CONTENT OBJECTIVE: 2E1.00 To understand distinguishing traits of insects and spiders
INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: The learner will:
1.01 identify the distinguishing characteristics of insects.
1.02 identify the distinguishing characteristics of spiders.
1.03 compare and contrast insects and spiders.
OUTLINE OF CONTENT:
I. Characteristics of insects
A. Six legs
B. Antennae
C. Three body parts
1. Head
2. Thorax
3. Abdomen
D. Food
1. Plants
2. Other insects
E. Compound eyes
F. Outside skeleton
G. Wings
II. Characteristics of Spiders
A. Eight legs
B. Two body parts
C. Simple eyes
D. Fangs
E. Feelers
F. Eat insects
G. Outside skeleton
III. Comparing and contrasting insects and spiders
A. Number of legs (different)
B. Number of body parts (different) C. Wings (spiders have none)
D. Outside skeletons (alike)
TN COMPONENT OF SCIENCE: Process Of Science
TN GOAL:
To enable students to demonstrate the process of science by posing questions and investigating phenomena through language, methods and instruments of science
TN THEME:
1.4 ANALYZING - Data should be examined to find patterns and relationships that may suggest cause and effect or support inferences and hypotheses.
TN STANDARD(S): The learner will understand that:
1.4a Data should be examined to find patterns and relationships.
BENCHMARK: Patterns are evident in nature.
1.4b The accuracy and precision of data should be used to determine the selection or rejection of any given piece of data.
BENCHMARK: Accurate descriptions of observations enable students to compare results with others.
CLASSROOM CONNECTORS
TIME REQUIRED:
Three instructional periods
MATERIALS:
Pictures of ants, flies, and other insects; overhead projector and pointer; long balloon; Weekly Reader poster of fly; spider pictures; 2 cards for each student with "insect" on one and "spiders" on the other; drawing paper; construction paper of different sizes
SET:
What could crawl on your arm and tickle? (response) Has anyone here ever played with a ladybug and let it crawl on your hand? (response) Would you rather have a six-legged or an eight-legged creature crawl on you? (response) Why? (response) (Elicit that insects have six legs and spiders have eight.) Let's talk about some ways that insects and spiders are alike and/or different.
INSTRUCTION:
(Show projector would be excellent so you can use a pencil to indicate different parts.) Here are pictures of a fly and an ant. Count the legs. How many do you see? (response) Is there anything special about the head of the ant? (Antennae) Yes, these are called feelers or antenna. How many parts does the insect' body have? (Show a long balloon twisted to reveal three parts.) Does the insect's body look like this? That's correct. The insect has three body parts: the head, the thorax which is the middle and the abdomen which is the back. What do you think an insect might eat? (Plants and other, smaller insects) Who can tell me an insect that eats another insect? (response) Insects have special eyes called compound eyes. This means many eyes. (Poster from Weekly Reader shows a close up view of a fly's eyes. Show this poster and discuss the way the eyes look. Leave it out on display.) How are the fly's eyes different from yours? (response) Do you think insects have an inside skeleton like ours that's made of bones? Raise your hand if you do. (response) Raise your hand if you don't. (response) Let's think about it together. Our hardest body part is our skeleton. Where do you think an insect's hardest part is? (response) Is it inside or outside? (response) Has anyone here ever accidentally stepped on a beetle? Where is the hardest part? (response) It's the outside, isn't it? (response) Insects have an outside skeleton - not bone like our inside skeleton but harder than the insect's inside part. Look again at the fly. Does it have wings? (response) Most insects have wings.
Let's answer some questions by filling in the blanks.
1. Insects have ____ legs.
2. It has two things on its head called ____ .
3. It has ____ body parts called the ____.
4. Insects eat ____ and ____.
5. Insect's eyes are ____.
6. Insects have an ____ skeleton.
7. Insects fly with ____.
Let's look at a spider now. (Display top view of a spider using
an overhead projector.) How many legs - does a spider have? (Count
them with the class as you point to each one.) How many legs did
we count? (Eight) (Point out the body parts.) How many body parts
do you see? (Two) Look at it's eyes. Are they compound? (No) Look closely for what looks like curved teeth. These are the spider's "fangs". Why don't we like fangs? (Some spider bites are dangerous - Black and Brown Recluse spiders.) (Point out feelers.) Spiders have feelers not really antennae. What do spiders eat? (Insects) What have you seen in a spider's webs (response) Spiders have an outside skeleton. They don't have bones like we do.
Let's review with these fill in the blank questions.
l. Spiders have ____ legs.
2. They have ____ body parts.
3. Spiders have ____ eyes.
4. Spiders bite with ____.
5. Spiders have ____.
6. Spiders eat ____.
7. Spiders have ____ skeletons.
SUPERVISED PRACTICE:
(The following activity is suggested:
Give students two cards each to response to oral questions. On
one card they will write INSECTS. On the other card they will
write SPIDERS. Students will raise the appropriate card.)
a. What has fangs?
b. What eats plants and insects?
c. What has head, thorax, abdomen?
d. What eats just insects?
e. What has 2 body parts?
f. What has six legs?
g. What has three body parts?
h. What has eight legs?
CLOSURE:
Let's consider how insects and spiders are alike and different. Do they have the same number of legs? (No) Do insects and spiders have the same number of body parts? (No) Which has wings? (response) They both have what kind of skeleton? (response)
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE/ENRICHMENT:
Use options to fit your needs.
OPTIONS:
1. Make ladybugs and spiders from construction paper.
2. Make spiders and/or insects from clay/Playdough, and pipe cleaners.
3. Make spider web with white chalk on black paper. Put spider in web. (Great activity to use for Halloween)
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