Susan Hart

INCEDIBLE World of Insects!

Insects Unit, Lesson 8 Friend or Foe?

Unit essential questions:

What is an insect?
Why are insects important? (student thoughts on insects yuck, cool, scary, afraid of, harmful, etc.; Do
students feel we could live without them? What if there were no insects?)
Lesson question:
How are insect harmful and helpful to people?
Why are insects the largest group of animals on Earth? (insects can live in any
biome except the ocean)
Standards:
Common Core Standards:
ELA Grade 2:
o RI.2.2 (Reading for Information):
Identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph text as well as the
focus on specific content within the text.
o RL.2.3 (Reading Literacy):
Describe how characters in a story respond to major events and
challenges.
o W.2.2 (Writing):
Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author
wants to answer, explain or describe.
o L.2.5a (Listening):
Identify real-life connections with words and their use
Lesson objective:
Students will be able to identify insects as the largest group of animals on Earth by
identifying habitats everywhere but in the ocean

Identify ways in which insects can be helpful and harmful to people by giving
reasons or facts from read aloud that support characteristics of helpful and harmful
insects.

Assessment:
Oral responses during group discussions
Using details and facts from read-aloud to present information about insects and
why they are helpful and/or harmful to people.
Student work identifying insect habitats

Other Assessments:
Last lesson in unit, students can complete on-line quiz:
https://www.teachervision.com/zoology/insects/insects-dont-bug-me/74295.html - 9
questions covering content learned in unit.
http://kids.discovery.com/quizzes/bug-quiz - covering enriched content that can
extend learning.
Opening:
Students will be seated at the rug area. Read aloud will be introduced:
o What have we already learned (discuss prior lessons).
o Ask students what they think the title of our read aloud, Friend or Foe
might mean and to make predictions about the read-aloud (review the
meaning of foe, giving synonym enemy).
o Discuss the purpose for learning is to listen find out what insects do that may
be harmful and helpful to people; and what people do to harm insects.
o Review Core Vocabulary on the Interactive White Board (IWB): entomologist,
extinction, foe, pesticides, pollinators.
Presenting Read-Aloud:
Students will be separated into two groups. A smaller group will work with the
integrated co-teacher.
Both groups will listen to read-aloud and view image cards on insects. The Story is
an informational text giving students insight on what body parts/characteristics
make an insect.
During the read-aloud, students will be asked a series of text-based, inferential,
and comprehension questions.
Discussing Read-Aloud:
Students will be asked comprehension questions (evaluative, inferential, and
literal) during and after read-aloud, including:
What is a host animal?
What products are given to us by insects?
Who is the narrator of the story? What is an entomologist?
How are people foes to insects? How are insects foes to people?

THINK- PAIR- SHARE: Students will think about ways that insects are harmful and
helpful to people. Students will be asked to think about the question, Are insects
more harmful or more helpful to people? Students will need to explain reasoning.
Students will turn to neighbor and share ideas. Instructor will call on several
students to share partner responses at time permits.

WORD-WORK: Review vocabulary word foe and its antonym friend.

Learning Extensions/Student Application:

Students will be reminded, We discussed how insects are helpful and harmful to
people, and how people are harmful to insects.
o Students will write facts and details from classroom discussion and readaloud that support why insects are helpful and harmful to people. (number of
and relevant details/facts given will be used to assess if students have
reached the objective).

Students will locate animal homes/habitats (either by matching the insect to its
home, or locating region insect can be found on earth).

On-going extension: area work, or after assigned work is completed, students may:
o Draw an illustration of an insect of their choice, along with a caption that
tells interesting facts about it. The illustrations will be on display as part of
our insect gallery/class book.
o Choose a book to read from our insect library. Share information learned
(students have choice to share information by written or oral format).
o Computer stations (students have a designated day when they are able to
use computer stations)
Insect Research
** Learn about Insect Habitats, interactive video**
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/fun-games/insectworld
http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/animals/insects - students can click
on picture of arthropod to locate continent/habitat where it can
be found.
http://archive.fossweb.com/modulesK2/Insects/activities/insecthunt.html - students locate bugs in a
pond or on land and determine if they are insects or not.
Other videos for may do/area work:
http://kids.discovery.com/tell-me/animals/bug-world
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/word-games/paintit/insects (students that need extra support, identify insects
discussed in class, directions given orally)
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/word-games/orderthe-sentences/life-cycle-butterfly

Closure:
THINK- PAIR- SHARE: Students will think about ways that insects are harmful and
helpful to people. Students will be asked to think about the question, Are insects
more harmful or more helpful to people? Students will need to explain reasoning.
Students will turn to neighbor and share ideas. Instructor will call on several
students to share partner responses at time permits.
Tiered by: Challenge some need more time to work on a skill, while others need more
advanced work.
Tier 1: Students who are struggling with content and are unable to obtain content
materials independently will complete the following activities:

Students will work in small group with teacher led activity: Using the IWB, the
educator will draw and label an Insect T chart labeled Helpful and Harmful.
With guidance, students will work together to write facts and details from the readaloud that support how insects are helpful and harmful and categorize them
accordingly. (number of and relevant details/facts given will be used to assess if
students have reached the objective).
Students will complete worksheet matching an insect to their type of home.
Group will discuss that insects are the largest group of animals on earth and where
they can be located. Students may have the opportunity to use the computer
stations: http://archive.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/Insects/activities/insecthunt.html students locate bugs in a pond or on land and determine if they are insects or not.

Tier 2: Students need reinforcement of content, obtaining goals/objectives of the

lesson/unit will be completing the following activities:
Students will be given an Insect T chart labeled Helpful and Harmful. Students
will write facts and details from the read-aloud that support how insects are helpful
and harmful and categorize them accordingly. (number of and relevant
details/facts given will be used to assess if students have reached the objective).
Students will work alongside a partner to view
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/fun-games/insect-world
Students will work together through this interactive video.
Tier 3: Students who have demonstrated mastery of content and may benefit from a
more challenging activity will be completing the following activities:
Students will choose an opinion are insects more helpful or more harmful to
people. Students will give facts and details from the read-aloud that support their
opinion (number of and relevant details/facts given will be used to assess if
students have reached the objective).
Students will work independently or with a partner to view
http://learnenglishkids.britishcouncil.org/en/fun-games/insect-world
Students will work together through this interactive video. Students will use a map
of the world to identify and label locations where certain insects can be located.
Materials:
Insects Teacher Guide
IWB
Flipchart with vocabulary words, images
Computer Stations, Insect Websites on Favorites/Bookmark toolbar for easy access
Trade-books for resources areas/may do activities
Insect T chart worksheet