Prescribed Learning Outcomes:

Life Science (Classification of Organisms)

It is expected that students will:

• develop common classification systems for organisms

• describe the growth and changes in the development of an organism

• outline factors that influence the length and quality of life

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Skills:

Classifying, describing, sketching, labeling

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Suggested Instructional Strategies:

1. Students are asked to design a model of an insect using any materials that they would like. The only stipulation is that the insect must not be drawn, it must be a model made out of any materials the students choose with teacher guidance.

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2. The insect may be imaginary or real.

3. The insect must have a head, body, and six legs.  Discuss whether spiders are insects or not. Hint: they’re not! Explore the differences.
https://a-z-animals.com/blog/are-spiders-insects/

https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=8537

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https://www.sacnaturecenter.net/visit-us/nature-blog/ask-a-naturalist-are-spiders-insects/

4. Give a deadline date. Every child that participates is given a certificate and a paper ribbon. The design for the ribbon can be made by the teacher and photocopied on paper from the recycled bin at your school.

5. Once the insects are submitted, the ribbons can then be labeled appropriately with a special award for each Insect. Examples: The most creative, the most colourful, the best lady bug, the most environmentally friendly, the most recyclable, the best wings etc....

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6. Give each child special recognition for their efforts.

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7. The insects can be displayed in your classroom, or in the case of a school- wide event, in the gymnasium. It can be called the Great Insect Museum. This could potentially be a science fair project as well. Encourage students to speculate about the habitat of their bugs and what their predators and prey might be. Ask them to think about what might happen to their bug if either the predator or prey disappears from the food chain?

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Extension:

Consider building your insect trap to further observe your bugs, using this online teach engineering skills activity, as long you ensure bugs are safely released back into the environment to do their jobs.

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