Insects Don’t Bug Us! Second Grade Team: Kathy Barnes, Jeanne Berry, Mara Braverman, David Felberbaum, Stacey Gitelman, Rachel Pilla

To what degree do students in the Hastings-On-Hudson School District demonstrate that they are engaged in their learning? A sample integrated unit on Insects

Unit Components Science Reading and writing Speaking and Listening STEAM Social Studies Movement Music

Build a Mealworm Habitat Students will construct a suitable habitat that provides food, liquid, oxygen, shelter and adequate space for the insects to thrive. Materials: jar with hole in lid bran potato or apple

Life Cycle of an Insect Students will apply prior knowledge from a non-fiction study based upon life cycles from earlier in the year. Students will observe, describe, and record in words and pictures.

Leveled Books on Insects

Guided Reading Leveled books and reading groups based on student ability Apply standards for informational texts Apply standards for expository writing

Research Use leveled books and other sources to gather information about an insect of the students’ choosing. Organization of search criteria, which includes their individual interests Note-taking - differentiated based on ability and need

My Insect’s Appearance! One example of a graphic organizer My Insect Report By: _________________________________ Here is a picture of my insect: The insect I’ve chosen is… ____________________________________ My insect can be found… My Insect’s Appearance! Size: __________________________ Color: _______________________ Number of Legs: _____________ Wings: _________________________ My insect protects itself by: _____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________ My insect eats…____________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ My insect lives about this long: _____________________________________________ Interesting facts about my insect! 1. __________________________________________________________________________________ 2. __________________________________________________________________________________ 3. __________________________________________________________________________________ 4. __________________________________________________________________________________ One example of a graphic organizer

Presentation of Research Many modalities and media used based on student choice Written report Informational poster PowerPoint Wixie Picture book Oral presentation with model

Example of a Wixie Presentation

STEAM/Assessment Performance –based assessment focused one aspect of learning Student choice and design based upon their creativity

Build An Insect https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1EkLJ4mJ1CpPYa_O1EpFQUInh2n8d5ZNJaz2J1oFmJ1M/edit?usp=sharing

Incredible Insects – essential question Insects comprise over 80% of the world's species! However, many insects have a bad reputation among humans. Because of these “pests,” people often try to get rid of insects. But, in fact, insects are helpful to the environment, and we need them to survive! How can we change the reputation of insects from bad to good? You are going to research an insect and become an expert on the insects life. In your report you are going to include the ways the insect can help the environment.                                                                     

Dung Beetle Race Directions: In the manner of dung beetles, the students must push a rolled up ball of towels with their feet while moving backward. The students are on all fours. They “walk” on their hands and knees backward while pushing the rolled up ball of towels (the dung) with their feet to the opposite side of the gym and then return. When they return, the next student begins.

Leaf-Cutter Ant Race Directions: A large green leaf is prepared ahead of time. One at a time in relay fashion, the students race to the leaf, tear off a piece and carry it back “home” above their heads in the manner in which the leaf-cutter ants carry plant matter back to their burrow. When the student reaches “home,” he/she drops the leaf pieces in a pile as the leaf-cutter ants do for the purpose of growing the fungus on which they feed. Then the next student runs.

Building a Honeycomb Directions: A set of yellow hexagons is set in a place out of sight of the classroom but only a couple of turns away. The teacher communicates wordlessly with gestures to the first student where to find the set of hexagons. The student then goes and tries to find the pile. When he/she finds the pile, he/she brings one hexagon back. Upon returning to the classroom, the student has to communicate wordlessly the location of the hexagons to the next student. The process continues until all students have had a chance to bring back a piece of the honeycomb. All of the hexagons are arranged into a larger honeycomb. This activity seeks to mimic the manner in which honeybees communicate the location of nectar through a dance to other honeybees in the hive.

Insect Song (to the tune of “Head, Shoulder, Knees and Toes”) Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen Six legs and an exoskeleton