Insects - Brooklyn Children's Museum

Portable Collections Program
Insects

Table of Contents
Checklist: What’s in the Case? –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 1
Information for the Teacher: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– 4
How to Handle and Look At Museum Objects
An Introduction to Insects
Information About the Specimens in the Case
Activities to Do with Your Students: ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––12
1 Introductory Activity: What I Like About Insects
2 What is an Insect??
3 Build a Bug
4 Insect Lifecycles
5 Do They See What We See?
6 Create an Insect Field Guide
Resources and Reference Materials: –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––20
Vocabulary Words
Connections with New York State Learning Standards
Corresponding Field Trips
Bibliography and Web Resources

■ CHECKLIST: WHAT’S IN THE CASE? ■
What’s in the Case?
Specimens
Individual Insect Specimens
Scarab beetle
Red cotton bug
Cicada
Bamboo weevil
Stink bug
Cricket
INSECTS 1
Soybean beetle
Wasp
Deer horn flower beetle
Long horned beetle Yellow stag beetle Yellow butterfly

■ CHECKLIST: WHAT’S IN THE CASE? ■
What’s in the Case?
Specimens
Insect Family Groups
Common insects:
Grasshopper, termite,
damselfly, squash bug,
cicada, Japanese beetle,
butterfly, flea, fly, and
honey bee
Bee family:
Honey bee, wasp,
hornet, yellow jacket
“True bugs”:
Squash bug, water bug,
water strider,
back swimmer,
harlequin bug, bed bug
Fly family:
Horse fly, robber fly,
blowfly, housefly,
mosquito fly
INSECTS 2
New York area
butterflies:
Monarch, swallowtail,
and red admiral
Termites:
Worker termite,
soldier termite,
winged termite,
signs of termite
destruction

■ CHECKLIST: WHAT’S IN THE CASE? ■
What’s in the Case?
Specimens
Insect Lifecycle Groups
Lubber grasshopper
Squash bug
Housefly
Tools and Resources
Bugs in 3-D by Mark Blum.
Insects & Spiders by George Else
American cockroach
Honeybee
Guests in Your Garden by Michele Davidson
Cabbage butterfly
Incredible Insects (Ranger Rick’s Naturescope Series) by Judy Braus
DVD: “MicroCosmos”
Bug Eye goggles
Magnifying lenses
INSECTS 3
Dragonfly
Colorado potato beetle
Tent caterpillar

■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
Guidelines for
Handling Museum Objects
Learning to handle objects from the Museum’s
natural history collection with respect can be part of
your students’ educational experience of the case.
Please share these guidelines with your class, and
make sure your students follow them in handling
objects in the case:
• Students may handle the objects, carefully,
under your supervision.
• Hold objects with two hands. Hold them by the
solid part of the body or by the strongest area
rather than by rims, edges or protruding parts.
• Do not shake objects or the plexiglass cases they
may be housed in.
• Temperature differences, direct sunlight, and
water can be very harmful to museum objects.
Please keep the objects away from radiators and
open windows, and keep them secure.
INSECTS 4
Notes about Object-Based
Learning and Inquiry
Learning about insects by examining an insect itself
is much different from learning about them by
reading about them in a book.
Objects have the power to fascinate people with
their mere physical presence. Holding a preserved
insect in their hands forms a tangible link between
your students and the natural world. This sense of
physical connection makes it easier for students to
think concretely about the ideas and concepts you
introduce to them in your lessons.
Objects have the power to tell us many things,
provided we are willing to look at them in detail and
think about what those details mean. Encourage your
students to examine the insect specimens carefully,
touch them gently and looking at their physical
design. Have them describe an insect’s shape, size,
and color. Ask them questions about what they see,
and what that might tell them. For example:
• What kind of mouth parts does this insect have?
What do you think it eats?
• What kind of legs and/or wings does the insect
have? How does it move around?
• Is the insect large or small? Is it colorful or drab?
Looking at the insect’s body, can you figure out
what sort of environment it might inhabit?

