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Naming & organizing life activities

 

Classification of organisms with an insect study

You cannot protect the environment unless you empower people, you inform them, and you help them understand that these resources are their own, that they must protect them.

Wangari Maathai

Overview

Contents Overview

A sequence of plans to facilitate a review and develop a deeper understanding of classification of living organisms focused on insects and their classifications.

Parts first written by Scott Olson and Rory Marra

Background resources:

This plan is designed for learners who have very little prior knowledge of insects, and classification.

Related study topics:

Supporting information

Planning information

Learner background information

A plan designed for learners who have prior knowledge in cause and effect, use of observations to make inferences, models as explanations for observable and non observable events, relative position, and working in groups.

Intended learnings & learners thinkings

Content Big ideas, concept & facts, & outcomes
(Source concepts & misconceptions)

Big ideas and specific outcomes:

  • Classification is important to label objects and to group them as similar or not. It is sometimes not good when we use stereotypes to mistakenly group objects or people in harmful ways.

Concepts and facts

Outcome

Use and describe the benefits and limits of classification to label and group objects, organisms, people, and ideas.

Science concepts: physical, earth, life

Big ideas:

All living organisms have similarities; and when people study them they find it sometimes useful to consider their properties and how their properties relate and don't relate to other organisms.

Related concepts

  • Insects have common properties such as; segmented bodies, jointed legs, an exoskeleton and three body regions.
    • Head which includes the mouth parts, eyes, and antennae.
    • Thorax which has three pairs of legs and usually 1-2 pairs of wings.
    • Abdomen which is many segments and includes the digestive, excretory, and reproductive systems.
  • Animals are named and classified by their properties.

Outcome

  1. Create a model of an insect and explain the properties that allow it to be classified as an insect.

Anticipated learner thinkings & misconceptions

Often learners will define different categories of animals, but not apply it to their understanding. Will say snakes are vertebrates, but will say snakes don't have bones.

  • Living organisms are all the same inside.
  • Insects aren't animals.
  • Birds, fish, insects, worms are not animals.
  • Animals are four footed, or furry.
  • Animals are wild, pets, or farm animals.
  • Insects can’t live in water.
  • Spiders are insects.

Inquiry, process, & cross cutting concepts & skills

Inquiry

cross cutting

Big ideas: See also Concepts & misconceptions

Models need to include enough properties of the real object or organism to more accurately represent it.

Related concepts and facts

  • Observational data and reasoning is used to explain properties and interactions. Evidence is something that is observed and can be used to understand what is happening and make predictions about future changes.
  • Models are structures that correspond to real objects, events, or classes of events. Such representations can never be exact in every detail.  
  • Seeing how a model changes may suggest how the real thing works if the same were done to it. 
  • Models help people understand how things work.
  • Explanations are based on observation derived from experience or experimentation and are understandable.
  • Pictures or symbols represent objects.

Outcome -

  • Describe what a living group of organisms with enough properties to accurately represent it and create a model with those properties.

Specific outcomes -

  • Create an insect model with parts the represent the properties of an insect. Such as; segmented body, jointed legs, an exoskeleton and three body regions.
    • Head with mouth, eyes, and antennae.
    • Thorax with three pairs of legs and maybe 1 or 2 pairs of wings.
    • Abdomen
    and describe these parts.

Other possible concepts

History of science and development of technology - perspective of science

See also Concepts & misconceptions also science, math, technology timeline

  • People have practiced science and technology for a long time.
  • Science develops over time.
  • Science investigators such as

Scoring guides suggestions (rubric)

(scoring guide)

Top level

  • Create an insect model and explains how the different parts of the model represent the necessary and sufficient properties of insects or a subset of insects that are determined by how organisms are classified. Such as. Insects are organisms with segmented body, jointed legs, an exoskeleton and three body regions.
    • Head with mouth, eyes, and antennae.
    • Thorax with three pairs of legs and maybe 1 or 2 pairs of wings.
    • Abdomen
  • Creates a model and explanation that focuses on a simple explanation of an insect. Such as six legs, or three body parts, or bug like ... Omits reference to properties which are necessary for an organism to be classified as an insect.

