INSECTS
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District
By Becky Hollwedel
2nd Grade
I.
Idea Pages
UNIT THEME
• Develop a curiosity and insects and a respect for them as living
things.
• Distinguish between animals that are insects and animals that are not
insects.
• Identify the parts and structures of insects.
• Understand the life sequences that different types of insects
exhibit (simple and complete metamorphosis).
• Compare and contrast the similarities and differences in the larva,
pupae, and adults of insects that go thorough complete
metamorphosis.
• Observe the behaviors of insects at different stages of their lifecycle.
• Explain the needs of insects (air, water, food, and space).
• Acquire the vocabulary associated with insect life
II. FOCUS/ MOTIVATION
• Inquiry Chart
• Three Standards/ Super Entomologist Awards
• Cognitive Content Dictionary
• Observation Charts
• Teacher made Big Books
• Picture File Cards
• Graphic Organizer- Insect Kingdom
• Comparison Chart: Wax worms, mealworms
• Narrative Input Chart
• Story Map
• Pictorial Input Charts
III. CLOSURE/
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ASSESSMENT
Process all charts and learning
Add to living walls
Assessment of learning logs
Home/School Connections
Team Task Evaluation
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Label the parts of an insect test.
IV. STANDARDS
Alaska Reading GLE’s
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[2] 1.1.1: Read regularly spelled two-syllable words using decoding skills, including
knowledge of letter-sound relationships (phonics), diphthong, diagraphs, base or root
words, and common prefixes and suffixes.
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[2] 1.1.2: Orally read high frequency words, compound words, contractions, possessives,
and inflectional endings.
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(2] 1.1.3: Obtain information using test features including illustrations, captions, and
titles.
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[2] 1.1.4: Identify the meaning of new vocabulary; use new vocabulary in correct
context; make inferences about the meaning of a word based on its use in a sentence.
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[2] 1.1.5: Self-monitor and self-correct while reading (e.g., adjust reading pace, reread
to check for meaning, reread a word and check that the letter sounds match the word
read).
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[2] 1.2.1: Answer questions about information explicitly stated in text.
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[2] 1.2.2: Self-monitor comprehension by making predictions or formulating questions
while reading (e.g., why is the wolf dressed in grandmother's clothing, why are the
mother bears dangerous, what will happen next) or rereading (e.g., for clarification,
confirmation, correction).
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[2] 1.2.3: Make simple inferences.
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[2] 1.2.4: Draw conclusions about stories and/or information presented in the text (e.g.,
cause and effect).
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[2] 1.3.1: Read orally with rhythm, flow, and expression, showing understanding of
punctuation (e.g., period, comma, question mark, exclamation point, quotations) and other
conventions of print (e.g., size of print and speech bubbles) at a pace similar to own
speech.
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[2] 1.4.1: Retell or dramatize a story after reading it.
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[2] 1.4.2: Restate information after listening to text.
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[2] 1.5.1: Identify and discuss main ideas and supporting details.
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[2] 1.6.1: Follow multi-step oral directions to complete a task.
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[2] 1.6.2: Follow one- to two-step written directions to complete a task.
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[2] 1.7.1: Distinguish between fiction and non-fiction, poetry and prose.
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[2] 1.8.1: Identify problem and solution, main characters, and setting in fiction.
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[2] 1.9.1: Express own opinion about material read.
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[2] 1.10.1: Make relevant connections between text and personal experiences,
experiences of others, and other texts
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[2] 1.10.2: Locate details in text to illustrate relevant connections between personal
experience, experience or others, and other texts.
Alaska Writing GLE’s
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[2] 1.1.1: Write complete sentences with a subject and a predicate.
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[2] 1.1.2: Write and organize thoughts into a topic sentence and two supporting
sentences.
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[2] 1.1.3: Write a story or composition with a beginning, middle, and end.
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[2] 1.1.4: Identify paragraphs in a piece of writing.
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[2] 1.2.1: Produce a variety of written forms for specific audiences (e.g., stories,
reports, letters, journal entries).
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[2] 1.2.2: Use expressive language when responding to literature or producing text (e.g.,
journals, pictures supported by text or poetry).
