National Science Standards:

Content Standard A: Science As Inquiry
Content Standard C: Life Science - The characteristics of organisms; Organisms and environments

These activities demonstrate characteristics of insects and their life cycles.

*NOTE: Activities increase in diffulculty. Educators/Parents may want to work through all activities or choose those most appropriate for their students/children.

Activity One - Plants and Animals

animal and plant pictures should be placed on walls in room; sheets of paper; markers or crayons

1. Discuss the similarities and differences between animals and plants. Students may need to look at the pictures in the room.
2. List the similarities and differences stated by the students onto a blackboard or large piece of paper posted on a wall.
3. Tell students that they will become scientists today. They will go on a “nature walk” and become scientists as they observe outdoors.
4. Pass out sheets of paper. Students should fold the paper in half.
5. Students need to select one marker or crayon to take with them.
6. Students will draw pictures of animals they see on one side of the paper’s fold.
7. Students will draw pictures of plants they see on the other side of the paper’s fold.
8. Stress that the picture does not need to be of the correct color for the animals or plants they see during their time outdoors.
9. Conduct the “nature walk” and assist students, as needed.
10. When finished, discuss the animals and plants seen by students. Did some students observe an animal or plant that other students did not see?

Extension Activity

Allow students to imagine they find a plant never seen before. They will draw and name this plant. They will describe any special characteristics of this plant.

Activity Two - Growing Plants

4 potted plants (all same kind and size); water; areas/rooms with and without light

1. Make sure your four plants are all healthy.
2. These four plants should be the same kind of plant and the same size.
3. Plant ONE is placed where there is no light (a place like a closet).
4. Plants TWO, THREE, and FOUR are placed where there is plenty of light.
5. Plants ONE and TWO receive exactly the same amount of water. They should be watered each day. Make sure you do not overwater these plants.
6. Plant THREE receives water only when the soil begins to dry out every few days.
7. Plant FOUR receives NO water.
8. Compare the growth of all plants. Record your results. Drawings can be included with your words.
9. Discuss what is needed to keep a plant healthy and growing well.

Extension Activity

Compare room light with sunlight. Can plants grow as well in room light as compared to sunlight?

Activity Three - Healthy Plants

(per student or team of students) seeds, soil, containers and pots (for growing plants), lightbulbs (clear and colored), paper towels, water, other liquids (to be determined by students)

1. Discuss needs required by plants so that they grow well and stay healthy.
2. Allow students to predict what will happen to a plant that does not receive these requirements.
3. Direct students to predict what would happen if the plants that are growing receive colored light rather than regular “white” light or sunlight.
4. What would happen if the seeds and plants received apple juice instead of water?
5. What if the seeds were placed in a wet paper towel rather than in soil?
6. Allow students to determine which of these suggestions they will use with growing their plants. They may also suggest other methods.
7. Students will create pots with the listed materials.
8. Students will observe the growth of their seeds and plants for several days to several weeks. They will record and discuss the results.

EXTENSION ACTIVITY
Students should determine of there is a way to limit or increase the amount of air their plants can receive. They can set up these environments and observe the plants’ growth.