Resources for Teaching about Arthropods

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AN INTRODUCTION TO ARTHROPODS A fun product you can use to introduce arthropods, create a spinner, scale models of arthropods, a class book, and move like an arthropod!

Lesson 1 Science

• Information from the Amateur Entomologists’ Society
  • Introduction
  • Insects
  • Aracnids
  • Crustaceans
  • Millipedes
  • Centipedes
• Introduction for students?

Lesson 2 Math

• Teacher Background from mathisfun.com
  • Ratio
  • Scale
• Animal Groups
• Animals, names for males, females, babies, and groups

Lesson 3 Writing

Bugguide.net Aphids Leafhopper Bumble Bees Paper Wasps Ants Firefly Soldier beetle Ladybug Dragonfly Mayfly Fleas Flies Mosquitoes Grasshoppers Cockroaches Mantids Walking Sticks Moths Butterflies Assassin Bugs Stink Bugs Backswimmers Water Boatmen

Amateur Entomologists Aphids Cicadas Bees, Wasps, Ants Firefly Ladybug Dragonfly Mayfly Fleas Flies Grasshoppers Cockroaches Mantid Walking Stick Moth and Butterfly Backswimmer Water Boatman

Animal Diversity Aphids Cicadas Honey Bee Ants Firefly Ladybu) Dragonfly Mayfly Fleas Flies Mosquitoes Cockroaches Walking Stick Butterfly Assassin Bug Stink Bug

Lesson 4 Movement

• Videos
  • Flutter like a butterfly
  • Jump like a cricket – slow motion
  • High step slowly like a mantis
  • Scurry quickly like a roach

 

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ALL ABOUT ARTHROPODS With this product you can easily introduce a model animal colors, review and then model exoskeletons, and molting, and compare the anatomy of a cricket with humans with small booklets students can share at home!

 

Lesson 1 Arthropods have an Exoskeleton

• Anatomy of an Exoskeleton
• Videos
  • Introduction to Exoskeleton for you or older students – Larry Keeley, Texas A & M
  • How Does a Tarantula Shed Her Exoskeleton?  – Bug Gwen, Purdue
  • Cricket Shedding Exoskeleton – andres merizalde
  • Tarantula Molting – Vida Sangrea Fría
  • Cicada Molting – Steven Roemerman
  • Red King Crab Molting – Anchorage Museum
  • Scorpion Molting – L Killer
  • Frog Sheds and Eats Skin – Eric Perrault

Lesson 2 Arthropods have Unique Colors

• Teacher Background from howstuffworks.com
  • How Animal Camouflage Works
  • Concealing Animal Colors
  • Animal Color Change
  • The Element of Animal Disguise
• Insect Defenses

Lesson 3 Arthropod Anatomy

• Insects fact files from Amateur Entomologists’ Society
  • Insect body structure
  • Antennae
  • Wings
  • Respiration
• Teacher Background from NC State University Tutorial by Dr. John Meyer
  • The head
  • Antennae
  • Thorax
  • Legs
  • Abdomen
  • Digestive System
  • Circulatory System
  • Respiratory System
  • Nervous System
  • Insect Senses

 

MORE ABOUT ARTHROPODS Create a popup habitat of a garden, review and then create a life cycle booklet, review and then create a model of a food chain.

 

Lesson 1 Habitat

• Plant Pests
• Pest Management
• Insect Habitats: Facts, Characteristics, & Types – study.com
• 3 Ladybug Habitats to Build – wikihow.com
• Finding, catching and keeping a grasshopper – wikihow.com

Lesson 2 Life Cycle

• Insect Life Cycles from Amateur Entomologists’ Socienty
• Resources from askabiologist.asu.edu
  • Complete Metamorphosis – Arizona State University
  • Incomplete Metamorphosis – Arizona State University
  • Before and After (images) – Arizona State University
  • Ant
  • Monarch
•  Life Cycle Coloring Pages – EnchantedLearning.com
• Butterfly Life Cycle – The Butterfly Site
• Time Lapse Videos
  • Time Lapse of Ladybug Life Cycle – TDtangents – preview this one before showing students
  • Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis time lapse – FrontYardVideo – caution, set up to avoid the ads
  • Painted Lady Butterfly – Kay Little’s Second Grade Classroom
  • Attacus Atlas Moth Development – Adam Grochowalski
• Videos with Explanations – Ilse Knatz Ortabasi
  • Mosquito life cycle
  • Monarch Butterfly Metamorphosis
  • Praying Mantis Life Cycle
  • Giant Water Bugs

Lesson 3 Food Chain

• Arthropod Mouth Parts
• Teacher Background from NC State University Tutorial by Dr. John Meyer
  • Trophic Levels
  • Insect Herbivores
  • Insect Carnivores
  • Insect Decomposers