■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
An Introduction to Insects
What is an insect?
An insect is an animal without a backbone (also
known as an invertebrate). Among invertebrates,
insects belong to a special class of animals known as
arthropods. Arthropods have bendable, jointed legs
and a hard, shell-like skeleton on the outside of their
bodies (called an exoskeleton). Out of the arthropod
group, insects are distinguished by their unique body
structure. In the adult stage, they have two antennae,
three body sections, four wings (in most cases), and
six legs.
INSECTS 5
Insect body structure
Adult insects have three separate body sections: the
head, thorax, and abdomen. The head is the location
of most of an insect’s sensory organs, including its
antennae, its compound eyes, and its mouthparts.
The middle section, the thorax, is the segment to
which the insect’s legs and wings are attached. The
abdomen is the location of the insect’s reproductive
organs.
Besides their three-part body structure, insects also
have three sets of appendages: antennae, legs, and
wings. Antennae are an insect’s sensory appendages,
or “feelers.” They are located on the insect’s head,
near its eyes.
Adult insects have six fully developed legs. The shape
of an insect’s legs and the way its legs work together
determine how an insect moves. Insects may use
their legs to creep, walk, run, dig, climb, leap, or
even swim. Immature insects often do not have legs,
so they may squirm or slither around.
Although many immature insects are wingless, almost
all adult insects have wings (with very few exceptions,
such as the ant). Some species use these wings only
rarely, but for others flight is their main form of
locomotion.
Adult insects’ internal structures are quite different
from those of humans and other vertebrates. They
have a three-part digestive system made up of a fore
gut, mid gut, and hind gut, which produce digestive
fluids, process food, and expel waste. Their blood
(called hemolymph) flows freely through their bodies,
not enclosed in vessels. Land insects breathe by taking
oxygen into their bodies through small holes called
spiracles, while aquatic insects have gills. Once
oxygen is inside the body, tiny tubes called tracheae
distribute oxygen directly to the insect’s tissues.
▲

■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
An Introduction to Insects (continued)
Habitat and specialization
Insects are found all over the planet and can live in
just about any type of habitat, from trees and plants
to freshwater to underground. Some insects can even
live inside other animals! The only habitat insects
have not been able to adapt to is the ocean (though
they thrive in lakes and rivers).
Thanks to their small size, insects can live in very
small spaces and survive on very small amounts of
food. A huge number of insects can live in a relatively
small area. For example, several million insects can
live on a single acre of land, and several billion may
live in an area the size of New York City!
Insects make up more than half of the living things
on earth. One of the reasons that they have been so
successful is that different species have evolved
(adapted physically) over the years to fill different
niches in the environment. This adaptive technique
is known as specialization. Different species have
developed body structures that make them better
suited to take advantage of a particular resource or
living space within their environment.
Growth and change
The life of an insect is characterized by change, or
metamorphosis. There are three types of metamorphosis
in the insect world. Some insects undergo no
metamorphosis, hatching from eggs into miniature
adults, and simply growing bigger as they age. Other
insects undergo gradual or incomplete metamorphosis,
in which they develop from eggs into immature
insects (known as nymphs or naiads) and then into
adults. Most commonly, though, insects undergo
complete metamorphosis, developing through several
distinct stages, from egg to larva to pupa to adult.
Let’s take a closer look at this process:
In complete metamorphosis, insects begin life as
fertilized eggs deposited by the female. Once it
hatches from the egg, the immature insect is known
INSECTS 6
as a larva (the plural form is larvae). Larvae are
immature insects with no wings. They spend most
of their time eating as much as they can to promote
their growth, and may molt several times before
they reach the next stage of their development: the
pupa stage.
As a pupa, the insect enters a cocoon and rests while
its body undergoes all the internal and external
physical changes required for the insect to reach full
maturity. For example, for many insects the time
they spend in the cocoon allows their legs, wings (in
many cases), and sexual organs to develop fully.
Once the insect emerges from the cocoon, it enters
the final stage of its development: adulthood.
Thanks to their new legs and wings, adult insects are
more mobile than larvae. However, most insects do
not use this new mobility to search for food (as a
larva would). Instead their main goal is to reproduce
before they die. It is important to pass on their genes
as quickly as possible because once they reach adulthood,
most insects do not live very long. For example,
they many spend years as a larva but only a few
short weeks as an adult.
▲

