Understanding by Design Template
Overview and
Background
|
|
Title
|
Mealworms
(Life cycle) |
Grade Level
|
4 |
|
Topics |
Life
cycle of mealworms |
|
Start Date |
September |
|
Timeframe |
6-8
weeks |
|
Summary |
Students
observe and record information about the life cycle and environment of
mealworms. |
|
Designers |
Wendy
Wiens, |
|
Print Materials Needed |
Foss
Science Stories, Structures of Life, pgs. 17-21 |
|
Internet Links |
Life
cycle of the mealworm http://www.corona.bell.k12.ca.us/student/eddy/mealworm.html http://ipmwww.ncsu.edu/AG369/notes/lesser_mealworm.html Darkling
beetle http://www.ext.vt.edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/darkling.html http://www.nhm.ac.uk/entomology/insident/mealworm.html http://pmo.umext.maine.edu/factsht/lessmeal.htm http://www.zoo.org/educate/fact_sheets/darkling/darkling.htm Mealworm
& beetle http://insected.arizona.edu/mealinfo.htm http://insected.arizona.edu/mealrear.htm http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2093.html http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2172.html Photograph
of darkling beetle http://www.mindbird.com/darkling_beetle.htm Mealworm
& bird http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/mealworm.htm Crayfish http://search.worldbookonline.com/wbol/wbSearch/na/se/co?st1=crayfish Life
cycle of a crayfish Photographs
of crayfish http://koura.co.nz/library.html |
Stage 1
|
|
|
Standards Area & Number |
Standard
3 (Life Science) Benchmarks
1, 2 |
|
Standards
text |
Content Standards(s) Life Science standard 3: Benchmark 1: All students
will develop a knowledge of organisms in their
environment. Benchmark 2: Students will observe and illustrate
the life cycles of various organisms. |
|
Understandings |
Students
will understand that… ·
Each creature has a range of environmental
conditions in which it can survive and thrive. ·
A complete life cycle allows animals to live,
reproduce a new generation and die. Different animals go through different
stages in a life cycle. |
|
Essential Questions |
·
What environmental
conditions does a mealworm prefer in its chosen environment? ·
How does the
mealworm change in appearance and size as it grows from one stage to another
in its life cycle? ·
Compare and Contrast
the environment and life cycle of a crayfish to that of a mealworm. |
|
Knowledge |
Students will know: ·
The scientific classification of a Mealworm. (Invertebrate, ringed worms,
mealworm) ·
The structural characteristics of the mealworm
(head, thorax, abdomen) ·
The basic needs of mealworm (air, food, water,
space) ·
The life cycle of a mealworm (egg, larvae,
pupa, adult, death) ·
The difference between the environments and
life cycles of a crayfish and a mealworm |
|
Skills |
Students will be able to: ·
Explain the classification of a mealworm. ·
Observe and illustrate the structural
characteristics of the mealworm. ·
Investigate, collect, analyze and draw
conclusions on data on the basic needs of a mealworm. ·
Observe, record and
explain the life cycle of a mealworm and a crayfish. ·
Compare and contrast data from an arthropod
(crayfish) to a ringed worm (mealworm |
Stage 2: Performance Task
|
|
|
Assessment Summary |
|
|
Student Directions |
You
are a scientist writing an article in the Ranger Rick magazine for fourth
grade students studying invertebrates. Your assignment is to organize and
write an informative article using accurate data collected from the
investigations you have done. Your article must include the following
information: ·
What environmental conditions does a mealworm
prefer in its chosen environment? ·
How does the mealworm change in appearance and
size as it grows from one stage to another in its life cycle? ·
Compare and Contrast the environment and life
cycle of a crayfish to that of a mealworm. Your article must also include one Excel graph using the
data collected during one of your investigations on the preferred environment
of a mealworm. Make sure you explain the graph. You are required to include
one graphic of your choice. |
|
Rubric (table in Word) |
|
|
Other Evidence Tests, Quizzes, Observations,
Journals, |
|
Stage 3
Learning Activities
|
|
What sequence
of teaching and learning experiences will be used?
