Terrestial Insect Investigation Lesson Plan Grades: 3-6 Hands-On Activity Time: 15 minutes (minimum) NGSS connections: 3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all. 3-5-ETS1-3. Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. 4-LS1-1. Construct an argument that plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction. 5-ESS3-1. Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment. MS-LS2-1. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem. MS-LS2-2. Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems. MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations. Materials: • • •
Terrestrial Insect Investigation Kit* (complete kit is available for loan from the Estuary Partnership): beat sheets (5), sticks for knocking on branches (5), magnifying loupes (10), Petri dishes (15), Bugs of Washington and Oregon field guide (8) Pencils Data sheets or nature journals
* For instructions on creating your own insect collecting beat sheets, visit the Bug Chicks website: http://thebugchicks.com/arthropods/diy-insect-collecting-beat-sheet/ Essential Question: Where do you find the most bugs? Learning Objectives: 1. Students will be able to create and test a hypothesis. 2. Students will use scientific equipment to collect data. 3. Students will assess data to form conclusions. Vocabulary: invertebrate, habitat, hypothesis, conclusion
About this kit: This activity allows students to explore their school yard, local natural area, or other green spaces where invertebrates live. Students will investigate trees, shrubs, or grasses and become familiar with
these habitats. This activity supports scientific inquiry and data collection and provides an opportunity for meaningful outdoor education. Introduction and Background Information: •
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“Bug” is a catch-all name for small invertebrate organisms such as insects, spiders, millipedes, centipedes, slugs, snails, flies, etc. Bugs can be found everywhere and often in surprising places. They are a crucial part of the food chain and exist in all habitats - even in cities. Students can brainstorm a list of types of bugs that can be found on the school grounds and what are the best campus habitats for supporting bug communities. This activity could follow prior lessons on invertebrate anatomy, food chains, adaptations, biodiversity, or environmental science data collection applications. Students should be introduced to the scientific method.
Insect Collection (at last 15 min.): •
Using a beat sheet is simple: hold it under the branches of a shrub or tree or under long blades of grasses and tap the plants with a stick to dislodge the bugs. The plants should be hit hard enough to knock the bugs free but not so hard it damages the plant. Once bugs have been collected they can be sorted, examined, identified, and recorded. Petri dishes can be used to sort different types of bugs. For complete instructions on using beat sheets, see the video from OSU Extension Service: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KYRgG1oqakY Data Analysis and Invertebrate Study Ideas: • •
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Inquiry Projects: Where do you find the most bugs? Consider variables such as: sun vs. shade, live trees vs. dead trees, coniferous vs. deciduous, near road vs. forest, time of year or weather, etc. Conduct a scientific study by collecting at different sites or at different times of year and analyzing data to determine any differences. Visit Ecoplexity’s website at Ecoplexity.org and download the following PDF for step-by-step instructions on insect field studies: http://ecoplexity.org/files/Branch%20Beating%20protocol_0.pdf Get acquainted with your nearby green spaces and incorporate outdoor learning into existing curriculum: o Sketch insects in field journal o Label and study insect body parts o Create a schoolyard insect field guide o Put a few insects in a petri dish or small jar for further investigation o Write a fiction story about an insect you find o Research an insect you find and present it to the class o Take photos with iPad/iPod/cameras for sharing o Graph results from insect collection and compare across locations/times
