Insects Unit: Characteristics and Body Parts 1rst Grade Kaylee Clark and Courtney Kelderman

Description of the Topic/Content Background: All insects are alike in three ways; they each have six legs, three main body sections (head, thorax, and abdomen), and they have a hard skeleton. In the front of the insect is the head. Eyes and mouth are located in the head. Antennaes are also found on the head. They are used to smell, feel, and taste things. The legs are attached to the thorax; the thorax is the middle part of the insects body. Many insects also have wings that are attached to the thorax. Behind the thorax is the abdomen; it is usually the largest part of an insect. Insects have a skeleton too. The thorax has three segments. Each segment has a pair of jointed legs. Most insects also have one pair of wings attached to the middle segment and another pair of wings attached to the back segment. Some insects have only one pair of wings, and a few have none at all. Flies only have two wings. Their skeleton is on the outside of their bodies, called an exoskeleton. An insects skeleton is the hardest part of their body; it is made of a material called chitin. The exoskeleton is like a miniature suit of armor. It protects insects bodies and gives a place for their muscles to attach. Learning Progression: The students have already had some instruction on insects at the beginning of the year. They focused mostly on butterflies, beetles, and praying mantis. They learned life cycles of those three insects. They know that they lifecycle goes eggs, larva, pupa, and then adult. They have also learned about other attributes of insects as well. Students most likely have seen insects outside and around the house. A misconception they may have is that all bugs are insects. Also, they may believe that all insects fly. One other misconception student may have is that a spider is an insect. These will need to be addressed in the lessons. Next Generation Science Standards: LS1.A: Structure and Function All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp object, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water, and air. Iowa Core standards: Understand and apply knowledge of life cycles of plants and animals Plants and animals have life cycles that include being born, developing into adults, reproducing, and eventually dying

Plants and animals closely resemble their parents

Understand and apply knowledge of the characteristics of living thing and how living tings are both similar to and different from each other and from non-living things Living things share some common characteristics that are both similar to and different from non-living things Different species of plants and animals have different observable characteristics by which they can be classified Attitudes Creativity Cooperating with Others Excited/willing Engaged Learning Positive Attitude Skills Observation Oral and written communication Constructed explanations Inferring Analyzing Asking Questions Classify Knowledge The four main body parts of an insect; head, thorax, abdomen, and six legs Distinguish between insects and non insects Understand what an exoskeleton is and how its similar to our skeleton

Insect Unit: Lesson 1 Grade: 1st Time: 40 minutes Objectives: Students will defend their choice of whether or not to step on an insect Standard: LS1.A: Structure and Function All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp object, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water, and air. Materials: Book: Hey, Little Ant Large paper with writing lines Regular paper Glue Crayons Procedure: First, read aloud the book Hey, Little Ant While reading ask questions to the students o Have you ever stepped on an insect before? o How did you feel? Also while reading, explain to students that they should be thinking about whether they would step on the ant or not. Explain that they will be writing about it when the book is over. Next, have students go back their desk Hand out large paper with writing lines and prompting question on it Give directions 1. Respond to the question with how you think the boy should have acted 2. Make sure to include why 3. Put words that students could use on the board a. Students should begin with I would.. because.. b. Step c. Squish d. Nice e. Bad f. Mean g. Bug h. Insect 4. Then, draw a picture showing the scene in the book where the ant is about to get stepped on

5. Show example on the board When most students are done bring them back to the carpet area and have as many students share as time allows

Evaluation: Were students able to participate in class discussion? While students are working on the response and picture, walk around with formative assessment checklist. Could also fill this out while students are sharing their work if time allows for every student to share.

Insect Unit: Lesson 2 Grade: 1st Time: 40 minutes Objectives: Students will explain what an exoskeleton is and how it is similar to our skeleton Standard: LS1.A: Structure and Function All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp object, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water, and air. Materials: Newspaper balloon already made Fake bugs Glue (3 bottles) Paper with writing lines Procedure: Bring students to the carpet area Begin by having a discussion about the book we read yesterday Hey, Little Ant o Have students ever stepped on an insect? o What does it sound like? o Why? o What protects an insect? o What protects us? Explain to students that the sound of the insects crunching is their exoskeleton. It protects them. It is like a suit of armor. It is similar to our skeleton, except it is on the outside of the insect. Our skeleton is on the inside of our body. Our skin also protects us. Demonstrate newspaper balloon. The newspaper that is glued on the outside of the balloon represents the exoskeleton. Blow air into the balloon and the newspaper will start to crack and eventually falls off. This represents an insect shedding its exoskeleton and then it has to make a new one. Next, send students back to their desk Explain that they are going to have an exoskeleton on their hand. I will walk around and put glue on each students hand. They should use their other index finger to run in the glue. They should then hold out their hand until it dries. When it dries, they can peel it off. Explain that this is like an insect shedding its exoskeleton. While the glue is drying, explain directions for the writing activity o Students should first write the sentences on the lined paper

o Then, they can draw a picture of an insect exoskeleton and color o Read the sentence together as a class. Ask students what word should go into the blank. o Before writing Exoskeleton on the board, ask students what the answer is. Once they say exoskeleton, write it on the board so they can copy it into the sentence. Allow time for students to peel off glue and wash hands Hand out lined paper Students should complete the sentence that is on the board o A hard shell called the ___________ protects insects. It is like our skeleton, but it is on the outside of their body. Exoskeleton While students are working, walk around with the formative assessment checklist If time allows, have students share

Evaluation: Were students able to participate in class discussion? Did they participate in the group activity? While students are working on exoskeleton sentence and picture, walk around with formative assessment checklist.

