SNC2D Frog Dissection Lab Name:

Purpose:
The purpose of the lab is to observe the internal structures (cells, tissues, organs and organ systems) of a frog‘s
anatomy and to determine the function of those internal structures.
Hypothesis:
It was believed the experiment would prove or demonstrate the structure, function and interactions of frog organs
and organ systems.
Materials:
Frog Dissection Laboratory Student Study Guide (Boreal Laboratories)
Key Terms and Pronunciation
nictitating (nick-tih-tay-ting) eustachian (you-stay-kee-un) glottis (glot-iss)
tympanum (tim-pan-num) pharynx (fair-inks) cloacal (kloh-a-kull)
esophagus (ee-soff-ah-gus) laryngotrachea (larr-in-joe-tray-key-ah)

Experimental Design: You will be dissecting a Leopard Frog – a very common from to much of North America.
Though frogs are much simpler than humans, they have all of the same organ systems that we do and their
digestive system is arranged in a very similar manner to ours. During this lab activity you will be observing
external features, mouth, digestive system, heart, lungs and respiratory system and reproductive system.

External Structures of the Frog

Part A: Head
1. The internal nares open into the:
a. mouth
b. cloaca
c. stomach
d. esophagus

2. The tympanum is the:

a. eyelid
b. eardrum
c. nostril
d. cloacal aperture

3. The nictitating membrane is an extension of the:

a. lower eyelid
b. upper eyelid
c. eardrum
d. tongue

4. The frog lacks __________ on its head.

a. external ears
b. nostrils
c. eyes
d. upper eyelids

5. Locate the frog's eyes, the nictitating membrane is a

clear membrane that attached to the bottom of the
eye. Use tweezers to carefully remove the nictitating
membrane. You may also remove the eyeball.

What color is the nictitating membrane?

______________________________________
What color is the eyeball? _________________ Figure 1: External Structure of the Frog
 6. Just behind the eyes on the frog's head is a circular structure called the tympanic membrane. The
tympanic membrane is used for hearing. Measure the diameter (distance across the circle) of the
tympanic membrane. Diameter of tympanic membrane _______cm
7. Extend a probe through the nostrils to see where the probes exists inside the mouth. Why are the
nostrils located at the highest point on the frog’s head? ____________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________

Part B: Trunk, Appendages, and Skin

1. Observe the dorsal (back) and ventral (belly) sides of the frog.
Dorsal side colour ___________________ Ventral side colour _________________
2. Feel the frog’s skin. Is it scaly or is it slimy? ___________
3. Examine the hind legs. Measure the length of the hind legs: ____________ cm
How many digits (toes) are present on each foot? ________
Are the toes webbed? _________
4. Examine the forelegs. Measure the length of the forelegs: ____________ cm
How many digits (toes) are present on each foot? ________
Are the toes webbed? _________

Part C: Mouth
1. Locate the tongue. Play with the tongue. Does it attach to the front or the back of the mouth?
______________________________ (You may remove the tongue)
2. Why is the tongue attached at the front of the frog’s mouth? __________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. In the center of the mouth, toward the back is a single round opening. This is the esophagus. This tube
leads to the stomach. Use a probe to poke into the esophagus.
4. Close to the angles of the jaw are two openings, one on each side. These are the Eustachian tubes.
They are used to equalize pressure in the inner ear while the frog is swimming. Insert a probe into the
Eustachian tube. To what structure does the Eustachian tube attach? __________________________
5. Just behind the tongue and before you reach the esophagus is a slit like opening. (You may need to use
your probe to get it to open up). This slit is the glottis, and it is the opening to the lungs. The frog breathes
and vocalizes with the glottis..
6. The frog has two sets of teeth. The vomerine teeth are found on the roof of the mouth and are pointed
inward to prevent escape of prey. The maxillary teeth are found around the edge of the mouth and are
used for gripping only. Essentially, both are used for holding prey, frogs swallow their meals whole and
do NOT chew.
7. On the roof of the mouth, you will find two tiny openings, if you put your probe into those openings, you
will find they exit on the outside of the frog. These are the nostrils.
 8. Label the diagram of the mouth of the frog.
9. The forelegs of the frog are _____ the hind legs.
a. shorter than
b. the same length as
c. longer than

