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Incomplete Metamorphosis

Supporting

Incomplete Metamorphosis

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.

About Bug Life Cycles
Bug Life Cycles, www.buglifecycle.com

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.

Life Cycles
Iowa State University, www.ent.iastate.edu

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.

Butterflies in Space
BioEd Online, www.bioedonline.org

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)

Related Science TEKS

(5.10A) Adaptations in Plants and Animals
The student is expected to compare the structures and functions of different species that help them live and survive such as hooves on prairie animals or webbed feet in aquatic animals.

(5.10B) Inherited Traits and Learned Behaviors
The student is expected to differentiate between inherited traits of plants and animals such as spines on a cactus or shape of a beak and learned behaviors such as an animal learning tricks or a child riding a bicycle.

Related Math TEKS

5.14A  The student is expected to identify the mathematics in everyday situations.

5.14B   The student is expected to solve problems that incorporate understanding the problem, making a plan, carrying out the plan, and evaluating the solution for reasonableness.

5.14C   The student is expected to elect or develop an appropriate problem-solving plan or strategy, including drawing a picture, looking for a pattern, systematic guessing and checking, acting it out, making a table, working a simpler problem, or working backwards to solve a problem.

5.14D  The student is expected to use tools such as real objects, manipulatives, and technology to solve problems.

5.15A  The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

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

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