Insects!

It's finally springtime and we have begun our foray into insects.  Our unit will encompass the last seven weeks of school.  2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders are in the process of researching arthropods - insects, arachnids, myriapods, and crustaceans. In doing so, each student will pick one favorite species on which to complete a full research report.  We began by finding out what we already know about this diverse group of invertebrates and listing some questions that we are interested in exploring further.

Here is a short excerpt from our recent discussion:

I'm curious about stink bugs, ticks, wasps, queen bees, ants, crickets, black widow spiders, dust mites, and springtails.

How do arachnids make their products (silk, venom, toxins, etc)?

I'm curious about how butterfly colors and spots are made.

I want to learn about how bugs [know how to] camouflage themselves.

How do arthropods eat?

Why do [honey] bees die after they sting?

I want to learn about the purpose of colonies. [How do eusocial societies work?]

What are all the jobs that insects have in colonies?

Process of building [insect] nests.