Lower level

Strategies to achieve educational learnings

Based on learning cycle theory & method

Pedagogical Overview

Activities Sequence to provide sufficient opportunities for students to achieve the targeted outcomes.

Make sure learners have the prior knowledge identified in the background information.

  1. Activity 1 - Classification review or introduction ... Use activities such as these
  2. Activity 2 - Insect hunt - First written by Scott Olson and Rory Marra
  3. Activity 3 - Insect models - First written by Scott Olson and Rory Marra
  4. Activity 4 - Insects as a phylum

Focus question

Unit focus question:

How do we organize and communicate our observations to understand our world?

Sub focus questions:

  1. How do we explain our observation?
  2. How do we name objects living and non living?
  3. How do we group (classify) living organisms?
  4. How do we study and learn about the properties of living organisms?
  5. How do models help communicate information?

Materials

Lab notes

Support materials

Lesson Plans

Activity 1 -

Materials

Focus questions:

  1. What does it mean to classify?

Learning outcomes:

  1. Explain how animals are classified by the names we give them.

Suggested procedures overview:

  1. Put learners in groups, focus their attention, and assess their initial understanding of the focus questions.
  2. Activity - Use activities such as these to introduce the idea that names include properties the we use to classify objects and organisms.

Exploration -

  1. Put learners in pairs.
  2. Ask. What does it mean to classify?
  3. How are names like a classification?
  4. Do classification activities.

Invention -

  1. Explain and discuss with the learners the fact that names imply properties the we use to identify classify objects and organisms which can be classified with others of their kind.

Discover

Activities such as the following to identify and classify organisms.

 

Activity 2 - Insect Hunt

First written by Scott Olson and Rory Marra

Materials:

  • Collection materials
    • Hand lenses (or Discovery Scopes if available), tweezers, trowel, ruler, collection jars, clipboard & data sheets, pencil, insect net, large plastic bag to transfer insects into from the insect net, & tote bag (to hold items and serve as a Discovery Bag) 
  • Insect sorting materials 
    • Paper plates for sorting insects, insect flash cards, age appropriate field guides, insect family chart
  • Lab notes: Data sheet to be used for recording observations during collection; insect cards or data base with illustrations of insects in the area. 
  • E sources:

Focus questions:

  1. How do we decide if animals are related?

Learning outcomes:

  1. Describe similar and different insects.

Suggested procedures overview:

  1. Put students in groups, focus their attention, and assess their initial understanding of the focus questions.
  2. Activity -

Exploration

  1. Put students in pairs.
  2. Ask. What is a family unit.
  3. Show students a family portrait.
  4. Discuss the concepts of family units and relatives, with which they will have personal knowledge. 
  5. Introduce the concept that people aren't the only organisms that have families.
  6. Insects, which we will be studying, also have families. (In fact, all animals have families.) Could do more with classification.


Introduce the insect hunt activity. 

  1. Show learners a Discovery Bag, and discuss the items in it.
  2. Ask. How might a scientist explore a habitat? Like the schoolyard or other outdoor area with weedy or grassy area.
  3. For this activity, the schoolyard is not a playground—it is a habitat, which they are exploring to determine the insect organisms living there. 
  4. Explain. Scientists work in teams of specialists. 
  5. And they will explore as teams of scientists.
  6. Each will be responsible for using the tools in the Discovery Bag;
  7. And they will take turns with each using them as their specialty. Periodically, groups can rotate specialties so that all learners have an opportunity to use each instrument. 
  8. Explain how to use an insect net and transfer to a plastic bag, how insects can be frozen to view later.
  9. Tell. When they collect a specimen they should label each with their group name, where they collected the insect, and the date.
  10. When they are done collecting have them place them in the freezer overnight.
  11. Conduct insect hunt.

