I.
Characteristics of insects
II.
Parts of an insect
III.
Habitats of insects a.
Reproduction b.
Feeding c.
Defense i.
Camouflage ii.
Poisons
IV.
Benefits of insects a.
Pollination b.
Population control c.
Soil d.
Etc.
V.
Hazards of insects a.
To animals b.
To plants c.
To humans
Science
Learn about insect population explosions from the
Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa http://lepcurious.blogspot.com/2010/08/populationexplosions.html
Find out about the benefits of dragonflies by learning what their favorite meal is. http://www.lib.niu.edu/2001/oi010808.html
Technology http://www.vectorimages.org/09/092010051311214
2572.jpg
Toriskie SXU STEM Center 2012 http://images3.cpcache.com/product/92864153v10_
480x480_Front.jpg
View a gallery of images of butterflies to help yourself identify butterflies you’ve photographed. http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/gallery
View a gallery of dragonflies and butterflies of
Illinois. http://www.illinoisbutterflies.com/index.html
Read about dragonflies migrating through Chicago in September. http://www.suntimes.com/news/7601144-418/keepan-eye-peeled-for-dragons-on-the-lakefront.html
Learn to identify butterflies in this How-To video.
You Tube videos on camouflage.
You Tube videos on venom.
Bug search game.
Engineering
Design and build an Illinois outdoor butterfly garden with advice from the University of Illinois. http://urbanext.illinois.edu/gardenerscorner/issue_0
2/spring_04_06.cfm
Assemble dragonfly and build diorama habitat.
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Detailed directions for building insect dioramas from shoe boxes. http://artlessonsforkids.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/i nsect-dioramas-in-grade-one/
Images of insects to label, color, or use for a presentation. http://www.firstschool.ws/theme/animals/cp_insects.htm
Construct insect mobiles, or make face masks using
“crafts” software or images from the Internet.
Math
Leg measurements from build a dragonfly activity.
Simulate the growth of an insect population. http://www.bijlmakers.com/entomology/ne_simulati on/ne_simulation_introduction.htm
Practice counting with younger children while they sing.
Traditional action song
The ants go marching one by one,
Hurrah, hurrah.
The ants go marching one by one,
Hurrah, hurrah.
The ants go marching one by one,
Toriskie SXU STEM Center 2012
The little one stops to suck his thumb,
And they all go marching down
Into the ground to get out of the rain,
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Two...tie his shoe...
Three...climb a tree...
Four...shut the door...
Five...take a dive...
Six...pick up sticks...
Seven...pray to heaven...
Eight...shut the gate...
Nine...check the time...
Ten...say "THE END"
Found at http://www.preschoolrainbow.org/insectrhymes.htm
Dragonfly Anatomy: Dragonfly Magnet or Pin
Objective: Students will build an anatomically correct dragonfly of polymer clay while using vocabulary for body parts learned while studying dragonfly anatomy. Older students will also define the function of the body parts as adaptations for survival.
Grade Levels: Grade K-6
Time Required: One class period
Materials:

Images of dragonflies from ISM web site and other sites or sources
 Sculpey® polymer clay (it is softer than
Fimo brand) in various colors, including transparent (Fimo Brand Transparent #00) for wings.

Paper to use on the tabletop ((protection and rolling surface)

Plastic knife or age-appropriate blade to cut clay

Trays on which to bake finished sculpture

E6500 glue

Magnet pieces or pin backs
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Vocabulary:

Head

Thorax

Abdomen

Jointed legs

Wings

Compound eyes

Jaws

Segments

Terminal appendages
Motivation: Dragonfly body parts have specific names and shapes. Each part helps the dragonfly to survive in its environment. What are these body parts? How do they look?
Where are they located? How do they relate to each other in size and function?
What are these body parts used for? Could the dragonfly live without any of them? How do these parts help the dragonfly survive?
Procedure:
1.
Open the packages of various colors of
Sculpey polymer clay. Cut the blocks into 4-
8 pieces each.
2.
Arrange the colored pieces on the table for students to choose. They will need varying amounts of each color. They can choose realistic colors that look like some for the species studied, or they can choose their own colors (being aware they are not found in nature.) Some colors are adaptations that help the dragonfly survive.
3.
Briefly condition the clay by rolling the little blocks in the hands to soften and form into a ball.
4.
Pinch off amounts of clay and start forming body parts of your dragonfly. You may want to form the segmented abdomen somewhat thicker than in nature to avoid breakage. Or the dragonfly can be sitting on a separately modeled background leaf to solve this problem.
5.
Combine the body parts by firmly pressing the parts together without smashing or deforming them. If clay gets too soft with handling, laying it aside for ten minutes will let it firm up.
Toriskie SXU STEM Center 2012
6.
Bake clay in 250-degree oven for about ½ hour. (Oven will need to be cleaned with baking soda solution after baking, or use an oven not used for food preparation.) Toaster ovens are okay if they will not burn with their upper coils – This will cause toxic fumes .
7.
Glue pin backs or magnets to the backs of the dragonflies after they have cooled.
E6500 needs to cure overnight.
Assessment: Students will identify and define all body parts they created on their dragonflies. Older students will state how the body parts are adapted for survival in the dragonfly habitat.
Illinois State Board of Education Goals
Addressed:
Science: Early Elementary:
12.A.1a Identify and describe the component parts of living things (e.g., birds have feathers; people have bones, blood, hair, skin) and their major functions.
12.A.1b Categorize living organisms using a variety of observable features (e.g., size, color, shape, backbone).
Polymer clay dragonfly magnet.
From http://www.museum.state.il.us/ismdepts/zoology/od onata/pdfs/dragonfly_magnet.pdf
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