Okay...I am a bad mom...I detest sciece fairs! Here is what the kid is thinking....she wants to buy the tadpole little guys...measure and take pictures of their growth...at the end of the deal...a frog will appear! For it will finally grow to this....What is the question here for this project??What is the scientific idea here?? Any input from any experience or knowledge would be really great!! Help!

according to http://allaboutfrogs.org/info/tadpoles/

The length of frog development from egg to tadpole to frog usually takes between 6 to 12 weeks. But it is also temperature dependant, so during cold spells it may take a bit longer or even be suspended till the temperatures go up.

I think this experiment/project is a great idea.

If you're a bad mom, then I was, too. I hated, hated, hated science fair project time.

Hmmm...could she separate the tadpoles and put them in different temperatures somehow, then find out at which temperature they turn into frogs first?

Edit: Out of curiousity, I just googled "Science fair projects about tadpoles" and found a ton of stuff, including something about determining how temperatures affect them. Great minds, huh?

Also, I found this question: "My son is in 4th grade and wants to do a project on the life span of frogs. From tadpoles to frog. But we can not think of a hypothisis that would tie into this." Someone answered it with several links.

What did we ever do without google? Wait, I know, we HATED, HATED, HATED science fair projects. :evil:

Sorry, I'm calmer now.

Does she have enough time for the tadpoles to develop before the project is due? She would definitely need to have some variables (temperature of water, etc). or does she deep down inside really want a frog at home? Sorry, just the teacher in me coming out - I generally steered students away from experiments with live animals - what do you do with them when your project is done?

You guys are such a great BIG help!! I think this is cruel to parents!!:)And, so glad I am not the only secret detesting science fair parent!

Auntie M....I'm sure she would be thrilled to have a frog for awhile...we live on a small farm w/many critters inside and out and we have a choice of ponds for the guy to have a happy home in the spring!! The live frog is not the problem here....could be me at the end of this;)LOL

And, yes, we have plenty of time....it is in January!

YOU are not alone. My children are grown but I absolutely detested Science Fairs when they were growing up. It always seemed to get down to "the parents doing the work". The competition seemed to be between parents not kids! It was always obvious to me anyway that the winners had had lots of "help".

No, you are not a bad mom.......

p.s.---here in California, they study the history of the state and in the 4th grade--Most of the kids are required to make model missions---let's just say my opinion of the missions equaled my opinion of the Science Fair Projects

I am a scientist and hate science fairs to the point that my kids only participate if it is required for a class. I don't think the ods learn anything since the projects ar the same year after year and those that don't get help from the parents never win. Your kid isea is good and you can do it as a demonstration rather than an experiment. This way it doesn't get too complicated.

I'll ask one of the gals here - she used to be a biology teacher - she might have some ideas.

Great, great tips here! And there's always Google. I would have been brilliant in school with Google! But no, we had typewriters. What good were those?! :roll:

Good luck on "your" project! Hope you get an "A!" Been there, done that! And my daughter actually placed in the science fair. She was mortified! LOL! Cracked me up! And here she thought she was "cool!" Nope, she's a nerd.

Not being around froggies much, I had to refresh my memory:
http://www.ypte.org.uk/environmental...nd-tadpoles/28

Another test could be to use different water and see if a different environment makes a difference. (Note: If starting with tap water, it must stand for 3 days min before putting the little squirmies in)

Where are you getting the tadpoles - aren't they more of a spring crop?

This is fun - a group project.

Okay madquilter...were you listening in on her teacher conversation today?!!:)She just came in telling me the teacher had a great idea to go around to different towns and collect water to see if there is an environmental difference in the water vs growth...great...and, how do we do that when we have no idea what is in their water to begin with?!!:)Yes, that God for google....I will be red eyed over this..and, yes, I so agree it is parent vs parent...I dont get caught up in that drama but, a good grade would be nice since this is HALF her grade in this class! Wonder what they aer doing for the other half of the grade? Eating bon-bons I think!LOL Keep 'm com'n quilters!! You already are such a huge help!! Espec in the fact I don't feel alone in this!LOL Skeat

And, we are ordering them tomorrow...once I dig out our old fish tanks out of the barn....well, then there is the maybe wait till we have the water ready...duh, that might be a good idea!LOL

Been there , done all that with 7 so, I know how you feel, Good luck , and try to have fun with ti!!!

In my biology class, we were put into small groups, and each group was given a few tadpoles. We then had to give our tadpoles a certain amount of some sort of hormone every day, put into their water (each group was assigned a certain level of hormone to give their frogs). I was in one of the groups that had hardly any hormone, so our frogs grew at a fairly normal pace, but the people who gave their frogs a lot of hormone -- it was amazing. Their tadpoles grew into frogs in a very short time period - but some of them died, or had abnormalities.

That might be a bit too heavy for a younger kid, though, especially if the frogs die. It was an interesting experiment, though, and not difficult -- we just had to keep them fed, and keep track of how much hormone we were giving them.

Just don't use testosterone or all those little froggies will be beating up on each other. Not a pretty picture - your child will be scarred for life. lol

Skeat---get two or more frogs---feed them different diets and analzye the results by measuring the froggy growth---weight, size, etc.

