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Grade 3: What is the life cycle of a mealworm? (Essential questions: (What…
Grade 3: What is the life cycle of a mealworm?
Essential questions:
What is a mealworm?
What characteristics does it have? Are any similar to another insect?
What does a mealworm need to survive? ( Shelter/habitat, food)
How many stages will a mealworm go through before it becomes an adult?
What will a mealworm morph into?
How can we build a mealworm a habitat in the classroom? What supplies would be the best to use?
How long does a mealworm stay in each of their life cycle stages?
Where would a mealworm sit on the food chain? What are their predators? Can humans be one of their predators?
Experts
Essentially anyone that has studied insects should have some knowledge. For instance, university professors/ researchers, pest control companies, or extension entomologists etc)
Zoo education employee
Pet store employee (Ie: like the employees who run the educational birthday parties)
Alex Pepperdine (She works for the City of Calgary, controlling insect population)
Food bloggers who incorporate mealworms into their diet
YouTubers
Breeders
Could expose children to experts either in person, or online over Skype/videos
Activities
Students draw and label their predictions of how many stages a mealworm will go through, what each stage will look like, and what will it eventually become.
Science: Topic E 3-10, 3-11 (3,4,6)
Students look at different habitat structures (bring in demos that the students can measure/get ideas from), they make blue prints for their own mealworm enclosure. Hypothesizing what materials would be the best suited for their structure
Science: Topic C 3-8, (3). Topic B 3-6, 3-7 (2, 5, 6, 9)
Art: Component 10 (iii) A. Drawing
Math: Shape and Space (3, 5)
Students begin looking at other animal life cycles/needs recording them and looking for similarities or differences.
Science: Topic E 3-10, 3-11 (3, 4, 6)
Art: Component 10 (iii) A. Drawing
ELA: 3.3 Organize, Record and Evaluate
Students observe mealworms over a period of time. Recording any changes (length of mealworms, mass, life stage, activity level etc) using both writing and drawing. Measuring how long each stage took.
Science: Topic E 3-10, 3-11 (2, 10)
Math: Shape and Space (1, 3, 4)
Art: Component 10 (iii) A. Drawing
ELA: 3.3 Organize, Record and Evaluate
Students create their own habitat structures
Science: Topic B 3-6, 3-7 (1,5, 6, 9)
Math: Shape and space (3, 5)
Once the mealworms reach their final stage, and the students have filled out their observation journals complete with diagrams and time tables, have the students create a comic about the life cycle of a mealworm.
Science: Topic E 3-10, 3-11 (6, 10)
Art: Component 10 (i), Purpose 2
ELA: 2.4 Create original text
After a new stage is reached by the mealworm, have students carefully take it out of the habitat to sketch it then create a clay model from their sketches.
Art: Component 10 (iii) A. Drawing, D. Sculpture
Sites
The Bow Habitat Station
Zoo
Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area
Fish Creek park
City of Calgary "one day schools"
Terminology
Science -
Mealworm: the larva stage of a darkling beetle
Observation: the action of observing something carefully in order to gain information.
Hypothesis: A proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation
Egg: An oval or round object containing life
Larva: An insect’s active phase before entering the pupa form
Pupa: an insect in its inactive form between larva and adult. Also known as a chrysalis
Adult: Final growth stage
Metamorphosis: Change from one state to a completely different one
Habitat: The natural home of an animal/organism
Life cycle: A series of changes in the life of an organism
Magnifying glass: a lens that makes what you’re looking at appear larger
Bedding: part of the habitat which is also often a food source (ie: oatmeal).
Math -
Measurement: the size, length, or amount of something
Centimeters: Unit used to describe measurement
Length: Measurement from one end to the other
Width: Measurement from one side to the other
Height: Measurement from the base to the top
Perimeter: The sum of the lengths of all sides
Diameter: Measurement across a round or spherical object
Mass: The weight of an object
Grams: Unit used to describe mass
Art -
Draw/sketch: Making pictures/diagrams
Label: A word to describe a specific thing on your diagram
Detail: Descriptions, thoughtful features.
