Introduction:

You are an entomologist whose job it is to research an insect of your choice. 

You find out that your insect is endangered and is in serious trouble!!!! You will need to convince the community where you live that something must be done to help keep this insect alive!!!!

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The Task:

• You will be collecting facts about insects using the internet (Wings Stings and Leggy Things, Enchanted Learning, and Scholastic sites) and library books.

• You will be designing a slideshow in Kidpix  about your insect’s life cycle and will show how it is endangered.

• You will be creating a persuasive poster to convince your community to help save the this insect's habitat.

• You will show what life would be like without this insect and how this insect contributes to our healthy environment.

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The Process:

1. Welcome to the world of insects!  Explore these bugs and decide which one will be of most interest to you!  Take your time and choose carefully. Go to Enchanted Learning.

2. Choose one insect and complete a diagram of your insect and label it’s parts fill in the research sheets:

Click here to view the research sheets in Microsoft Word.
Click here to view the research sheets in Adobe Acrobat.

3. Now it’s time to get the facts!  Go to Wings Stings and Leggy Things and fill out the research sheet on metamorphosis:

4. It’s important to know the life cycle of your insect.  Take the time to read about it in the Library or  revisit the Enchanted Learning Site. Sketch and label your insect on the worksheet and record the stages of metamorphosis.

5. Return to Wings, Stings and Leggy Things and complete the research sheet:

Click here to view the worksheet in Microsoft Word
Click here to view the worksheet in Adobe Acrobat.

6. Get ready for your slideshow by creating 5-6 pictures showing the stages of metamorphosis on Your KIDPIX Planner:

Click here to view the Planner in Microsoft Word.

Click here to view the Planner in Adobe Acrobat.

• There should be an interesting title page at the beginning.
• One page for each stage of metamorphosis.  Include a drawing the background environment and one written fact about each statge.
• Your last slide should show examples of how this cycle could be threatened. (For example:acid rain on leaves, loggers cutting down trees, people)

Click here if you need instructions for using Kid Pix or creating Slide Shows.

7. (Optional) Your final task is to create a poster showing what life would be like without your insect.

8. (Optional)  Use all the facts about your insect to create a brochure (Microsoft Works) to teach about your insect and to show the importance of looking after it. Click here if you would like instructions for creating brochures in Microsoft Works (Adobe Acrobat).

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Resources:

Online:

• Enchanted Learning: Here you will find lots of information about the insect of your choice. There are also printouts of your insect that you can use.

• Wings, Stings and Leggy Things: This site has lots of information about the life cycle and development of different types of insects as well as vocabulary and word searches.

• Nick's Insects: There is information here about insect anatomy and indepth information about some types of insects.

• Entomology for Beginners: Information here is about metamorphosis and insect anatomy.

• Bug Art: Here are some Art ideas for bug art.

Offline:

• Aylesworth, Jim. Old Black Fly. Henry Holt and Co., New York, c1991. ISBN 0-0850-1401-2

• Booth, Jerry. Big Bugs. Harcourt Brace. San Diego. c1994. ISBN:0-15-200693-1

• Cannel, Jannel. Crickwing. Harcourt, San Diego. c2000. ISBN:0152017909

• Carle, Eric. The Very Quiet Cricket. Philomel Books, New York. c1990. ISBN: 0-399-21885-8

• Carle, Eric. The Very Lonely Firefly. Philomel Books, New York. c1995. ISBN:0-399-22774-1

• Julivert, Maria Angels. The Fascinating World of Beetles. Barrons. New York, c1995. ISBN: 0-8120-9423-9

• Kalman, Bobbie. What is a Life Cycle? Crabtree Publishing, Ontario, c1998. ISBN: 0-86505-886-5 (The Science of Living Things Series)

• Kalman, Bobbie. Bugs and Other Insects. Crabtree Publishing. New York. c1994. ISBN: 0-86505-613-7

• Laden, Nina. Roberto, The Insect Architect. Chronicle Press, San Francisco. c2000. ISBN:0811824659

• Legg, Dr. Gerald. From Caterpillar to Butterfly. Franklin Watts, Connecticut, c1998, ISBN: 0-531-14493-3 (Lifecycles Series)

• Hartley, Karen. Bee. Heinemann Library. Illinois, c1998. ISBN: 157572661-0 (Bug Books series)

• Hartley, Karen. Cockroach. Heinemann Library. Illinois, c1998. ISBN: 1-57572- 797-8 (Bug Books series)

• Hartley, Karen. Grasshopper. Heinemann Library. Illinois, c1998. ISBN: 1-57572798- 6) (Bug Books series)

• Hartley, Karen. Ladybug. Heinemann Library. Illinois, c1998. ISBN: 1-57572-662-9) (Bug Books series)