|
|
1. Hook
|
Part
1 - Allow students time to share about various life cycles of pets or
wildlife they have observed. Refer to
lifecycle of a butterfly using information from UBD Life Cycle unit
from Meg Rice (Cheney first grade) Part
2 – (Inquiry – based) – ·
Students look through Life Cycle books (From
Tadpole to Frog and From Caterpillar to Moth). With their partner,
each group chooses one of those books. ·
Partners list facts of their choice from
selected book. Only requirement is that they must include life cycle.
Students may put facts on notebook paper, word document, or notebook cards. ·
Students then put facts in categories of their
choice using Inspiration. (Teacher may show students how to use both Web and
Outline form). ·
Students scan picture of animal from and write
their own caption to go with picture. ·
Students create poster from Inspiration
document and picture/caption. Part
3 – (Inquiry-based graphic organizer) – Students design table to list
information from selected animal. As other animals are studied, their
information will be added to the graphic organizer. |
|
2. Overview and expectation |
Students observe live mealworm
specimen and record its life cycle and environment.
|
|
3. Teaching Activities, Assessments &
Rethinking opportunities in order |
Investigation
#1 Light vs. Dark – students place the mealworm between light and dark surfaces. They record how many times out 10 trials
the mealworm goes to each side. Then they tally ten other students’ results.
Based on that information, students conclude whether mealworms prefer light
or dark environments. Technology
connection 1: Students make an Excel
document based on the information recorded. They write a summary and
conclusion statement. Technology
connection 2: Students begin creating PowerPoint presentation about the
lifecycle of the mealworm. This PowerPoint will include: ·
Experiment information and graphs from class
experiments ·
Mini camera pictures and written observation
of the mealworm’s life cycle stages |
|
4. |
Investigation
#2 Heat vs. Cold– students place the mealworm between warm and cold
surfaces. They record how many times
out 10 trials the mealworm goes to each side. Then they tally ten other
students’ results. Based on that information, students conclude whether
mealworms prefer warm or cold environments. Technology
connection 1: Students make an Excel
document based on the information recorded. They write a summary and
conclusion statement. Technology
connection 2: Students add experiment data to PowerPoint presentation. See #3
Technology connection #2. |
|
5. |
Investigation
#3 Dry vs. Wet– students place the mealworm between dry and wet
surfaces. They record how many times
out 10 trials the mealworm goes to each side. Then they tally ten other
students’ results. Based on that information, students conclude whether mealworms
prefer dry or wet environments. Technology
connection 1: Students make an Excel
document based on the information recorded. They write a summary and
conclusion statement. Technology
connection 2: Students add experiment data to PowerPoint presentation. See #3
Technology connection #2. |
|
6. |
Investigation
#4 Food Preferences– students place the mealworm between two different food
choices. They record how many times
out 10 trials the mealworm goes to each side. Then they tally ten other
students’ results. Based on that information, students conclude mealworms’
food preferences.. Technology
connection 1: Students make an Excel
document based on the information recorded. They write a summary and
conclusion statement. Technology
connection 2: Students add experiment data to PowerPoint presentation. See #3
Technology connection #2. |
|
7. |
Observations
of four stages of life cycle – students draw and record observations about
the mealworm twice a week. Technology
connection: in addition to drawing, pairs of students will take a picture
using the mini cam once a week to document changes in the mealworms. These
pictures will be labeled with the date and observations about the mealworm. |
|
8. |
Compare
mealworm data to crayfish article. Foss Science Stories, Structures of
Life, pgs. 17 -21. Write short compare/contrast paragraph. |
|
9. |
Students share PowerPoint
presentations.
|
|
10. |
Performance task – Students
write Ranger Rick article by using collected information.
|