CLASSROOM SPOTLIGHT: Imagine School at Palmer Ranch

Every since Imagaine School at Palmer Ranch teacher Jill Marsh found tadpoles swimming around in a puddle at the end of her driveway, her students have been observing them and watching as their tails vanish and they sprout legs. Here’s what her second-grade class had to say to The Sarasota Observer.

Aidan Troy
What’s cool about tadpoles and frogs?
They turn into frogs very quickly. The tail every day shrinks a centimeter and their legs grow in about one or two days.

Why do they turn into frogs?
It’s just their life cycle.

Which would you rather have as a pet?
Both.

Do you prefer tadpoles or frogs?
Tadpoles. They are more fun, and it’s cool when they eat.

Gabby Flores
What’s cool about tadpoles and frogs?
They fight a lot as tadpoles, and it’s fun to watch.

What did you observe?
Frogs are slimy and sticky …

Do you prefer tadpoles or frogs?
Frogs — I like them hopping more than swimming.

Did you learn anything?
I learned that tree frogs have red eyes.

Joseph Smith
What’s cool about tadpoles and frogs?
We’ve been studying them and observing every day what they were doing.

What did you observe?
They grow so quickly. After one night, they grew a full tail and legs. Usually when they are big, they grow stripes.

Do you prefer tadpoles or frogs?
Tadpoles, because they swim a lot and grow legs. Frogs just sit there, but the tadpoles play with each other.

Did you learn anything?
One still had a tail when it became a frog.

 Sarah Lucas
What’s cool about tadpoles and frogs?
I usually just like to see how their life cycle goes.

What did you observe?
In three days, most of the tadpoles turned to frogs. Some of them still had really big tails. It’s cool to watch the frogs always jump around and chase the tadpoles.

Do you prefer tadpoles or frogs?
Frogs — tadpoles are not cute. I prefer penguins.

Did you learn anything?
If you feed them, you have to do it fast.

Contact Loren Mayo at [email protected].