[2] 1.3.1: Write a variety of complete, simple sentences (i.e., statement, question,
exclamation).
[2] 1.3.2: Identify and/or correct mistakes in spelling (e.g., grade-appropriate, highfrequency words).
[2] 1.3.3: Use punctuation in written work (e.g., periods, question marks, exclamation
marks, commas, quotation marks).
[2] 1.3.4: Identify and/or correct mistakes in punctuation at the end of sentences and
capitalization (i.e., beginning of sentences and proper nouns).
[2] 1.3.5: Rewrite handwritten work to improve legibility, if necessary, when producing
final drafts.
[2] 1.4.1: Rearrange and/or add supporting details to improve clarity.
[2] 1.4.2: Give/receive appropriate feedback about written work.
[2] 1.5.1: List sources or authors and titles of books and other materials when used as
references in written work with support.
Inquiry Science Standards- Alaska- Grade 2
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2A2: Describe observed objects as accurately as possible through drawing and writing.
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2A4: Use evidence from investigations to express reasonable answers to "How do you
know?" questions.
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2A5: Write or draw descriptions of a sequence of steps or events.
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2A6: Record observations and data with pictures, numbers, written statements, and
graphs.
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2A8: Make verbal and written predictions based on observed patterns and not random
guessing
Life Science Standards- Alaska- Grade 2
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2C1: Describe distinct environments that will provide the basic needs for different types
of animals.
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2C2: Identify and label the parts of an insect. (e.g. head, thorax, abdomen)
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2C3: Compare the structures of animals in different stages of their life cycle (e.g.
larvae, pupa, adults)
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2C4: Describe different structures of insects that help them survive in their habitats.
(e.g. insect mouth parts)
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2C5: Diagram the life cycles of different types of insects.
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2C6: Recognize that organisms reproduce offspring of their own kind and the offspring
at maturity resemble their parents
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2C7: Illustrate and explain a simple food chain showing a plant, herbivore, and a
carnivore.
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2C8: Identify local habitats for insects (e.g. on the playground, around the school).
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2C9: Demonstrate proper care and respect for living things.
V.
Vocabulary
abdomen
adult
air
antennae
darkling beetle
egg
food
head
larvae
leg
life cycle
mealworm
molt
pupae
segment
stage
thorax
water
wing
bristle
clasper
cocoon
silk
observe
predict
prolegs
waxworm
wax moth
moth
bug
female
habitat
insect
male
mating
milk weed bug
nymph
proboscis
metamorphosis
butterfly
caterpillar
chrysalis
painted lady
pupate
waste
VI. RESOURCES AND MATERIALS
Alaska Standards: Content and Performance Standards for Alaska Students 4th Ed.
Alaska English Language Proficiency Standards
Children’s Book List and Resources
Websites
INSECTS
To complement FOSS Science Series (Grade 2)
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District-Alaska
(2nd)
Unit Planning Pages
I.
FOCUS/ MOTIVATION
• Cognitive Content Dictionary with Signal Word
• Super Scientist Awards
• Insects Here, Insects There Big Book
• Insects: The Most Successful Animals on Earth Big Book
• Observation Chart
• Inquiry Chart
II.
INPUT
• Pictorial inputs
• Read-Alouds
• Comparison Chart- mealworms, wax worms
• Foss Investigations: grow and provide for the needs of insects.
• Narrative Input Chart
III.
GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
• T-Graph for Social Skills
 Team Points
 Oral Evaluation
 Written Evaluation
• Picture File Cards
 Group Label- categorize and justify
• Exploration Report
• Chants and Poetry
• Sentence Patterning Chart
• Expert Groups
• Mind Map
• Process Grid
• Team Tasks
• Numbered Heads
IV.
READING AND WRITING
A. Total Class Modeling
 Cooperative Strip Paragraph
 Story Map
B. Small Group Practice
 Team Tasks
 Shoulder-to-shoulder reading
 Expert Groups
 Focused Reading
C. Individual
 Learning Logs
 Individual Tasks-anything practiced in teams
 Poetry Booklet
 Reading/Writing Choice Tome
 Add to the Walls
 Personal Explorations
D. Writer’s Workshop
 Mini-lesson
 Write
 Conference
 Author’s Chair
 Publishing
V.
