Waxworm+and+Cricket+Bodies

LT: I can investigate what all insects’ bodies have in common.

Look at learning target:

“We have been talking about insects bodies and what makes an insect an insect. How do you know something is an insect. Today, you are going to be scientists trying to figure that out. You are going to have the chance to look very closely at the waxworms and the crickets and try to identify all of their body parts.”

“With your partner, you will make a list of all the body parts you can see on the insects, and then see: are there body parts that both insects have?

Introduce the recording sheet and talk about the life cycle. Where will you put your observations? Under adult or larva?

“We have talked only a tiny bit about life cycles, and how insects’ bodies change during their life cycle. Here is a picture of some insect life cycles.”

Read the parts of the life cycle. Which part do you think the waxworms are in now? How about the crickets?

“With your partner, decide which you are doing first, the waxworm or the cricket. Work on it together, and talk about it as you work. This won’t take you too long, because you’ve already spent a bunch of time looking at the crickets and the waxworms, so you already know a lot about their bodies. But today you will be real scientists and make sure you haven’t missed anything.”

Students go and work on investigating every single part of the insect’s body. Make a good sketch and a good list.

Sharing: Similarities, differences?