While as far as I know there was no kissing involved, Ruth Rabin's third and fourth grade classes recently had their own E.T.-like moment, or as it turns out - moments. The class discovered a few frogs in a nearby culvert and since they were just about to begin a science unit on amphibians, they decided to adopt their new friends as a learning experience and as class mascots. As with any addition to a family, there naturally comes extra responsibility, and small green amphibians are no exception.
If you read our previous blog, you know that there are at least three key elements needed for life - oxygen, water, and food. Miss Ruth's class studied two other necessary elements in the mix - space and shelter. In this case, the frogs were generously provided with oxygen and water; and space and shelter was available in a fish tank, already inhabited by a large school of fish from a nearby pond. The missing ingredient was food - or so they thought . . .
At first, it was assumed that frogs were herbivores, and thus a generous supply of leaves, weeds, etc. were supplied in great quantities. Unfortunately for the frogs, but fortunately for the local vegetation, this assumption quickly proved false. As their study of amphibians progressed, the students learned that all amphibians are carnivores - exactly at the same time they began to notice that their fish population in the frogs' new home had diminished considerably. Happily for the fish, the best diet for frogs turned out to be flies, mosquitoes, or better yet, crickets. Because flies and mosquitoes are difficult to catch - and let's face it, slightly gross - crickets seemed the logical choice.
The next day, donated crickets arrived in great number - four dozen to be exact - two dozen small and two dozen large in size. Who knew you could select the size of your crickets? The frogs quickly sized up their own favorites - the small ones - and seemed to have had their fill after only a few minutes. The larger crickets were scheduled to meet their fate the next day. Until then, they were housed in what was purported to be a maximum security egg carton contraption the class had devised.
As the new day dawned and the students arrived in Miss Ruth's class to begin their work, various chirping sounds were heard from around the room. It soon became obvious that there had been an overnight breakout from egg block #9 by the large crickets. Given permission to search, the students quickly found and captured the unlucky frog meal-wannabes hiding under a student's backpack across the room - only inches away from the door and the sweet taste of freedom. Other runaways just as quickly revealed themselves hiding behind books and under containers. After awhile, it appeared that the great cricket escape of 2011 had been contained.
Just as the excitement of the hunt began to ebb and the students were returning to work, the now-notorious chirps began anew - again from around the room. It became clear that more escapees may have again made it "over the fence", or in this case, off the counter. The search quickly resumed with cups, small containers, and other makeshift items, as well as plenty of gusto - an appropriate term for third and fourth graders given permission to virtually search and destroy in their quest to recapture stray crickets . . .
Needless to say, when the dust finally settled, at least sixteen of the original fleeing horde were recaptured and imprisoned once again, though several more remain at large to this day. However, there was at least one documented casualty during this "police action", and a student emerged with a new nickname as a result. It seems that one third grader - hereafter known affectionately as the "Cricket Crusher", exercised her zeal a bit more than necessary. The footloose cricket was indeed captured, but as they say, funeral arrangements are pending . . .
The upshot of all this is that the students in Miss Ruth's class learned a great deal about amphibians, and as a sidebar, their insect "friends" as well. The class even took the experience and turned them into two writing exercises - "The Great Cricket Escape" written from the cricket's point of view, and personal letters written to the frogs. They may have even utilized a bit of interdisciplinary learning by leaning on physical skills learned in their P.E. classes to help facilitate their cricket recovery mission. Regardless of the learning outcomes that may have arisen from these real world events, the ultimate winners in this scenario are the frogs and the remaining crickets.
As a reward for both their efforts and perseverance - as well as a nod I am sure to the constant demands of feeding, and in this case, retrieving - the frogs and their food sources - the students decided to release both groups back into the wild. Never have a group of fish been so relieved! If there is a lesson in all this, it is that the can-do attitude of a small group of crickets - or frogs in the case of E.T. - can ultimately serve to bring a little more of a sense of freedom to all of us.
Though personally, I still grieve for the Cricket Crusher's innocent victim . . .
Let the chirping begin!
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