A Fun Physics Frog

1. Fold the index card to produce the frog.

2. Try to make the frog 1)jump forward 2)jump directly into the air 3)turn a somersault.

3. What is a force?

4. How many forces can you identify that are associated with the frog?

5. Decorate your frog and write a 1/2 to 2/3 page adventure on the back of your lab paper entitled, "A Day in the Life of ____________ the Frog.*"

 

* See essays below.

 

Source: The Physics Teacher, September 1989.

 

 

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Essays

(Cross Curriculum Activity)

Frawgs...

 

A Day in the Life of a Frog

 

It was early in the morning and Buz just woke up. He took his morning hop around the swamp. He came back to his lovely home in the dirt. That's when he decided it was breakfast. Buz hopped around til he found a fly resting on a leaf. Buz quietly came behind the fly and 'wham,!' Buz had breakfast.

 

Buz was on his way to his lily pad when a bird swooshed down and picked him up. Buz fought like a warrior while flying over the swamp. Then all of a sudden the bird just let him go. Flying through the air he smashed right into the swamp. He was stunned for a minute, but got back up. He swam to a nearby lily pad where he took a long nap.

 

Buz woke up at night. He was scared because at night that's when the animals hunt. He hopped home, ate a couple of flies on the way and dug himself into the dirt for bed.

 

Ian

(To e-mail Ian, post your message here and it will be forwarded.)

---

 

Hanging Out With Rustina

 

Every morning Rustina goes out for breakfast. She goes to the 'all-you-can-eat' pond. Then after breakfast she went to visit her cousin comet the frog. He's famous. He has a 5 room lily pad. After she came from his house, she was hopping along and then all of a sudden "Ribbit!" "Ribbit!" It was her best friend Dave, but he looked funny and why was he croaking?? It's mating time already? We can't mate because you (Dave) are a toad and I am a pretty green frog. Plus, we're friends.

 

She hopped along and sat on a lily pad. It's almost lunch time. One bug. Two bugs. Three bugs. A worm. "I'm stuffed." Then she hops on down the road for home. Then all of a sudden, "Rustina, ribbit, ribbit!" It was my brother Rusty. "Will you have dinner with me?'

 

"I suppose.."

 

So, they went to the 'all-you-can-eat' pad. After dinner she said goodbye to her brother and went to her pad. She looked at the sky and said, "What a big day! And tomorrow it will be even bigger." And then she fell asleep.

 

That's the normal day with Rustina.

 

Ariel

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A Day in the Life of Ty the Frog

 

Ty was a small, yet fat frog who was extremely colorful. He was the most colorful frog in the world. All the other frogs were jealous of Ty's beautiful ty-died patterns. Ty go his name from his ty-dyed pattern. The frogs ignored him all the time. This upset Ty extremely and he wished his colors would go away.

 

One day finally, Ty worked the courage to go play with the other frogs. But they made fun of him and laughed at his brilliant colors. The gods got mad and made the whole world gray and black except for Ty's brilliant colors. All the frogs wondered why Ty still had his color. But there never was an explanation.

Then the gods came down and told them they must pay for their cruelty to Ty. So they told the frogs that they were to apologize to Ty for he was their only hope for color again. Then they all apologized and made up with Ty.

Ty was so overcome with their nice gesture that he asked the gods how he could ever pay them back. The gods said he must sacrifice his color. Ty agreed to do so.

 

So the next day Ty leaped into the air saying goodbye to all his friends. His beautiful color was spread out to the whole world.
Now Ty lives on his golden lily pad in the sky and shines his color all through the day and like everyone else, sleeps at night and takes a break from spreading his color. To this day at night frogs croak to the king in thanks for all the beauty Ty gave them that day.

Melissa

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Croake

 

Croake arose to a bright, beautiful morning. When he reached out to slide his window up to get some fresh air, he noticed his webs ached something fierce. So he took some ribital and went on with his business. As he walked through the muddy floor of his aqua pad apartment, he grabbed a cup from his lily finished pantry and began to pour a cup of Flywell House coffee.

 

He kissed his wife and made sure his tadpoles were all right and headed off to work as the day went by, and his job got harder and harder because not everyone knows how to build double deck high rise lilies.

 

He ate his fly pea soup and headed back for home. Yes, it's boring, but that's the day in the life of Croake.

 

Matt

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---

 

A Day in the Life of Luke the Frog

 

Luke, the frog leads a very interesting life. Let's examine together a day in the life of Luke the frog. This morning, me and Luke woke up at 6:00 a.m. I took my shower first, then Luke got down. I brushed my teeth, but Luke just gargled. Next we got dressed. It didn't take him long, all he did was put on his sunglasses. Then it was breakfast time and we went downstairs to eat. I had cereal, while Luke had his daily feast of flies. Next we waited for our friend Rod to pick us up. When we got to school, me and Luke chilled with all our friends in the hall. Luke's a mach, all the girls love him.

 

Me and Luke have all our our classes together so we just joke around all day. When I get in trouble I get ISS but the teachers just laughed at Luke, lucky frog!! Then it was time for lunch. I had nachos, but Luke had the chicken. We split a slushy.

 

Later, it was back to class for our joking and laughing routine. Finally, the school day was over so we went home. I had to work, but Luke just stayed home and slept. When I go home he was still sleeping so I didn't wake him up. He missed all of his favorite shows on the WB.

 

Finally, I was tired and so I called it a night and got ready to do it all over again tomorrow.

 

Aaron

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A Day in the Life of Jumping Jawilikers

 

Just like any other citizen, J.J. wakes up every morning and brushes his teeth. Then he gets dressed and leaves his hole to fight crime. He patrols the streets stopping purse snatchers, jay walkers, and pesty flies and musquitoes.

 

When night comes he is a smooth talking ladies man, hopping from club to club in search of the future Mrs. Jumping Jawilikers. The women can't resist his exotic colors. They are hypnotic when stared at.

 

That is why he is such a good crime fighter. He hypnotizes all of the evil doers and makes them do good.

 

The world is a safer place because of Jumping Jawilikers.

 

Andy

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---

 

A Day in the Life of Jeremiah the Bullfrog

 

Jeremiah woke up to the bright, radiant sun one early spring morning. He realized he was hungry and went to his favorite log to wait for flies.

 

After he had eaten a few flies he thought he would head back. He was trapped in a glass jar. Jeremiah turned around and saw two gigantic eyes staring at him.

 

The little boy ran home to show his dad. His dad said, "Not now, I am writing a song and I almost have it. So don't disturb me please."

 

"Wait," he screamed. "What did you say your frog's name was?"

 

"Jeremiah," said the little boy.

 

"That's it," said the dad.

 

"Jeremiah was a bullfrog,

He was a good friend of mine,

Never understood a single word he said,

But I helped him drink his wine." Sang the dad...

 

Two years later, it became a hit song. As for Jeremiah, he was set free and returned home.

(With thanks to Hoyt Axton.)

 

Steven

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