In December 1990 six adult Japanese tree frogs were sent to the Mir Space Station for 8 days, as part of the Frogs in Space (FRIS) project, to observe and record their behaviour in microgravity. We are privileged that one of the Japanese scientists, Assoc. Prof. Izumi-Kurotani from JAXA, has made video footage and photographs from this experiment available. We would like to thank Assoc. Prof. Izumi-Kurotani for her generous support.

The Frogs in Orbit program was developed collaboratively between The Victorian Space Science Education Centre (VSSEC), Ecolinc, The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and the Victorian Department of Education and Early Childhood Learning.

Frogs in Orbit is a hands-on program which integrates Biology, Ecology and Physics. The material offered is intended for use with secondary school students in year 9 or 10 but is free to be adapted by the teacher. The lessons can be used individually or as a complete unit. This material is copyright free and can be freely distributed.

• The material presented is highly engaging and will allow students to approach science issues from a wide range of vantage points.
• The lessons lead readily to open-ended enquiry and self directed learning, and offer the opportunity for extension, group and individual work.
• These lessons provide a strong basis for debate on science-related issues that embrace a clear ethical dimension.
• Frogs are a neutral subject for experimentation and provide a background for discussion of the ways in which science concepts, language and perspectives can be misunderstood and misrepresented.
• Students apply their understanding to the consideration of issues significant to themselves and to society including ecotourism, tourism in space, a clean and healthy environment, ethics and science research.
• They observe coordination and regulation of functions in animals.
• Using these materials students will make links across biotechnology (biology and chemistry); space science (physics and astronomy); neuroscience (psychology, biology and chemistry); resource management and green chemistry (chemistry and earth and environmental science); and habitat renewal (earth and environmental sciences and biology).