Literature Extension: Tiddalik the Frog
Tiddalick, the Greedy Frog: An Aboriginal Dreamtime Story by Nicholas Wu

Big Ideas

• People use stories to explain how animals change and why they live in specific places like swamps or rivers.
• These stories help us understand the connection between land and water, much like the first animals that moved between both.

Materials

• Tiddalik the Frog (Australian Aboriginal Myth) – look for versions by Robert Roennfeldt or various Indigenous creators.
• Pania of the Reef by Peter Gossage (Māori Myth).
• World map or globe.
• Paper, pencils, and green/blue coloring materials.
• Optional: Images of Tiktaalik or early Devonian amphibians.

Lesson

1. Intro Discussion: Living in Two Worlds

• What kind of animals live in both the water and on land today? (Frogs, turtles, crocodiles).
• If you lived in the water but wanted to visit the land, what would you need?
• Why do you think ancient people told stories about animals that could change?

2. Read-Aloud 1: Tiddalik the Frog (Aboriginal Myth) * After reading:* Why did Tiddalik drink all the water?* How did the other animals feel when the rivers and lakes went dry?* What had to happen to get the water back to the land?* Devonian Connection: Just like Tiddalik, the first land animals lived in swampy areas where water was everything!

3. Read-Aloud 2: Pania of the Reef (Māori Myth) * After reading:* Where does Pania live at the beginning of the story?* Why does she want to go to the land?* What happens when she stays on land too long?* Devonian Connection: Pania represents the "bridge" between the sea and the shore, just like the first fish that started exploring the mud.

4. Compare the Stories * Where does the story come from? (Australia vs. New Zealand).

• Who are the main characters? (A giant frog vs. a sea maiden).
• What is the "problem"? (Too much water is taken vs. being stuck between two worlds).
• What environment is most important? (The dry land/billabong vs. the ocean/reef).

Activity Options

A. Create Your Own "Transformation" Myth

• Prompt: "Imagine you are a fish with strong fins. One day, you decide to climb onto a muddy shore for the first time. What do you see? What story explains why you decided to stay on land?"
• Write or draw the story of your first "footsteps."

B. The "Fish-to-Frog" Character Drawing

• Draw a character that is half-fish and half-land animal. Give them a name and a special power that helps them survive in the mud.

C. Map + Myth Connection

• Mark Australia and New Zealand on a map. Draw a small Tiddalik and a small Pania. Discuss how both stories come from island nations surrounded by water.

D. Evolution vs. Myth (Science Extension)

• Make a two-column chart:
  • Myth: Tiddalik's big belly held the water because he was greedy.
  • Fact: Amphibians need to stay near water because their skin must stay moist to breathe.

Wrap-Up

• Why do stories about water and land feel so important?
• How does Tiddalik or Pania help us imagine what it was like for the very first animals to leave the ocean?
• Does a story make you care more about an animal or a place?