Complete bug puzzles to learn about the anatomy of bugs and explore ways of classifying bugs.
Objectives
Students will
learn about the anatomy of bugs. Younger students will practice classifying bugs. Older students will learn about classes of arthropods.
Keywords
bugs, insects, anatomy, puzzles, arthropod
Materials Needed
Create bug puzzles by attaching accurate pictures of bugs to oaktag or cardboard and cutting them into several pieces. Pictures might be cut from magazines, copied from non-consumable print resources, or downloaded and printed from online resources, such as the Iowa State's Entomology Image Gallery, the Key to Bug ID student worksheet or information about the classification of arthropods written on the chalkboard.
Lesson Plan
Arrange students into small groups and provide each group with a variety of puzzle pieces. Be sure that each student can complete one puzzle.
When the puzzles are complete, ask each student to name the bug he or she completed and compare the physical characteristics of all the bugs completed by each group. Encourage students to notice the presence or absence of wings and antennae, the number of legs, the number of body sections, and so on.
Have younger students arrange the bugs into groups according to the bugs' physical characteristics. Discuss the categories the students chose, and then have them rearrange the groups based on another characteristic. Ask: How many different arrangements did you make?
Provide older students with the Key to Bug ID or write the classification information on the chalkboard. Ask each student to identify the correct classification for his or her bug. Discuss each response.
Assessment
Students will be evaluated by observation and by the accuracy of their responses.
