What Can Singing Frogs Teach Us About Evolutionary Tradeoffs?
In the murky silence of a summer night, a chorus of frogs calls out as a symphony shaped by millions of years of evolution. Will female frogs be attracted to males who produce many short calls or to males with fewer, longer calls? This evolutionary tradeoff was the question my high school biology students investigated in the mini-unit Balancing Act developed by Galactic Polymath, featuring the research of Dr. Michael Reichert of Oklahoma State University.
- How do trade-offs in how organisms use limited energy and time affect survival and reproduction?
- How do performance thresholds influence mate selection?
- What insights can we gain about natural selection in Gray Tree Frogs from the research findings of Dr. Reichert?
- NGSS | HS-LS4-4: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how natural selection leads to adaptation of populations.
In lesson one, Life is full of tradeoffs, students rank four frog videos based on their educational and entertainment value, uncovering that more entertaining videos are usually less educational and vice versa. To connect this idea of tradeoffs to the biological world, students then analyze graphs of animals from sardines to hippos, to discover that tradeoffs occur with offspring size, number, and survival.
In lesson two, Who will be the next top frog?, students connect tradeoffs to performance thresholds, like how a cheetah can run 70 miles per hour but only for a short duration. Armed with this knowledge, they then analyze bioacoustic data of frog calls (in the form of spectrograms that visualize frequency and loudness over time). Students learn that when it comes to Eastern gray treefrogs, there is a tradeoff between how long males can hold notes versus how quickly they can produce them. By analyzing the data, students find that females are most attracted to an example male frog named Wert, who—like an opera singer—can hold notes longer, but at a slower rate.
What I appreciate most about Balancing Act is that it checks all the boxes — authentic science, student-led inquiry, and ready-to-go NGSS-aligned materials.
Students watch videos featuring Dr. Reichert, a masters student, and an undergraduate assistant from his lab, humanizing the research experience. The lesson sequence prompts discussion and critical thinking as students calculate call rates and duration. The lesson plans, slides, and worksheets are editable and cover NGSS performance expectations HS-LS4-2 and HS-LS4-4. An adaptation I made to the materials was referring to the frog suitors, Wert, Kermit, and Trevor, as “bachelors” and having students predict which male, based on appearance and call, would attract the most ladies, leading to reproductive success. This twist increased student engagement and prompted fun banter among the teams.
Balancing Act by Galactic Polymath is a great two-day mini-unit that allows students to witness a real-world example of natural selection’s impact on reproduction. It’s anchored in real science, student-centered, and turnkey ready. Let’s improve data literacy and get students thinking like scientists! 🐸