After the hunt:

  1. The day after the insect hunt, take insects out of the freezer and ask learners groups to work together to sort the insects that they found according to their similarities & differences.
  2. Paper plates can be used easily for this purpose, with a separate group on each plate or draw circles around individual or small groups of insects on a plate. 
  3. Tell learners to list and describe the groups they devised in their journals and get ready to share with the class.

Invention

  1. Recall and review
  2. What groups of insects did each group find? 
  3. What are the similarities and differences between groups of insects? 
  4. Ask. Is there is a relationship to the types of insects they found and the location that they found them?
  5. Ask. How do scientists categorize organisms?
  6. Ask. Why is it important to categorize them? If so why or why not?
  7. Ask. How important is observation for scientists?
  8. Ask. Will you be able to use what you learned?
  9. And if so where and how?

Discover

Compare what was discovered to how scientist name, organize (classify), identify, and describe insects.

  1. Show students a basic classification chart showing how insects fit into the world of animals. 
  2. Tell. Similar insects are grouped into families, and that similar families are grouped into larger groups called orders. 
  3. Using a classification chart and insect flash cards, ask each group to re-evaluate their insects to see what orders they include. 
  4. How are their groupings like the insect order chart?
  5. How were they different? 
  6. How can you relate what you have learned to other organisms?


Activity 3 - Make an insect model

First written by Scott Olson and Rory Marra

Materials:

  • Enough materials for each learner to make an insect model. See preparation.
    • Paper bags, strips of paper identifying different physical adaptations (color, legs, antennae, wings) pipe cleaners or chenille stems, wiggly eyes, play-dough,modeling clay, oak tag, cardboard, pom poms, small lids,
  • Lab notes
  • Insect model sample pattern

Preparation

Beside getting materials you need to decide if you want the learners to create their own models from scratch or if you want to provide them with a bag of part to assemble, or something in between.

If you decide on parts, then you will have to prepare a bag of parts for each person or group. A flat Insect model pattern could be used to include in each bag or envelop as parts.

In between letting the learners create their own or show them all the parts for them to use as a pattern, but have them select different materials for the different parts. For example pom pom or a puff ball for the head; pipe cleaners for antenna & legs, folded oak tag or cardboard or play-dough for other body parts, thin solid plastic for wings, google eyes for the eyes ...

Focus questions:

  1. What are the main characteristics of an insect? (head, thorax, abdomen, six legs, ... )

Learning outcomes:

  • Make an insect model and explain what properties make it an insect.

Suggested procedures overview:

  1. Put students in groups, focus their attention, and assess their initial understanding of the focus questions.
  2. Activity - review the characteristics of an insect, characteristics of a model and purpose and create an insect model.

Exploration

  1. Put learners in pairs.
  2. Ask. Do you like to do science?
  3. Do you like to solve science problems.
  4. Ask. What is a physical characteristic?
  5. What is a science model? a physical drawing, diagram, 2-d or 3-d sculpture of something that represents something in real life.
  6. What would an insect model look like? answer vary
  7. Ask. How does your description of an insect model fit with what you found as the characteristics of insects?
  8. Let's check ...
  9. What are the main characteristics of an insect? (head, thorax, abdomen, six legs, ... )
  10. Good. Let's see if you can use what is in this bag to make one ...
  11. With a sort of amazed, disgusted, perplexed, and impossible expression look into several of the paper bags and telling the learners that each has a puzzle that needs to be solved.
  12. That in each bag is an insect, but in pieces.
  13. Ask. Are you willing to put the insects together?
  14. Tell them they will create their insect and consider the physical characteristics of all insects and how each would be beneficial or hinder the insect.
  15. Give learners time to assemble their insect.

Invention

  1. Have each share their insect with the class and how their insects has the main properties of an insect and how each would be beneficial or hinder the insect.

