It's a Buggy Bug World

Standards met in this lesson:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.1 Ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.6 Distinguish between information provided by pictures or other illustrations and information provided by the words in a text.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.7 Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question.
GLE.0107.4.1 Observe and illustrate the life cycle of animals.


Essential Questions: What is an insects? How can I know if an animal is an insect?

Building Background: The teacher displays a K-W-L chart that is made in the shape of a ant. Teacher has different pictures of insects displayed on the board (grasshopper, ant, ladybug, etc). The teacher asked the students what they already know about insects. Teacher records each students on post-it notes. Teacher also asks the students what do they want to learn during this lesson about insects. The teacher records the students questions on the chart.

The teacher instructs the students look closely at the images, and ask them to describe what they see. The teacher will use the photo of an ant and will point to the antennae and ask: Who knows what these are called? (Antennae) The teacher will pass out antennae headbands (made from sentence strips and pipe cleaners). The teacher will ask: What would you use them for? What do you think a ant uses them for? Allow students to pair share. The teacher will explain that another name for antennae is called a feeler. Ants use their antennae to feel and to smell.

Students continue to make observations by using the photo of the ant. Teacher will ask: What are the antennae attached to? How many body parts do you see? Teacher will label the body parts with the students (head, thorax, and abdomen).


The teacher puts the students in groups and assign students group roles- technology leader, recorder, and presenter. Teacher will explain to students that their groups will be using computers to research insects. The students will be using Discovery Education Board Builder to watch video clips about insects. The students will record their observations on a recording sheets. Student groups will create a poster with their findings and present their posters to their peers.