Overview:

This lesson is designed for a fourth grade classroom. The activities throughout this lesson teach students to identify and classify insects using a live insect. Also, students will be encouraged to collect their own insect. This lesson should take approximately two hours.

Purpose: (Objective)

Students will be able to classify insects and understand the importance of this classification. This activity will include the TEKS Grade four 8a which reads: identify characteristics that allow members of a species to survive and reproduce.

Materials:

Paper, pencils, insect books, an uncommon insect, a clear container for the insect, poster paper, markers, tape, note cards

Getting Ready: (Background Information)

It is important for the insect to be located in a clear container so the students can see it better. It is also important for the teacher to understand the importance of scientific classification. Students need to have access to books that classify the animals.

Before taking students outside, it is necessary to be aware of the surroundings. Scouting out an area and becoming aware of the insects found in this area proves beneficial. Therefore, the teacher may select insect books that have the insects most prevalent in the area. Depending on the time, the teacher may decide to create homemade insect books that cater to the insects of the area.

Motivate! (Engage)

At the beginning of this lesson the insect will be placed in a vivid spot so the class can see it. The teacher will then begin the lesson telling the class that today they are all doctors and the insect is their patient. The problem with this patient is that it has amnesia. Amnesia is when you can't remember who you are. So they want to help it figure out its identity. They are going to be able to identify this insect today. Ask the students to think about what information they will need to identify the patient. Divide the students into groups and have each group come up with a name they would call the insect and why. Note: The teacher may assign jobs to each individual within the group. This will help to insure participation from everone.

Activity: (Explore)

Give the students time to explore the insect within their groups. Point out to the students that paper is available for them to write down things that they think will help them out. (They can use the paper to write down characteristics and to narrow down a name). Encourage students to decide together as a group what the insect's name is. This is a great time for the teacher to move around the classroom and question the students about what they feel it is important to know when coming us with the patient's name.

Safety Tips:

1. Don't play with or pick up bugs that are red and black.
2. Stay away from poison ivy (three leaf plants).
3. Make sure there are enough adults to supervise all the students when going outside.
4. Keep a first aid kit close by when students are outside.

Concept Discovery: Explanation

Make a list of all the characteristics that were pointed out by students during the exploration time. Share the different names that the students came up with in their groups. Point out to the students that there were many different names given to the insect. Scientists can have the same problem. One scientist in North America may give the spider a name and another scientist in Europe may give it another name. Explain to the students that this is why it is important to have scientific classification. Show the students the books about insects. Point out the scientific name of different insects in a book. Show the students that just as we have two names (a first and last name), scientists give things two names also. The first word is usually a Latin or Greek noun. The second work is a Latin or Greek adjective. Scientists capitalize the first word and italicize or underline the entire name. Show students the scientific name for the insect they have been observing.

Going Further: (Elaboration)

Students can then be taken outside to find an insect of their own. This time can also be used to understand how entomologists find and collect insects. Once back inside, students can write a description of the insect for others to read. The insects can then be placed around the room for a "Who Am I?" fair. Students will then be given a chance to view each other's insects. They may also try to identify the insects in the fair. To expand further in this lesson, encourage students to write stories about their insects or do math problems with their insect.

Closure:

Review with the students why characteristics are important. Review with them why scientists classify insects and how they do it. Asking the question "What did we learn today?" may also be used in closing.

Assessment: (Evaluate):

Informal Assessment can be made through the performance task or creating and finding the identity for the insect they collected. They will be assessed according to the rubric listed below.

Rubric	1	2	3
Participation	none	partial	full
Classification	no attempt at Classification	good effort, incorrect	correct
Description	no attempt	clear, some details	detailed

Connections: (Integration with other content areas)

This activity uses language arts by having the students write descriptions of their insects. It also touches on nouns and adjectives. This part can be expanded more if the teacher feels it is necessary. It also encourages students to read when the look through the books to find the classification of the insects. (Language Arts TEKS Grade 4- 8,18, and 21 )

Social Studies can be incorporated when discussing the habitat and other characteristics of insects. Where the insects live affects the characteristics and helps to identify the insects. This idea can be pointed out to students. The teacher may also choose to elaborate on how the insect may be called different names depending on the place it is located. (Social Studies TEKS Grade 4- 24 and 20)

Mathematics is incorporated throughout the entire lesson when students are solving the identity problem. This teaches problem solving. They can also learn about symmetry and measurement using the insects.(Mathematics TEKS Grade 4- 8 and 10)

This activity can be adapted for older grades by having students identify the insects species (more detailed). They can also talk in more detail about the different characteristics. The older students may also be expected to collect a group of insects and not just one insect for the fair.

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