Maybe feed one Fruit Loops and see what that does for it...lol
(actually, I don't think the little critters would "eat" fruit loops....I wouldn't)

Which brings us to the the question--what do the frogs eat?--bugs, I guess

Let your water sit for 24 hours uncovered to get the chlorine out. Aquatic animals are not happy in chlorinated water (I know from experience!). One question to investigate could be to vary the temp of the water, one could be speed of development vs putting the aquarium in light or dark, one could be speed of development vs brand of food. Good luck!

I hate science fairs too. The kids that need a little more time learning or who have no help at home never seem to have a chance.

BTW -- 50% of her grade on one assignment? What's up with that?

I will probably be soundly booed for saying this, but it is your kid's project and not yours. If you hate science fair projects, then make her do it herself.

Have to say we were never required to do science fair projects when I was a kid. There was a science fair every year, but it was more of an extracurricular thing that only the science geeks did.

What would you weight the tadpole/frogs on?

How would one weigh them with ordinary household scales?

Have been the parent, the science teacher and a science fair judge. The end product is also important: the board layout, title, colors, pictures (very important), and readable papers. I really enjoyed the judging. You knew after a few questions who did most of the projects, and what students were very knowledgable and enthusiastic about their subject.
Mary Ellen

Maybe, you could use a postage scale. I have a little one that goes up to a pound.......

A diet/food scale would also work. Especially one that's digital.

Skeat, if you and your daughter get water from different municipalities, you should be able to get a report from each one that tells what's in the water. I'm pretty sure the EPA requires an annual report from every municipality in the country and they have to be made available to the public.

The reports have to list the breakdown of everything in the water. For example, I find it interesting that our water contains a LOT of arsenic. It's slightly below the maximum amount allowed by the EPA and our water superintendent insists it's not dangerous, but one wonders. The arsenic basically comes from only one of the wells supplying our town; when our water plant was enlarged and improved none of the engineers could figure out why only one of the wells was affected.

The report has a name, but I can't think of it. If you go that route, I'll try to find out for you.

Sandy

Can't really help with the project but I DO know what frogs drink (according to Joey).......

Croak-a-cola! :mrgreen:

That would be great if she could! What is it a kid can do for themselves and not to be made to look a fool?? I'm trying to keep it practical and not expensive...and, she will be doing the work...you will not see me weighing a slimy toad on a scale! And, as a mom, I have to say I have secretly detested many of these types of projects...espec cake decorating in 4H...but, that is what mom's are supp to do I think. :) Be there to help! I do feel so sorry for the kids that have NO help at home and I am sure this year there will be many...it is too sad! You all are full of great ideas!! She is already starting her little 3 ring binder from printing off some of the sites suggested here...

Good points on the visuals:)And, yes, we have had the same experiences in 4H projects:)

Before you get too involved, make sure it is ok to use living creatures. Our district does not allow any project that uses living things, regardless of the outcome. And I am a special ed teacher who also hates science fair projects. I have to help my students find something they can do and understand that does not require any parental help because many of my parents only speak Spanish and do not have a clue about what is going on.

Your not a bad mom..Been there and done that. Now you said your daughter wants to buy the tadpole. Is it one of those kits like the butterfly house? My daughter was going to buy the tadpole kit for her kids also thinking afterward release the frog, she discovered it was a tropical frog and couldn't be put into the wild. Please check that out before buying the kit. Or wait until spring and take some from your own neighborhood. I remember my daughter using earth worms as one of her projects one year. Good luck. I'm now helping my grandkids with their projects.

That' would be one big tadpole. lol

You don't mention what grade your daughter is in but keep in mind that a straight-forward project, one which isn't too complex or expensive to do might be most appropriate for someone in junior high. As others mentioned grading is done on the overall approach: selection of question asked, how well is it researched (internet has tons of good information readily available to look up), practicality of approach to -- including narrowing down a broad topic to something which can be investigated, documents the steps she's using--written and, if appropriate, photographic, and reasoning and then conclusions which she can support-- how she got there.
I am a scientist now retired but have judged science fair for years for a women in science organization I belong too. We give prizes to encourage young girls to keep an open mind about the sciences (not to succumb to peer pressure that it's not cool before they find out what it's all about). Our prizes are awarded to those who did not do the top projects but to those who showed promise and showed they cared even if they didn't produce something worthy of top awards.

I agree it does not have to be an experiment and very complex, especially if she's in junior high/middle school. As others have said working with living animals can be quite complex or even prohibited by the school. Check that and then have her consider if she has adequate facilities to keep the critters alive and happy. It's very difficult to get usable results if the test subjects die in the middle of the study. :)

Plants or seeds may be a better test subject.

If memory serves me right...
"Mom, I need a science fair project!!!"
"You know the drill...."
"Hello??? Uncle Tim???"
LMBO Yep...Uncle Tim to the rescue for all 3 of my kids every year :D :D :D
It was practice for when his kids got older :wink: and HE LOVED IT!!!
Bonus was that my kids have some awesome memories working with
their uncle on all of their projects, too :wink: 8) 8)

I would get a few tadpoles for each experiment segment of their project.
That way if one is sickly or gets hurt, you have back up.
If you call the water depts you can ask them for a water report, some may even have them available online.
I wish you and your child good luck with this project!!! :D :D :D