Discovery

  1. After each is done presenting ask the others if they could think of other animals that have physical characteristics that are similar.
  2. A class chart could be made for the different characteristics, what animals have similar, and whether it is an advantage, disadvantage, or both.
  3. What do these characteristics mean in terms of predator and prey relationships? 
  4. How do animals adapt to changes?
  5. What happens if they don’t?\
  6. How does this information help people?

Activity 4 - Insects as a phylum

First written by Scott Olson and Rory Marra

Materials

Focus questions:

  1. How are all insects classified?

Learning outcomes:

  1. Explain that all insects are the same (see characteristics of insects) but they can be grouped into into different classes.

Suggested procedures overview:

  1. Put students in groups, focus their attention, and assess their initial understanding of the focus questions.
  2. Activity - Select different phylums and compare them with the phylum of insects.

Exploration

  1. Give a quick overview of animal classification with phylums
  2. Web site with phylums
  3. Use the Lab notes - with phylum name and examples and have each group select one phylum to find a picture to use to illustrate it.
  4. Have each group demonstrate how to draw their example for other to illustrate on the nine phylum page or have them print and share their sample for others to add to their nine phylum page.
  5. Review the display of a basic classification chart showing how insects fit into the world of animals. Particularly the different phylums and record differences in their lab notes.
  6. Decide how detailed you want to get. For example
    • Little detail: Chordata is like mammals who have bones and insects don't they have an exoskeleton.
    • A lot of detail use the nine major phylums data sheet and get detailed.

Nine major phylums data sheet

  1. Chordata - Classes include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, & fish. Chordata is characterized with vertebrates (backbone or spinal column).
  2. Arthropoda - Classes include insects, spiders, and crustaceans. Arthropoda is characterized with a segmented body and jointed appendages, which allows them to move in a variety of ways. They also have an exoskeleton, which is a hard outer covering that protects their body and supports their movement.
  3. Mollusca - Classes include snails, clams, and octopuses. Mollusca is characterized with a soft, unsegmented body and a mantle, which is a layer of tissue that covers their internal organs. They also have a radula, which is a rasping organ used for feeding.
  4. Echinodermata - Classes include sea urchins, starfish, and sea cucumbers. Echinodermata is characterized with radial symmetry, meaning their body is arranged around a central axis. Have a water vascular system, which is a network of tubes and canals that helps them move and feed.
  5. Annelida - Classes include worms such as earthworms and leeches. Annelida is characterized with long a segmented body and are bilaterally symmetrical, meaning they have a left and right side that are mirror images. Annelids also have a well-developed nervous system and a complete digestive system.
  6. Nematoda - Classes include roundworms and threadworms. Nematoda is characterized with a long, slender, unsegmented body and are bilaterally symmetrical. Can be both parasites and free-living.
  7. Platyhelminthes - Classes include flatworms such as tapeworms and liver flukes. Platyhelminthes is characterized with a flat, unsegmented body and are bilaterally symmetrical. They are mainly found in aquatic environments and are often parasites.
  8. Porifera - Classes include sponges. Porifera is characterized with a porous body structure attach to a surface and do not move around. Sponges filter water to obtain their food and do not have a distinct head or organs.
  9. Cnidaria - Classes include jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones. Cnidaria is characterized with radial symmetry and a simple body structure. Tentacles armed with stinging cells called nematocysts, used to capture prey.

Invention

  1. Review the characteristics of insects.
  2. Select some of the other phylums and make comparisons.
  3. Tell. Similar insects are grouped into families, and that similar families are grouped into larger units called orders. 
  4. Using the classification chart and insect flash cards, ask each group to re-evaluate their insects to see what orders they include. 
  5. How were their groupings like the insect order chart? How were they different? 
  6. How can you relate what you have learned to other organisms?

Discover

Compare other phylum or groups

Lab Notes for activities

Lab notes 1 - What's in a name? & classification

Materials

Focus questions:

  • What does it mean to classify?
  • How are names like a classification?

Challenge

What does it mean to classify?

 

 

 

 

How are names like a classification?

