dissect a frog and examine the external and internal anatomy of the amphibian. They label a diagram of a frog to show its internal structure. They pay particular attention to frog's circulatory, digestive, respiratory system, excretory system and reproductive system. They answer questions while dissecting the frog.

The Virtual Frog Dissection by Steve Velie and Tim Hall

This lesson has students perform a virtual frog dissection. They identify both the internal and external parts of the frog. Each of the vocabulary words in this lesson are linked to a glossary of terms.

Virtual Frog Dissection Kit

Students who participate in this lesson do a virtual dissection of a frog called Fluffy. They also can play a game involving a virtual frog.