Extended Activities
• Raising insects
• Foss Investigations
VI.
CLOSURE & EVALUATION
• Home/School Connection
• Process Grid Game
• Team Tasks Evaluation
• Process all Charts
Insects
to compliment FOSS Science Kit (Grade 2)
Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District—Alaska
(2nd)
Week 1:
Sample Weekly Lesson Plan
FOCUS/MOTIVATION
• 3 Standards/ Super Scientist Awards
• Cognitive Content Dictionary with Signal Word
• Observation Charts
• Review 3 Standards
• Inquiry Charts
• Big Book- Shared Reading: Insects Here Insects There
GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
• Chant: I’m a Little Insect
• T-Graph for Social Skills
INPUT:
• Pictorial Input Chart: Painted Lady Butterfly
• Foss Science Investigations
• Learning Logs
READING/ WRITING
• Interactive Journal
CLOSURE:
• Home/School Connection
• Process Home School Connection
Week 2:
FOCUS/ MOTIVATION
• Review 3 Standards/ Super Scientist Awards
• Cognitive Content Dictionary with Signal Word
• Process Chant- Highlight, Sketch, Picture File Cards
INPUT
• Foss Science Investigations
• Learning Logs
GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
• Expert Groups:
o Team Tasks
o Process T-Graph
o Team Share
READING/WRITING
• Interactive Journal
CLOSURE
• Home/ School Connection
• Process Home/ School Connection
• Process all charts
Week 3:
FOCUS/MOTIVATION
• Review 3 Standards/ Super Scientist Awards
• Cognitive Content Dictionary with Signal Word
• Insects: The Most Successful Animals on Earth Big Book
• Process Chants
INPUT
• Foss Science Investigations
• Pictorial Input Chart: Life Cycle of an Ant
• Learning Logs
GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
• Expert Groups:
o Team Tasks
o Process T-Graph
o Team Share
READING/WRITING
• Interactive Journal
CLOSURE
• Home/ School Connection
• Process Home/ School Connection
Week 3:
FOCUS/MOTIVATION
• Review 3 Standards/ Super Scientist Awards
• Cognitive Content Dictionary with Signal Word
• Insects: The Most Successful Animals on Earth Big Book
• Process Chants
INPUT
• Foss Science Investigations
• Pictorial Input Chart: Life Cycle of an Ant
• Learning Logs
GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
• Expert Groups:
o Team Tasks
o Process T-Graph
o Team Share
READING/WRITING
• Interactive Journal
CLOSURE
• Home/ School Connection
• Process Home/ School Connection
Week 4:
FOCUS/MOTIVATION
• Review 3 Standards
• Cognitive Content Dictionary with Signal Word
• Process Chants
INPUT
• Foss Science Investigations
• Metamorphosis Poem
• Learning Logs
GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
• Expert Groups:
o Team Tasks
o Process T-Graph
o Team Share
READING/WRITING
• Interactive Journal
CLOSURE
• Home/ School Connection
• Process Home/ School Connection
Week 5:
FOCUS/MOTIVATION
• Review 3 Standards
• Cognitive Content Dictionary with Signal Word
• Process Chants
INPUT
• Foss Science Investigations
• Learning Logs
GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
• Expert Groups:
o Team Tasks
o Process T-Graph
o Team Share
READING/WRITING
• Interactive Journal
CLOSURE
• Home/ School Connection
• Process Home/ School Connection
Week 6:
FOCUS/MOTIVATION
• Review 3 Standards
• Cognitive Content Dictionary with Signal Word
• Process Chants
INPUT
• Foss Science Investigations
• Learning Logs
• Process Grid Game
GUIDED ORAL PRACTICE
• Process T-Graph
o Team Share
READING/WRITING
• Interactive Journal
CLOSURE
• Home/ School Connection
• Process Home/ School Connection
THE INSECT BUGALOO
By Shannon Brown
I’m an entomologist and I’m here to say,
“I’m going to teach you about insects today.”
Starting with an egg,
The cycle does begin;
Then the larva hatches
And the eating has no end!