10. Five functional digits are found on the:

a. forelegs only
b. hindlegs only
c. both forelegs and hindlegs

11. The cloacal aperture is found:

a. in the mouth
b. in the nares
c. under the eardrum
d. at the tail

12. The hindleg is primarily for:

a. support
b. locomotion
c. clasping the female in reproduction
d. none of these

Internal Structures of the Frog Figure 2: Frog mouth interior

Part A: Circulation and Respiration

1. Label the diagram of frog internal structures.
2. The organ that has two atria and one
ventricle is the:
a. kidney
b. heart
c. lung
d. liver
3. The following are parts of the frog
respiratory system except the:
a. laryngotrachea
b. esophagus
c. lung
d. bronchi
4. The following are parts of the frog
circulatory system except the:
a. conus asteriosus
b. ventricle
c. atrium
d. glottis
5. The small round sack attached to the liver
is the:
a. spleen
b. gall bladder
c. pancreas
d. cloaca

Figure 3: Frog internal structures

Part B: Digestion

Removal of the Stomach: Cut the stomach out of the frog and open it up. You may find what remains of the
frog's last meal in there. Look at the texture of the stomach on the inside.

What did you find in the stomach? ___________________________________________________

Measuring the Small intestine: Remove the small intestine from the body cavity and carefully. separate the
mesentery from it. What is the purpose of the mesentery? _____________________
_______________________________________________________________________________Stretch the
small intestine out and measure it. Now measure your frog. Record the measurements below in centimeters.
Frog length: _______ cm Small Intestine length ________ cm

Part C: Excretion and Reproduction

Urogenital System - The frog's reproductive and excretory system is combined into one system called the
urogenital system. You will need to know the structures for both the male and female frog.

1. The cloaca receives all of the following except:

a. bile b. urine c. digestive waste d. sperm

2. Sperm are produced by the:

a. ovaries b. kidneys c. urinary bladder d. testes
Analysis and Conclusion Questions
Answer all questions listed – category marks are listed afterwards.

1. Use a magnifying glass to look at the stomach’s muscular walls. Describe what the interior stomach
contents were, and describe the appearance and function of the interior stomach surface. (T/I)

2. Observe how the frog’s heart is different from a human heart. Describe these visible differences. Later,
research this and write a paragraph summarizing the differences (number of chambers, major blood
vessels attached, etc.). Provide a reference where you found your information. (T/I)

3. Describe the pancreas, liver, gall bladder, heart and lungs of the frog you dissected. Then state the
specific functions of each organ and state what organ system they are part of. Do this in chart form with
three columns. Be sure to add an appropriate title. (K/U)

4. Describe the process of eating (ingestion) used by the frog including the roles of the tongue, teeth and
pharynx (swallowing). (K/U)

5. Some people are enthusiastic about dissecting a real frog. They think that dissecting real animals is
useful for students to better understand how organ systems work. Others prefer to use an online program
to dissect the frog. They believe that students can use software to study animal organs without cutting up
the animals. What do you think? Use two paragraphs to discuss; one describing the pros and cons of
dissecting; and one paragraph describing the pros and cons of using an online (virtual) program. (A/MC)

Marking Rubric:
Category I R Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4
Knowledge & Understanding Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates Demonstrates
Questions # 3 and 4 and multiple limited knowledge some considerable thorough
choice questions throughout lab of content knowledge of knowledge of knowledge of
Knowledge of Content content content content
Think & Inquiry Uses processing Uses Uses Uses
Use of processing skills and skills and processing processing skills processing
strategies (gathering data, strategies with skills and and strategies skills and
measurements, using equipment limited strategies with with strategies with
effectiveness some considerable thorough
safely) effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
Questions Uses critical Uses critical Uses critical Uses critical
# 1 and 2 thinking skills with thinking skills thinking skills thinking skills
Use of critical thinking skills limited with some with with thorough
effectiveness effectiveness considerable effectiveness
effectiveness
Communication Communicates Communicates Communicates Communicates
information and information information and information and
Spelling, presentation, creativity, ideas with limited and ideas with ideas with ideas with
organization, visually appealing clarity and some clarity considerable through clarity
precision and precision clarity and and precision
precision
Expresses and Expresses and Expresses and Expresses and
Figures # 1, 2, and 3 correctly labeled organizes ideas organizes organizes ideas organizes
and information ideas and and information ideas and
Expression and organization of ideas with limited information with information
and information effectiveness with some considerable with thorough
effectiveness effectiveness effectiveness
Application / Making Connections Proposes courses Proposes Proposes Proposes
Questions # 5 of practical action courses of courses of highly effective
of limited practical action practical action courses of
Proposes courses of practical action to effectiveness of some of considerable practical action
deal with problems relating to science, effectiveness effectiveness
technology, society, and the environment