Insects Lives

1.    Begin this lesson by reading pages 2-3 and pages 6-9 of the big book titled Insects Lives by Melvin Berger ( big book provided at the center)

While reading out loud in a group reading session, stress the different parts of the insect and the different ways that they can eat.

2.    Now give each student a plastic/rubber version of their insect.  Along with the handout provided to each child going over the parts of the insect, have them find the parts of the insect on their plastic/rubber version.  Have the students draw their insect and label the parts as best they can.

Head, thorax, abdomen, antenna, mouth parts, legs

3.    Now have the children remember the different ways that an insect can eat.  Refer back to the big book on pages 8-9 for reference information.

4.    Go over this information with the students :    Most insects eat in one of three ways:  by chewing, sucking or sponging.  Their mouth parts are all specially adapted to the kind of food they eat.    Insects that chew their food eat in a way similar to humans.  Their powerful jaws, or mandibles, crush, cut and grind the food.  Insects with chewing parts are the most common, and include dragonflies, grasshoppers and beetles.

Sucking insects, such as moths or fleas, live off liquids.  The feed on sap from plants or body fluids of animals.  They pierce the food with a long proboscis, (have the students say this word several times)  or feeding tube and inject it with spit.  They they suck up the half-digested food through the proboscis.

Flies, moths and butterflies are slightly different.  They have a fleshy tip on the end of the proboscis, which they use to sponge up food.

5.    LET'S DO IT !!!

Let's imagine that you are a fly and you are hungry !!  Imagine what it is like to flick out a long, coiled proboscis to get your food, just like a fly, moth or butterfly.

At this time you will have the students work together in pairs.  One pretends to be the fly, while the other helps the student manage the process, then they will switch out and trade places.

Items that each pair will need are "fly eye" glasses and a party favor, fashioned as a fly proboscis (with velcro on the end of it) and other items to "eat". (paper food with the other end of the velcro on it)

Each student should first try to navigate by walking a small distance to get a feel for the "fly eye" glasses, then while they are sitting down at the picnic table, they should try to catch their food with their "proboscis"  and then trade out with their partner, so that both can experience what it is like being a hungry "fly"

To close the lesson, review to see if any of the students remember the body parts of the insect and what a "proboscis" is and what it is used for.

CLICK HERE FOR THE STUDENT HANDOUT WITH THE INSECT PARTS INFORMATION