Subject(s):
What subject area are you
teaching?
Content Standards:
What content standards
does this lesson address?
Objectives:
What are the specific
learning objectives you
want students to be able to
do or learn?
“At the end of the lesson
students will be able to…”
Technology Standards:
What technology Standards
are you incorporating?
Materials:
List of resources, articles or
manipulatives you need.
This helps you organize
everything prior to the
lesson.
Life Sciences - “Invent an Insect”
https://www.calacademy.org/educators/lesson-plans/invent-an-insect
3-LS2-1. Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members
survive.
3-LS4-3. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some
organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.
3-LS4-4. Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the
environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.*
3-LS3-2. Use evidence to support the explanation that traits can be influenced by the
environment.
3-LS4-2. Use evidence to construct an explanation for how the variations in
characteristics among individuals of the same species may provide advantages in
surviving, finding mates, and reproducing.
Students will be able to…
-recognize what makes an insect by identifying the common structures and characteristics
of insects
-Explore examples of insect adaptations and infer how they fit the insect’s habitat or
lifestyle
-Work collaboratively to create their own insect that lives within a given habitat
-Create a Google Slide presentation of their insect and the habitat
-Present their Google Slide presentation to the class
Multimedia & Presentation Tools
W6: Create, Edit, and format text on a slide
W6: Create a series of slides and organize them to present research or convey an idea
W 6, SL 5: Copy and paste or import graphics; change their size and position on a slide
W 6, W 10, SL 3: Create projects that use text and various forms of graphics, audio, and
video to communicate ideas
-Invent an insect worksheet
https://www.calacademy.org/sites/default/files/assets/docs/pdf/237_inventaninsectsheet_r
edesign.pdf
-Insect Diagram Worksheet
https://www.calacademy.org/sites/default/files/assets/docs/pdf/237_insectdiagram_refres
h.pdf
-Set of Habitat Cards
https://www.calacademy.org/sites/default/files/assets/docs/pdf/237_insecthabitatcards_re
fresh.pdf
-Arthropods Handout (optional)
https://www.calacademy.org/sites/default/files/assets/docs/pdf/237_insectsarthropods_ref
resh.pdf
-Pencils/ erasers
-Colored pencils/ paper
-Anchor chart of key terms
-Computers (when making the Google Slide Presentation)
-Rubric/ Instructions
Introduction:
How will you introduce the
content or engage students
in inquiry?
How will you engage
students in the lesson?
● What is an insect? I will discuss as my class what makes an insect. I will go over the
anchor chart with key definitions I will use the PDF Arthropods (in a Google Slides
presentation) to show different arthropods, including insects, as examples or to help
students distinguish between insects and arthropods.
● I will pass out one Insect Anatomy Pass and one Insect Diagram handout for each
student. I will have students work in pairs to try to fill out the sheets first, then have a
class discussion about what each part is and what they think it does.

● I will introduce the adaptation essential question: “How can there be so many
similarities among living things, yet so many different species of plants and
animals?” As a class, we will discuss and define the term “adaptation,” again
referring to the anchor chart and Google Slide presentation on arthropods.

Taken from https://www.calacademy.org/educators/lesson-plans/invent-an-insect

Activity: DAY ONE:

What will students be
doing? I will divide my class into small work groups of four students each and provide each
group with an Insect Habitat Card and a set of art supplies. Each student will need an
How will the technology be Invent an Insect worksheet.
incorporated into the
lesson?
Then I will present the rules of the activity:
How do you think the
technology enhances the -Invented insects must be suited for the habitat described on your group’s Insect Habitat
lesson or transforms the Card and must eat at least one of the food sources listed.
lesson? Why?
-Invented insects should be grounded in reality (insects can’t make jet packs to fly
around) and have the same body parts as real insects.

-Have fun and be creative!

-Don’t forget to give your insect a name.

Taken from https://www.calacademy.org/educators/lesson-plans/invent-an-insect

DAY TWO

Students will gather in their groups and create a Google Slide Presentation to showcase
their insect. It must include the following slides:
-Title slide with the insect name, a picture of the insect, and the group members
names
-An introduction slide explaining the difference between insects and arthropods
-A slide that describes the habitat (based on the Insect Habitat Card)
-A slide showing the image of the insect showing the three distinct body parts
(labeled) - the head, thorax, and abdomen
-Two slides explaining how your group came up with that insect (i.e. how did you
choose the body parts, and its characteristics)

(Technology enhances this lesson by creating an interdisciplinary platform in which a

basic science lesson can be modified to incorporate the technology standards. By
incorporating the Google Slides activity, students are getting experience with Google
Slides as a medium for expressing their knowledge, and they are embracing collaboration
 and compromise through that process. Finally, the technology component allows students
to present their creation that otherwise would have just been submitted as an assignment.
Students get to show of their innovation and creativity to the rest of the class. )

DAY THREE:

Students will get 15 minutes to practice presenting their Google Slideshows as a group
(i.e. who presents what). Then the students will get up in front of the class and present
their insect.

Wrap-Up:
How will you wrap-up the
lesson and summarize
student learning and major
student takeaways?
1. As a class discuss how each groups’ insect was similar and different. Did any two
have similar adaptations? Did any two have similar habitats, but different
adaptations?
2. Reflect and try to answer the essential question: “How can there be so many
similarities among living things, yet so many different species of plants and
animals?”

Taken from https://www.calacademy.org/educators/lesson-plans/invent-an-insect