ELA -
Journal: Record of writing.
Reflection: Serious thought and consideration.
Explanation: Clarification/ justifying.
Solution: The conclusion to a problem
Express: Communicate thoughts or feelings.
Curriculum Links
Science
Topic E:
Animal Life Cycles
Learn about growth and development of animals. By observing the life cycle of one small animal from it's earliest stage to adulthood
3-10: Describe the appearance and life cycles of some common animals, and identify their adaptations to different environments
3-11 Identify requirements for animal care
Specific Learner Expectations
2) Observe and describe the growth and development of at least one living animal, as the animal develops from early to more advance stages.
3) Predict the next stages in the growth and development of at least one animal from each of the following groups: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects; and identify similarities and differences in their developmental sequences
4) Identify the food needs of at least one animal from each of the following groups: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects; and describe changes in how each animal obtains food through different stages of its life
6) Demonstrate awareness that animals require different habitats in order to meet their basic needs of food, water, shelter, and space
10) Demonstrate knowledge of the needs of animals studied, and demonstrate skills for their care
Topic C:
Testing Materials and Designs
Students study the materials and designs used in construction tasks. Throughout the topic, students learn that many things are considered when materials and designs are selected and that different task may require different materials and designs.
3-8: Evaluate the suitability of different materials and designs for their use in a building task
Specific Learner Expectations
3) Describe the distinctive properties of some common solids, such as wood, paper, or plastic, that make them suitable for use as building materials
Topic B:
Building with a variety of materials
Students use a variety of tools and simple techniques to build things for specific purposes.
3-6: Use, safely, a variety of tools, techniques and materials in construction activities
3-7: Construct structures, using a variety of materials and designs, and compare the effectiveness of the various materials and designs for their intended purposes.
Specific Learner Expectations
1) Using a variety of materials and techniques, design, construct and test structures that are intended to: serve as containers, serve as models of particular living things
2) Select appropriate materials for use in construction tasks, and explain the choice of materials. Students should demonstrate familiarity with a variety of materials, such as papers, woods, plastics, clay and metals
5) Identify the intended purpose and use of structures to be built, and explain how knowing the intended purpose and use helps guide decisions regarding materials and design
6) Understand that simple designs are often as effective as more complex ones, as well as being easier and cheaper to build, and illustrate this understanding with a practical example
9) Apply skills of listening, speaking, and cooperative decision making in working with other students on a construction project
ELA
2.4:
Create Original Text
Experiment with ways of generating and organizing ideas prior to creating oral, print and other media texts
Add sufficient detail to oral, print and other media texts to tell about setting and character, and to sustain plot
3.3:
Organize, Record and Evaluate
Organize ideas and information, using a variety of strategies, such as clustering, categorizing and sequencing
Record facts and ideas using a variety of strategies; list titles and authors of sources
List significant ideas and information from oral, print and other media texts
Math
Shape and Space
(Measurement)
Use direct and indirect measurement to solve problems
1) Relate the passage of time to common activities, using nonstandard and standard units (minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years)
Specific Learner Expectations
3) Demonstrate an understanding of measuring length (cm,m) by: Estimating length, using referents. Measuring and recording length, width and height
4) Demonstrate an understanding of measuring mass (g, kg) by: Estimating mass, using referents. Measuring and recording mass
5) Demonstrate an understanding of perimeter of regular and irregular shapes by: Estimating perimeter, using referents for cm or m. Measuring and recording perimeter.
Art
Component 10 (iii)
: Media and Techniques
A. Drawing
Specific Learner Expectations
Place more emphasis on direct observation as a basis for drawing
Make quick sketches
D. Sculpture
Specific Learner Expectations
Continue exploring the modelling possibilities of clay beyond Level One— techniques such as wedging, welding, making of slabs by rolling, throwing, paddling, impressing with objects, decorating with coils, pellets, extruded clay, firing, glazing.
Component 10 (i):
Expression
Purpose 2:
Students will illustrate or tell a story
Specific Learner Expectations
B) An original story can be created visually
C) Material from any subject discipline can be illustrated visually