It was Saturday and Alex's second grade class is going on a field trip to a state park. They are going to learn about the animals that live in the park. The teacher and some parents are going with them to help keep them safe and to explain all about the animals. A picnic lunch will also be a part of the day's fun.

     The teacher brought crayons and paper so they could draw pictures of what they have seen. Alex said to her sister, Abbey, "this is going to be a really fun day. I wish you could come along with us, but only kids from my second grade class are going". "Will you tell me all about it when you come home," asked Abbey? "Yes", said Alex, "I will tell you all about it and you can see my pictures I will draw of the birds".

     The park was just a short drive away and they all met there early in the morning. The first thing the teacher explained to them was how to be safe by having a, "buddy". The teacher said that everyone must stay with his or her "buddy" at all times. When someone called out, "buddy check", you are supposed to stand beside each other until the teacher said, "okay". We had to stay where the grown ups can see us at all times too.

     The flowers were pretty and the bees were busy collecting pollen and making honey. In the trees, you could hear birds calling to each other. On a log at the waters edge sat a big frog merrily singing his song for everyone to hear. Alex's buddy was her friend Carol and together they would explore the park.

     A trail went around the pond and there were nature spots to stop at and learn about what Mother Nature has done at that spot. The first place they visited was a little sandy beach. There were frogs, butterflies and tiny little fish swimming next to the shore. Carol said to Alex, "that is the same frog we saw back where we started". "How can you tell", asked Alex? "He has a funny yellow strip down his side", Carol explained.

     The morning was a lot of fun and they saw some pretty birds, they even saw a little brown rabbit quickly hopping along the trail doing the things rabbits do. The rabbit sure wiggles it's nose a lot. The most curious thing of all was that the same frog, with the yellow stripe, seemed to be following them all around the pond. Alex asked her teacher if this was the same frog and was told that maybe all the frogs here have the same yellow strip on their side.

     It was time for lunch and all the kids were hungry. After lunch was over they cleaned up all of the paper and cups and put them in the trash so the park would be as clean as when they arrived this morning.

     The teacher passed out paper and crayons for the kids to draw pictures of what they had seen at the pond. Some kids drew flowers; some drew rabbits and birds. Alex drew a picture of some flowers and of the frog that was following her around the pond. Alex wanted to draw a real good picture of the frog so that she could show it to Abbey, when she got home. The teacher said to Alex, "it sure is funny that the frog is following you around the pond. Maybe you have something that belongs to it". "What could I have", replied Alex? "I suppose we will never know, Alex", answered her friend, Carol.

     It has been a real fun day for all the kids and now it is time to go home. Alex made sure her pictures were neatly packed into her knapsack. She could hardly wait to tell Abbey, about the frog and all the other animals she saw at the pond. Maybe Mom, Dad and Abbey could come back to the park, she thought to herself.

     The ride back home was short and soon Alex was telling Abbey about the park and the silly frog. Before Alex could show her the pictures, Abbey asked, "did the frog have a yellow stripe down its side? "Yes, but how could you possibly know that?" asked Alex? "Because there is a small frog peeking out of your knapsack and it has a yellow stripe", laughed Abbey. "Yikes", was the reply. "So that's why the frog was following me. This frog must be her baby and she sure wants it back. Let's ask Mom to drive us back to the park so we can bring the little frog home to its Mom".

     "How did the frog get into your knapsack", Abbey asked? Alex thought about it for a while and then explained, "It must have been early in the morning when I set it down beside the water". "Maybe frogs like Twinkies", laughed Abbey. "I carried my knapsack everywhere we went and the frog knew that her baby was in it", Alex said. Abbey and Alex explained to their Mom what had happened and asked if she would take them back to the park.

     Mom agreed to take them and soon they reached the park. Sure enough the Mother frog was waiting at the shore, hoping her little frog would be returned. When she saw Alex and the knapsack, the happy frog with the funny yellow stripe began hopping around and nearly hopped right into the knapsack to rescue her little baby. With the little frog home safe all of the frogs in the pond began to sing and hop. It was a happy time at the pond tonight thanks to Abbey and Alex.