• Hartley, Karen. Termite. Heinemann Library. Illinois, c1998. ISBN: 1-57572-800-1) (Bug Books series)

• Hickman, Pamela. The Kids Canadian Bug Book. Kids Can Press Ltd. Toronto. c1995. ISBN: 1-55074-329-5

• Hoose, Phillip and Hannah. Hey, Little Ant . Tricycle Press. Berkeley, Calif. c1998 ISBN: 1-883672-54-6

• McDonald, Mary Ann. Grasshoppers. Child's World, Inc. c1999. ISBN: 1-56766-505-5

• Merrick, Patrick. Dragonflies. Child's World, Inc. c1998. ISBN: 1-56766-381-8

• Merrick, Patrick. Ticks. Child's World, Inc. c1997. ISBN: 1-56766-384-2

• O'Connor, Jane. Sir Small and the Dragonfly. Random House, New York. c1988 ISBN: 0-394-89625-4

• Oppenheim, Joanne. Have You Seen Bugs? North Winds Press, Toronto, c1996. ISBN:0-590-24322-5

• Pallotta, Jerry. The Icky Bug Alphabet Book. Charlesbridge, Massachusetts, c1986. ISBN 0-88106-450-5

• Pallotta, Jerry. The Icky Bug Counting Book. Charlesbridge, Massachusetts, c1986. ISBN 0-88106-494-3

• Rowan, James P. Ants . Rourke, Florida, c1993. ISBN: 0-86593-289-1 (Discovery Library of Insects series)

• Rowan, James P. Dragonflies . Rourke, Florida, c1993. ISBN: 0-86593-287-5) (Discovery Library of Insects series)

• Rowan, James P. Grasshoppers. Rourke, Florida, c1993. ISBN: 0-86593-286-7) (Discovery Library of Insects series)

• Rowan, James P. Honeybees . Rourke, Florida, c1993. ISBN: 0-86593-290-5 (Discovery Library of Insects series)

• Rowan, James P. Ladybugs . Rourke, Florida, c1993. ISBN: 0-86593-291-3 (Discovery Library of Insects series)

• Van Allsburg, Chris. Two Bad Ants. Houghton Mifflen Company, Boston, ISBN: 0-395-48668-8 c1988

• Van Kampen, Vlasta. Beetle Bedlam. Charlesbridge, Watertown Ma. c1997, ISBN: 0-88106-695-8
   

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Evaluation:

Click here for a checklist for marking the overall work done.

Click here for a rubric for marking the Slide Show.

Click here for a rubric for marking the brochure.

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Conclusion:

After completing this unit, students should have a really clear understanding of the insect world. You may wish to publish your slide shows on the Internet. Click here for instructions.

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Teachers:

This lesson covers the following Learning Outcomes for grades 3 and 4:

Grade 3:

Science:
It is expected that students will:
communicate scientific observations to peers, teachers, and family

• compare and contrast different types of animal life cycles
• demonstrate a knowledge of what animals need to survive
• suggest reasons for the endangerment or extinction of animal species

Language Arts:
It is expected that students will:

• ask and respond to questions before, during, and after reading, viewing, or listening
• identify specific details in communications in response to tasks or questions
• organize details and information to make simple charts, webs, or illustrations
• predict, retell, and sequence events and ideas from selections they have read, heard, or viewed
• demonstrate an interest in using information from documentaries, news broadcasts, newspapers, and electronic sources
• demonstrate abilities to use grammatically correct language when speaking and when writing simple sentences
• collect specific information from a variety of sources, including print, oral discussions, electronic media, and computer technology
• sort, organize, and represent specific information
• evaluate their own work using teacher- and class-generated criteria
• demonstrate a willingness to experiment with communication forms to respond to, inform, and entertain others

Grade 4:

Science:
It is expected that students will:

• use a variety of media to present information
• relate the structure and behaviour of local organisms to their survival in local environments
• discuss how changes in an organism's habitat can affect the survival of individual organisms and entire species

Language Arts:
It is expected that students will:

• use strategies, including asking and developing questions, rereading and reading further to develop understanding
• describe and recount key ideas or information from various media
• organize information or ideas they have read, heard, or viewed in the form of simple charts, webs, or illustrations
• demonstrate an awareness of how register and pacing should be adjusted according to content and audience
• gather information for specific purposes and identify sources, including people, print, audio-visual media, and electronic media
• manage and organize information by grouping and sorting it into charts, webs, subtopics, or logical sequences
• monitor and correct their own spelling by using manual and electronic spell checkers, dictionaries, and thesauri
• create and present a variety of personal and informational communications, including written and oral poems, stories, explanations, informal oral reports and dramas, personal letters, and illustrated charts or posters

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