Grow Up Great
Note: Punch small holes in the lids of the containers, and add some lettuce to give the animals air and keep them active. Before the lesson, draw a diagram of an insect, including three body parts (head, thorax, and abdomen), six legs, two antennae, and one or more pair of eyes. Put this aside until Step 2.
Insects are identified by having three body parts (head, thorax, and abdomen), two antennae, and six jointed legs. Most adult insects have wings. Flies have two wings, but all other insects with wings have four. All of the wings and legs are attached to the central body part called the thorax. The thorax is between the head and the abdomen. All insects have no bones. Instead, they have a hard covering on the outside of their bodies called an exoskeleton.
Insects have been on the earth for over 350 million years. Insects are part of a larger group of animals known as arthropods. Arthropods are the largest animal group on the earth. Arthropods are animals with segmented bodies, six or more jointed legs, and a hard outer shell called an exoskeleton. The exoskeleton is the framework that protects their body parts, and it is on the outside of an arthropod’s body.
Insects are identified by having three body parts (head, thorax, and abdomen), two antennae, and six jointed legs. Most adult insects have wings. Flies have two wings, but all other insects with wings have four. All of the wings and legs are attached to the central body part called the thorax. The thorax is between the head and the abdomen. All insects have no bones. Instead, they have a hard covering on the outside of their bodies called an exoskeleton.
These lessons are aligned with the Common Core State Standards ("CCSS"). The CCSS provide a consistent, clear understanding of the concepts and skills children are expected to learn and guide teachers to provide their students with opportunities to gain these important skills and foundational knowledge.[2]
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There are currently no Common Core Standards for pre-k, but these lessons are aligned as closely as possible to capture the requirements and meet the goals of Common Core Standards. However, these lessons were neither reviewed or approved by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices or the Council of Chief State School Officers, which together are the owners and developers of the Common Core State Standards.
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