Let’s Get Buggy

Insect Lesson, Photos, Resources, & Extension Activities

Did you know that insects are oviparous?

Insects lay their eggs in many different places. Some lay them on leaves or underground.

Did you know that insects have three main body parts?

An insect has a head, thorax and abdomen.

Did you know that insects have compound and simple eyes?

Each compound eye can have as many 2- 30,000 different lenses to see out of.

Simple eyes don’t have lots of lenses covering their surface.

Did you know that insects have an exoskeleton?

An exoskeleton is a protective outer covering that protects an insect’s body.

Did you know that insects have antennae?

They use their antennae to smell and feel.

Did you know that insects have six legs?

All adult insects have six legs that are attached to their thorax.

Did you know that most insects have wings?

Most insects have wings. Wings come in pairs, 2 or 4. Most adult insects have 2 pairs of wings, but some only have 1 pair. Some insects don’t have any wings at all.

Did you know that insects have different ways of protecting themselves?

Insects protect themselves in many ways. Some insects camouflage themselves to hide from predators. Some insects taste bad, some bite and some are able to get away really quickly.

Did you know that there are an estimated 35,000 to 40,000 insects that live in Arkansas?

10,000 species of beetles Around 9,000 species of flies Nearly 8,000 species of bees and wasps Around 5,000 species of moths and

butterflies The rest are made up of bristletales, mayflies,

dragonflies, and damselflies, cockroaches, mantids, termites, stoneflies, grasshoppers and crickets, earwigs, stick insects, etc.

It is still not uncommon to find a species in Arkansas that are unnamed and new to the scientific world.

Lesson: Collage from NatureSteps to Follow

1. Select an insect (photo or bug replica)

2. Gather your materials3. Either sketch the insect on

your board or begin laying down your materials to form the insects body and parts.

4. Using glue, attach your parts securely to the board

Extensions

Extensions: Art

Watercolor InsectsEach student should pick an insect and draw it big on their paper,

then draw a circle underneath it. This will introduce overlapping to them with the insect’s wings overlapping the circle. Then, look at examples of close up photos to see how things run off the edge or get cut off. The petals of the flower should run off the paper.

After the student finishes the drawing they can add dots on the flower center and lines on the petals with oil pastels.

Set out cool colors for the first painting session. Students can paint only the INSECT and SKY during this class period.

Wet on wet watercolor technique. They should paint everything with water first , then paint the edges with two watercolors and let them bleed or run together in the center forming a lighter value.

The next art period, paint the flower with warm watercolors.

In art class encourage students to look at the world in a new way. For this project have them create a landscape from a bug's point of view. Encourage them to be creative. Some students may want to use dialogue! Have them consider the use of scale when drawing their bugs and the bug's surroundings (picnic table, grass, indoors, outdoors, etc.) Media: Students will explore the technique of using crayon and watercolor paint resist. 

Extensions: ArtA Bug’s Life—Take a few minutes and create an artwork from a bug’s point of view.

Extensions: 3-D ArtCreate an insect sculpture from objects found in nature.

Extensions: Descriptive WritingI don’t mean to “bug” you, but you might think about taking a few minutes to reflect about your artwork.

What materials did you use? Think about the bug you chose. Why did you select it? What does it’s habitat look like. What does it need to survive? What elements do you see—Lines, shapes, colors, and textures?

Extensions: Creative WritingI don’t mean to “bug” you, but you might think about taking a few minutes to do some writing and illustrations.

There was much excitement in the entomological world when a new order of insects was found this year.

You’re an entomologist and you have just discovered a new insect. Write about what it looks like, where it lives (habitat), what does it eat?

What will you name your new insect?

Extensions: Science (GT) 3rd & 4th Dissect a Grasshopper—

You could do a unit in your gifted program about entomology. I do this every year with my 3rd and 4th grade students. At the end of our unit, we dissected grasshoppers and students learned how to either use or advance their skills with the digital microscope. This year each student selected an insect. They created a new insect using at least one part form each of their bugs. One student drew the insect, they calculated the speed of their bug by averaging insects speeds, studied simple circuits, added lights and entered it in the Math Carnival. We won 2nd Place.

Resources

Christopher Marley’s Insect Art

Resources

BugBios from Insects.org - http://www.insects.org/

Smithsonian - http://www.si.edu/Encyclopedia_SI/nmnh/buginfo/start.htm

Insect Sounds - http://www.naturesongs.com/insects.html

Wings, Stings, and Leggy Things - http://dnr.state.il.us/education/classrm/wingleg/wingsstings.pdf

Resources

Insects Hotlist from Franklin Institute Online  http://www.fi.edu/learn/hotlists/insects.php

Insects from KidInfo  http://www.kidinfo.com/Science/insects.html

Jerrie Cheek's Insects Hotlists  http://edtech.kennesaw.edu/web/insects.html

Amazing Insects from Koday's Kids  http://www.district96.k12.il.us/IH/4th/kkhp/1insects/bugmenu.html

Resources

Sci4Kids - http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/insects/insectintro.htm

Bug Facts - http://www.burgepest.com/ants.html

Insects at Enchanted Learning         http://www.enchantedlearning.com/themes/insects.shtml

Wings, Stings, and Leggy Things - http://dnr.state.il.us/education/classrm/wingleg/wingsstings.pdf

Resources

Your Animal Adventure Starts Here http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animals/insects

Power Points http://animals.pppst.com/insects.html

Welcome to the Wonderful World of Insects  http://www.earthlife.net/insects/six.html

Insect Trivia http://www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/ythfacts/bugfun/trivia.htm

Resources

Compound Eyes http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artapr00/inseye.html

Christopher Marley http://www.pheromonedesign.com/catalog/10-Mosaics

List of North American Insects. Note: It lists spiders as well. You may need to point out to children that spiders are not insects. http://www.insectidentification.org/insect-identification.asp