Insects Unit: Lesson 3 Grade: 1st Time: 40 minutes Objective: Students will match names of body parts to a picture of an ant Standard: LS1.A: Structure and Function All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp object, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water, and air. Materials: Insect part picture Parts of an Insect read aloud Label an Insect activity papers Large paper Fill in the blank sentence Scissors Glue Procedure: Have students come to the carpet area Show pictures of real exoskeletons to review from the lesson yesterday Ask them what an exoskeleton is and what is does Hand out Insect part picture to each student Read through the Parts of an Insect read aloud Ask questions provided on the read aloud When the book is finished ask review questions to see if the students understand o What are the parts of an insect? o Do all insects have these parts? Send student back to their desks Hand out Parts of an Insect activity Read through the sentence that students will have to complete after doing the Parts of an Insect activity. Explain to students how to complete this activity o First, cut out the parts of the insect o Set them where they go on the insect o Check with a teacher before you begin gluing o Once you get an ok from the teacher begin gluing the words o After all of the words are glued, and they have glued the picture to their large piece of paper, they should fill in the blanks on the

sentence provided on their paper. The words will be on the board for students to look at Sentence: All insects have a ____________ , ______________, ______________ , and six _____________. Some insects have ____________ and _____________. o Head o Thorax o Abdomen o Legs o Wings o Antennas If students get done early, they may color their insect If time allows, have some students share their work at the carpet area

Evaluation: Did students participate in class discussion? Were they able to contribute to the whole class answers to the activities? Were they able to complete the Parts of an Insect activity and write the sentences? While students are working on Parts of an Insect activity and sentences, walk around with formative assessment checklist

Insect Unit: Lesson 4 Grade: 1st Time: 40 minutes Objectives: Students will observe live insects and be able to distinguish between insects and non-insects Standard: LS1.A: Structure and Function All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp object, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water, and air. Materials: Two live insects and one live bug Matching Activity Materials (Insect and Non-Insect t-chart and insect and non-insect pictures for each student) Proscope Computer Procedure: Bring students to the carpet area Review parts of an insect o What are the parts of an insect? o Do all insects have these parts? o What are the parts that only some insects have? Show them the three live bugs you brought. Explain that two of them are insects and one isnt. While they are up observing the bugs, they should be thinking about what kind of bug each is and which one isnt an insect. They need to think all of those things in their head and not tell anyone. Explain to the students the insect and non-insect matching activity o Students should cut out all of the bugs o Set them on which side of the t-chart they think they go o Check with teacher before gluing the pieces down o Once students get an ok from teacher, they can glue them down While students are working on this activity, bring 2 or 3 students to observe the insects and use the Proscope When all the directs are explained, send students back to their desk to work If students get done early, they can color their insects/bugs When most students are done, bring them to the carpet to share. Once everyone is done observing the bugs, have a class discussion. Also, go though the Insect/Non-Insect matching activity o What types of bugs were up there? o Which ones were insects?

o Which one wasnt? Why? Evaluation: Were students able to participate in class discussion? Were they engaged in observing the live insects? Did they complete the Insect/Non-Insect correctly? Did they participate in the Bug in the Pocket game? While students are working on Insect/Non-Insect matching activity, walk around with formative assessment checklist

Insect Unit- Lesson 5 Grade: 1st Time: 40 minutes Objective: Students will construct their own insect out of given materials and then explain why it is an insect Standard: LS1.A: Structure and Function All organisms have external parts. Different animals use their body parts in different ways to see, hear, grasp object, protect themselves, move from place to place, and seek, find, and take in food, water, and air. Materials: Marshmallows (large and small) Pretzels (sticks and folded) Licorice Chocolate chips Sour oranges Sugar Sprinkles Graham crackers Paper plates Paper for drawing and writing of sentences Procedure: Bring the students to the carpet area Review the parts of an insect Explain to students that they will be making their own insect with the food materials provided. They need to include all of the parts of an insect that we have been talking about. o Head o Thorax o Abdomen o 6 legs o 2 eyes o Exoskeleton o Optional: Wings and 2 Antennas Remind students that they need to include an exoskeleton. That should be done with either sugar or sprinkles. When students are ready to include the exoskeleton, they should raise their hand and the teacher will sprinkle sugar or sprinkles onto the created insect. The student can choose either sugar or sprinkles.

After they make their insect they should draw it, name it, and label the parts. They can name it whatever they want, be creative! When most students are done, have them come to the carpet area to share. Have as many students share as possible. If time allows, play Bug in the Pocket o Put bugs and question cards in the blue pockets in the carpet area o Pick out one student to start o Take them out to the hallway to choose an insect o Student should put the bug in their pocket o The student with the bug picks friends to ask questions o The student that guesses the correct bug, gets to go next

Evaluation: Were students able to create their own insect that includes all of the parts of an insect? Were they able to label the insect correctly? Students sharing to the class what insect they created and the sentences