Incomplete Metamorphosis
Supporting
TEKS Objective
The student is expected to describe the differences between complete and incomplete metamorphosis of insects.
Essential Understanding
The student knows that organisms undergo similar life processes and have structures that help them survive within their environments.
Science Background
Insects, Metamorphosis: Utah Education Network (website) - Helpful definitions of complete and incomplete metamorphosis, with links to information about the life stages of numerous insects, including such as crickets, fleas and wasps.
Insects, Metamorphosis
Utah Education Network, www.uen.org
Life Cycle of Butterflies and Moths: The Children’s Butterfly Site (website) - Photos and descriptions of the four distinct stages in the life cycle of an insect.
Life Cycle of Butterflies and Moths
The Children’s Butterfly Site, www.kidsbutterfly.org
About Bug Life Cycles: Bug Life Cycles (website) - Large collection of photos, organized by species, which illustrates different insect life cycle stages. Non-insects, such as spiders, are also included.
Signature Lesson
Life Cycles: Iowa State University (website) - Students learn to describe the differences between the life cycles of four types of insects: mealworm/beetle, butterflies and moths, crickets, silverfish. They care for mealworms and observe and document their lifecycle.
- Supporting Lessons
- Extensions
- Assessment Ideas
- Literature Connections
- Related
TEKS - Additional Resources
Supporting Lessons
Choose an Insect: University of Kentucky Department of Entomology (website) - Each student selects an insect to study, conduct research to learn about that insect, write a report explaining key fact about the insect, and present his or her findings to the class.
Choose an Insect
University of Kentucky Department of Entomology, www.uky.edu
Elaboration Lessons and Extensions
Butterflies in Space: BioEd Online (website) - Create classroom habitats for painted lady butterflies and observe their life cycle. Do real science in your classroom by asking questions about butterfly behavior and comparing the behaviors of your ground-based butterflies to those of the “butterflynauts” that flew on the International Space Station.
Assessment Ideas
Have students select an insect one species that undergoes complete metamorphosis and a second species that undergoes incomplete metamorphosis. Instruct them to create a four-column table, and to fill it in as follows. Column 1: list the stages of complete metamorphosis. Column 2: add sketches showing those stages. Column 3: list the stages of incomplete metamorphosis. Column 4: add sketches of those stages.
Literature Connections
Are you a Grasshopper? Allen, Judy (ISBN-13: 978-0753458068)
Insect Metamorphosis: From Egg to Adult. Goor, Nancy and Ron (ISBN-13: 978-0689314452)
Metamorphosis: Changing Bodies. Kalman, Bobbie (ISBN-13: 978-0778777137)
Metamorphosis: Nature's Magical Transformations. Silverstein, Alvin (ISBN-13: 978-0486423968)
Metamorphosis. Llamas Ruiz, Andres (ISBN-13: 978-0806993256)
Insects. DK Publishing (ISBN-13: 978-0789495945)
Additional Resources
Monarch Watch: Kansas Biological Survey (website) - Mulitple resources on raising and observing Monarch butterflies.
Monarch Watch
Kansas Biological Survey, www.monarchwatch.org
Metamorphosis: NeoK12 (website) - Teacher-vetted videos showing examples of complete and incomplete metamorphosis.
Metamorphosis
NeoK12, www.neok12.com
General Facts about Insects and Bugs: Scholastic (website) - Zoo biologists provide answers to common questions about insects and bugs. Great resource for piquing student interest and prompting discussion.
Entomology for Kids and Teachers: University of Kentucky (website) - Online educator source for insect-related information, resources and activities appropriate for students at many levels. Available in Spanish.
Entomology for Kids and Teachers
University of Kentucky, www.ca.uky.edu
Butterflies: Florida Museum of Natural History (PDF) - Detailed Guide with information focusing on butterflies.
Butterflies and Moths
Florida Museum of Natural History, www.flmnh.ufl.edu
TEKS Navigation
Grade 5
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