Insects: Their Parts, Homes and Behaviors
SECOND GRADE NEWS LETTER

Dear Parents or Guardians,

We are beginning a very exciting unit in Science! As part of the second grade curriculum about animals we will study insects. We will have live animals in the classroom. We will be keeping house crickets much like those found in the Orient. We will also have an ant farm so that we may see ants up close.

Students will observe, provide care for, and conduct simple food experiments with these animals in order to learn about the animals' feeding habits, structures, needs, behaviors, social structure, and growth pattern. This knowledge will be applied to other animals later in the year. Learning about animals by having living ones to observe is much more interesting than simply reading about them in books!

The cricket eats anything that humans eat; therefore, we are asking that small amounts (one or two tablespoons) of one or two nonperishable foods, such as cereal, dog biscuits, or raisins, be brought to school. We will experiment to see which foods the crickets prefer.

The cricket also needs hiding places. Your child might decide to provide natural items (pine cones, dry leaves, or rocks) or scrap items from home (cardboard tubes, egg cartons, or small box) for hiding places.

As a culminating activity, we will be visiting the O. Orkin Insect Zoo at the National Museum of Natural History. We will be sending home field trip forms soon. Please consider sharing the activity with our class as a chaperone.

As you may know from your children, we are eagerly anticipating arrival of our cricket pets. More information will follow as all continue to study and enjoy this science unit.

Sincerely,




Some of this newsletter was reproduced from a letter that Fairfax County included in the second grade Cricket Unit for teachers to use.
















Insect Worksheet

I. Everyone does this part. Find the display where it shows parts of the insects. Label the parts of this insect. Tell why each part is important.

(Drawing of a large ant)

Antennae:
Thorax:
Head:
Exoskeleton:
Abdomen:

II. Draw an insect you have seen today that we never talked about in class. Label its parts.








III. Write down 5 new words you learned today. Make sure you write what each one means.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

IV. Tell me about your favorite parts of the insect zoo.























Now do your group's section.
YELLOW ENTOMOLOGISTS

Find the house display. Where can you find these insects?

Silver Fish
Fleas
Carpenter Ants
Firefly
German Cockroach
Flour Beetle

Look at the house display again and name 2 more insects and where they live.
1.
2.

II. Draw the homes of:
African Mound Termites-








Leaf Cutter Ants-









III. Find 2 other insect homes. Draw them and tell me what insects live there.











RED ENTOMOLOGISTS

Social Insects

I. Name 3 social insects you've seen at the insect zoo. Tell me 3 different jobs done in each colony.

1. Name of insect colony:
a. 3 jobs:


2. Name of insect colony:
a. 3 jobs:


3. Name of insect colony:
a. 3 jobs:




































If you finish early, start working on another entomologist section. BLUE ENTOMOLOGISTS

Special Insect Parts

I. Find the display about special mouth parts. Draw in the special mouth parts of each insect. Name an insect with each special part.

Insects:

(draw the parts)

Multiple mouth parts:



Tubes:



Scrapers and Sponges:





II. Now tell me what each part does.



























If you finish early, start working on another entomologist section.
GREEN ENTOMOLOGISTS

Products from Insects

I. Find the display which shows products from insects. Name the insect that give us:

Silk:

Pollination:

Honey:

Genetics:

Name 2 other insects and what they give us.
1.
2.

Now draw the insects:


































If you finish early, start working on another entomologist section.

Return to Lesson Plan