 

 

 

 

When we say an organism is an insect what does that mean?

 

 

 

How does it relate to classification?

 

 

Lab notes 2 - Insect collecting & identification

Materials

Focus questions:

  • How can you collect insects?
  • How can you document the collection of each insect and record them afterwards?

Insect notes:

Select from the insects collected and record the date collected, where they were collected, draw or attach a picture of each, label their characteristics, and decide what kind of insect they are (classification).

 

Insect 1 ...

Date collected -

Collected at -

What the area is like -

Diagram or picture with labels

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insect 2 ...

Date collected -

Collected at -

What the area is like _

Diagram or picture with labels

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insect 3 ...

Date collected -

Collected at -

What the area is like _

Diagram or picture with labels

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insect 4 ...

Date collected -

Collected at -

What the area is like _

Diagram or picture with labels

 

 

 

 

 

 

Insect 5 ...

Date collected -

Collected at -

What the area is like _

Diagram or picture with labels

 

 

 

 

 

 

What characteristics or properties do each of the insects have in common?

 

 

 

 

 

What characteristics or properties do each of the insects have that is different?

 

Lab notes 3 - Insect model

Materials

  • Pipe cleaners or chenille stems, wiggly eyes, play-dough, modeling clay, oak tag, cardboard, pom poms, small lids, hard plastic or vinyl pieces or sheets
  • Insect model sample pattern

Focus questions:

What are the main characteristics of an insect? (head, thorax, abdomen, six legs, ... )

Challenge

Make an insect model and explain what properties make it a good insect model.

 

Draw a diagram of your model and label the main properties your model has that are properties of all insects.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Select three properties of your insect and describe how each would be beneficial or hinder the insect.

Lab notes 4 - Insects as a phylum

Materials

Reference materials.

Focus questions:

How do insects compare with other phylums?

Challenge

Give examples of how each is different.

Phylum names with examples

Support materials

Blank page

Kingdoms with examples (Source)

Kingdoms

Insect model pattern

 

Insect model

Nine phylums

Animal phylums

Nine major phylums data sheet

  1. Chordata - Classes include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, & fish. Chordata is characterized with vertebrates (backbone or spinal column).
  2. Arthropoda - Classes include insects, spiders, and crustaceans. Arthropoda is characterized with a segmented body and jointed appendages, which allows them to move in a variety of ways. They also have an exoskeleton, which is a hard outer covering that protects their body and supports their movement.
  3. Mollusca - Classes include snails, clams, and octopuses. Mollusca is characterized with a soft, unsegmented body and a mantle, which is a layer of tissue that covers their internal organs. They also have a radula, which is a rasping organ used for feeding.
  4. Echinodermata - Classes include sea urchins, starfish, and sea cucumbers. Echinodermata is characterized with radial symmetry, meaning their body is arranged around a central axis. Have a water vascular system, which is a network of tubes and canals that helps them move and feed.
  5. Annelida - Classes include worms such as earthworms and leeches. Annelida is characterized with long a segmented body and are bilaterally symmetrical, meaning they have a left and right side that are mirror images. Annelids also have a well-developed nervous system and a complete digestive system.
  6. Nematoda - Classes include roundworms and threadworms. Nematoda is characterized with a long, slender, unsegmented body and are bilaterally symmetrical. Can be both parasites and free-living.
  7. Platyhelminthes - Classes include flatworms such as tapeworms and liver flukes. Platyhelminthes is characterized with a flat, unsegmented body and are bilaterally symmetrical. They are mainly found in aquatic environments and are often parasites.
  8. Porifera - Classes include sponges. Porifera is characterized with a porous body structure attach to a surface and do not move around. Sponges filter water to obtain their food and do not have a distinct head or organs.
  9. Cnidaria - Classes include jellyfish, corals, and sea anemones. Cnidaria is characterized with radial symmetry and a simple body structure. Tentacles armed with stinging cells called nematocysts, used to capture prey.

 

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