From the Grade 6 Science IRP's:

Classify plants and animals according to their internal and external features. Develop common classification systems for organisms

Objectives:

1. The student will be able to name the various external parts of an insect and tell what the purpose of each is.
2. The student will be able to explain what differentiates insects from other insects like anthropods.
3. The student will be able to compare and contrast the external features of 10 orders of insects.

NB: This lesson is meant to supplement a larger unit on classification. To see what the students are expected to learn regarding the 7 major categories of classification, the 5 kingdoms, 5 main classes of vertebrates, and the study of invertebrates, please see the Grade 6 Life Sciences section of the BC School's IRPs. As part of the study of the vertebrates area, please see Science Lesson #2 presented in the "The Fishes" teacher materials section.

Materials Needed:

• Computers
• Student notebooks
• Aquatic Fish foods Worksheet #S-3a (Insect Anatomy)
• Aquatic Fish foods Reference #S-3b (Insect Classification)
• Aquatic Fish foods Worksheet #S-3c (Insect comparison)

Activities:

Hand out the "Aquatic Fish Foods Worksheet #S-3a (Insect Anatomy)"

Display a large image of an insect at the front of the class (drawing on board or on poster paper). Go over the various parts of the insect and discuss the purposes of each.

The next step can be done in one of three ways:

1. Have the students fill in their worksheet as the discussion takes place or...
2. Hand out a photocopy of the "General Fish Anatomy' page that was printed off the computer. Have the students use the information from this page to complete the worksheet or...
3. Have the students refer to the "General Fish Anatomy" page directly off the computer. The students can be paired and go on shifts on the computer or do it for homework if they have internet access at home.

To access the "Insect Anatomy" page, first connect to the internet and go to www.kidfish.bc.ca . Click on the "Aquatic Fish Foods" icon. After this click on where it says "Click here to see the anatomy of an insect".

For the following activity students will need to have access to the first page presented in the Aquatic Fish Foods section of www.kidfish.bc.ca and also the classification chart (Aquatic Fish Foods Reference #S-3b) which can be found in the teacher materials section. This page can be printed out, photocopied, and handed to students, or students can work directly off any school or home computers that have internet access.

Next have a discussion with students taking notes. Discuss the 7 major classification categories (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species). At the class level of the animals section, you have vertebrates (animals with backbones) and invertebrates (animals without backbones). Insects are invertebrates. Go over the information presented in the first part of the Aquatic fish Foods section which deals with what makes insects part of a group and what makes other insects like organisms part of other groups.

Hand out the "Aquatic Fish foods Worksheet #S-3c (Insect comparison)"

To complete this worksheet, it will require research. Encourage internet research. When doing a search, type in the order name (eg. Lepidoptera). This should bring up plenty of information possibilities. In general, when doing research, typing in the Latin scientific name will bring good results. This activity can be assigned in a manner which best suits teacher style (individually, groups of two, cooperative learning fashion).

Other Activities:

Create a "Trivia" type game from the information dealt with in this lesson and with the information found about each of the aquatic fish foods covered in this website.