Life Cycles at Reed Bend Wetland

Living Things at Reed Bend

Maya and Luis visit Reed Bend Wetland with their class. Over several visits, they record changes in frogs, dragonflies, and cattail plants. They use their notes to make life cycle models. A model shows important parts of a life cycle and how they connect.

Life cycles include birth, growth, reproduction, and death. Birth is the beginning of a new life. For these animals, young hatch from eggs. For a plant grown from a seed, a new plant begins growing when the seed sprouts. During growth, living things get bigger or develop new body parts. During reproduction, living things produce offspring, or new young. Death is the end of an individual's life.

Frog notes: Eggs hatch into tadpoles that live in water. The class sees tadpoles develop legs. As tadpoles become young frogs, their tails shrink. Young frogs grow into adults. Adult frogs can reproduce and produce eggs.

Dragonfly notes: Eggs hatch into young called nymphs. Nymphs live and grow underwater. Later, a nymph climbs out of the water. A winged adult emerges from its old outer covering. Adult dragonflies can reproduce and produce eggs.

Cattail notes: A seed sprouts in wet ground. The seedling grows into an adult cattail. Adult cattails can reproduce and make seeds. Some seeds may sprout and begin another generation.

Every individual eventually dies, but not always right after reproducing. Different generations can live at the same time. Reproduction connects generations: an adult produces new young. The adult does not turn back into its own egg or seed.