Lesson 3.2: Adaptations and Traits

NGSS:

Objective:

Students will be able to identify how Milkweed Bugs and other species adapt to their specific habitat.

Materials

Per Student:

• "How Did _____ Adapt to Its Environment?" worksheet*.
• Colored pencils/ markers

*Already included in the Milkweed Bug Packet.

Procedure

1. Fill a couple large cups with tap water and a few large cups with sunflower seeds. Set aside to be used by the students when they need to fill up their food and water cups.
2. Pull up the slides.

Introduction:

5-10 Minutes: "If I Were a Milkweed Bug" Game

1. Open up the slides and teach students the 3 motions for mouthpieces, wings, and coloring. These motions are shown in the slides and below. They will use these motions to answer the questions on the following slides. 

Optional: Ask students to think up their own hand motion for the "mouthpart" since the one shown doesn't represent a piercing and sucking, but rather a chewing mouthpart.

2. Go through each question, stopping after students respond to discuss the answers as a class.

• Show the short video on adaptations . This is linked in the slides as well as below:

Explanation:

2 Minutes: Give Directions for the Activity

1. Explain that students will pick their own animal or insect
2. Explain that the students will draw the animal or insect in its environment.
3. The students will then use their knowledge about adaptations and share how their animal or insect adapted to its environment by writing in the space provided on their worksheet in their journal.

Activity:

5-10 Minutes: "How did ___________ adapt to its environment?" Worksheet

1. Choose an animal/insect
2. Write how it has adapted to its environment and why
3. Draw it in its environment

Closing:

10 Minutes: Cleaning and Care/Observations and Drawings

1. Pass out role tags to each table group and pull up the last slide on this section.
2. Have the "Supplier" from each table group grab their containers from the insulated coolers and bring them carefully to their table.
3. Have students carefully change and remove the plastic portion cups from the containers.
4. Have the "Waterer" and "Feeder" change the water and sunflower seeds.
5. Remind the "Escape Watch" students to use the paintbrushes to keep the insect in their containers.
6. Have students place the clean food and water cups back into the containers.
7. Give students about 5 minutes to write their observations. Encourage them to work with their table group to fill out this section.
8. Once students have completed their observations, ask them to clean up their space and have their "Supplier" return trays to the coolers according to labeled temperature.