Head, thorax, abdomen too,
Doin’ the insect bugaloo!
The larva gets so big,
The next stage happens fast.
The pupa looks quiet,
But this stage doesn’t last.
.
Head, thorax, abdomen too,
Doin’ the insect bugaloo!
The adult emerges;
It lays eggs and then,
We start the whole cycle
All over again!
Head, thorax, abdomen too,
Doin’ the insect bugaloo.
INSECTS? YES,MA’AM!
By Shannon Brown
Well, is this an insect? Yes, Ma’am!
Well, is this an insect? Yes, Ma’am!
Well, how do you know? It has 3 body parts.
How else do you know? It has an exoskeleton.
Well, how does it grow? It hatches from an egg.
What else can you tell? It has 6 legs.
Does it have a life cycle? With an egg it begins.
How could it continue? To larva, pupa and adult again.
Well is this an insect? Yes, Ma’am!
Well is this an insect? Yes, Ma’am!
Well, where does it live? In any habitat.
Can it live anywhere? Yes, how about that!
Can they take the cold? Yes, to zero and below.
But can they take heat? To 120 degrees it can go.
Do insects eat plants? Some are herbivores.
But some eat meat? Some are carnivores.
Are all insects harmful? Just some are that way.
So you know a benefit? Dragonflies eat 300 mosquitoes a day!
So are insects everywhere? Yes, Ma’am!
Can you recognize an insect? Yes, Ma’am!
I CAN SPELL INSECT
By Shannon Brown
I can spell bug, b-u-g.
I can spell b-e-e.
I can spell ant, a-n-t.
But I can’t spell insect.
I can spell leg, l-e-g.
I can spell fly, f-l-y.
I can spell wing, w-i-n-g.
But I can’t spell insect.
Yes, I can! Yes, I can!
I-n-s-e-c-t, insect!
I’M A LITTLE INSECT EGG
(to the tune of “I’m a Little Piece of Tin”)
by Shannon Brown
I’m a little insect egg,
Watch me hatch, please don’t beg.
I will be a larva soon,
Think I’ll wiggle out by noon.
I’m an egg.
I’m an egg.
I’m an E-G-G, egg!
I eat and eat so much each day,
Soon I’ll be a pupa they say.
Then I’ll be so very quiet,
No need to feed me, I’m on a diet.
I was an egg.
I was an egg.
I was an E-G-G, egg!
Something’s happening to me inside,
My shape is changing, eyes open wide.
3 body parts with 6 legs, it’s true,
Antennae, wings, and an exoskeleton too.
I was an egg.
I was an egg.
I was an E-G-G, egg
Expert Group: Ants
Body Parts
Ant’s bodies have three sections: head, thorax, and abdomen.
They have six legs. Ants have mouths and strong jaws. Their
bodies are protected by a hard shell called an exoskeleton. Ants
have compound eyes.
Habitat
Ants live in colonies under the ground. They can be also live in
trees. Ants live on nearly every continent, except Antarctica.
Life-Cycle
Ants go through four stages during their life. The queen ant lays
eggs. After a couple of weeks a larvae emerges from the egg.
The larva eats and grows. The larvae change into a pupa. In 2 to
3 weeks an adult ant emerges.
Interesting Facts
Ants are some of the most successful animals on earth. All ants
in a colony are sisters because they all come from a single
mother.
Expert Group: Darkling Beetles
Body Parts
Darkling beetles bodies have three sections: head, thorax, and
abdomen. They have six legs. Their bodies are protected by a
hard shell called an exoskeleton.
Habitat
Darkling beetles live in dark, dry, and warm places. They can be
found under rocks, inside logs, in animal burrows, and in stored
grains. Darkling beetles are rarely seen in the wild, but if they
are it is usually in a field where wild grass and seeds are plentiful.
Life-Cycle
The Darkling beetles go through four stages during their life.
The female beetle lays eggs. After a couple of weeks a larvae
emerges from the egg. The larva eats and grows. The larvae
change into a pupa. In 2 to 3 weeks an adult beetle emerges.
Interesting Facts
Darkling beetles have two natural predators, wild birds and small
mammals. The most interesting fact is that humans can eat them!