■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
An Introduction to Insects (continued)
Self-defense
An insect’s survival depends on the mechanisms it
has developed to defend itself against predators.
Some insects respond to an assault by simply fleeing
as fast as they can. Others have developed different
responses.
Sometimes an insect’s physical appearance itself can
be a type of self-defense. Some have adapted so that
they blend in with their environment, and by holding
themselves perfectly still they can escape the notice
of their predators. Other insects take the opposite
tack, doing their best to stand out! They have bright
coloration that acts as a warning to potential predators
that the insect is poisonous. A few varieties of
insect protect themselves by imitating other more
dangerous animals so that predators will think twice
about attacking them. For example, some harmless
fly species look a lot like bees. Some moths have large
spots on their wings that look like the eyes of much
larger animal, like an owl.
Some insects have developed more aggressive
defenses. They respond to an attack by launching a
physical counterattack, biting, pinching, or stinging
their attacker. Other insects repel predators by
excreting or spraying them with a toxic substance
produced in their glands.
INSECTS 7
Collecting and mounting insects
With their beautiful colors and intricately designed
bodies, insects inspire people to collect them and
study them. Many people enjoy collecting insects as
a hobby, but for entomologists (scientists who
study insects) it is a full-time job.
Collecting insects requires some basic equipment: a
net to catch the insect, a container to hold it, and a
magnifying lens to examine it closely. Entomologists
and amateur bug hunters often study live insects to
learn about how they behave. However, sometimes
they must kill insects in order to preserve scientific
specimens for their permanent collections. Usually
this is done by placing the insect in a jar with a small
amount of a poisonous chemical, such as cyanide or
ethyl acetate. Entomologists may preserve their
insect specimens in a number of ways, often by
spreading their wings and legs and pinning them to
a small board. Insects can also be preserved on
slides, in chemical fluids, or in plastic mounts like the
specimens in the case. ❑
Words in boldface have been included in the
Vocabulary Words section on page 20.

■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
Information About the Specimens in the Case
Individual Insect Specimens
SCARAB BEETLES (Family
Scarabaeidae) are stout insects
with large heads. They are known
for their beautiful metallic
coloring. In ancient Egypt, scarab
beetles were considered sacred,
and were often placed in tombs
with mummies.
BAMBOO WEEVILS (part of Family
Curculionidae) have hard bodies
and long, slender heads. Like all
weevils, they feed on plants, and
may be agricultural pests. Even so,
some weevils are useful to humans
because they control the spread of
weeds.
SOYBEAN BEETLES are also part of
Family Scarabaeidae (the same
family as scarab beetles) and share
their metallic coloring. They are
major agricultural pests, both in
the U.S. and in Asia.
RED COTTON BUGS are members
of the family Pyrrhocoridae, which
means “fire-colored beetles.” They
get this name from their bright
red and orange coloring. Members
of this family eat plants, and
usually have long, thin bodies.
STINK BUGS (Family Pentatomidae)
get their name from the smelly
fluids they release when bothered
by humans or predators. This fluid
comes from large stink glands on
the insect’s undersurface. It is the
insect’s primary defense
mechanism.
INSECTS 8
WASPS (Order Hymenoptera) are
common all over the world, in all
sorts of habitats. Although some
species are solitary, others are
social, meaning they live in large
groups. When threatened, many
wasps may deliver a painful sting
to their predators.
CICADAS (Family Cicadidae) are
best known for their loud mating
songs, which the male cicada
produces using organs located on
the underside of the abdomen.
These insects spend years as
larvae, but they live only a few
short weeks as adults.
CRICKETS (Order Orthoptera) are
also known for their mating songs,
which males create by rubbing
their wings together. In some
countries, people enjoy cricket
songs so much that they keep
these insects in cages as pets.
DEER HORN FLOWER BEETLES
(Order Coleoptera) get their
name from the short, horn-like
protrusions on their heads.
Although these horns closely
resemble the mouthparts of other
insects (like stag beetles), they are
actually the deer horn flower
beetle’s antennae.
LONG HORNED BEETLES (Family
Cerambycidae) are named for
their long, sweeping antennae. In
some species, the antennae may
be three times the insect’s body
length. There are more than
1,200 species of long horned
beetles in North America.
▲

■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
Information About the Specimens in the Case (continued)
Insect family groups
YELLOW STAG BEETLES (Family
Lucanidae) are large insects with
prominent mouthparts, which are
often lined with teeth. Male stag
beetles use these mouthparts to
battle each other for mates, with
the victor flipping the loser over
on his back.
COMMON INSECTS: The insects in this group
belong to many different orders and families, but
they share one trait—they are all well-known and
commonly found all over the U.S.
GRASSHOPPERS are part of order Orthoptera, like
the cricket (see above). These insects are known for
their long, powerful hind legs, which they use for
jumping. They also have large chewing mouthparts
and compound eyes.
TERMITES: See “Termites” entry below.
DAMSELFLIES and dragonflies make up the order
Odonata. These insects are built to be hunters, with
powerful wings, compound eyes, and large, biting
mouthparts that allow them to cut up their prey.
SQUASH BUG: See “True bugs” and “Squash bug”
entries below.
CICADA: See “Cicada” entry above.
JAPANESE BEETLES (Order Coleoptera) are bright
metallic green in color, and feed on the leaves and
fruit of plants. As their name indicates, these
INSECTS 9
THE YELLOW BUTTERFLY in the
case is a member of the order
Lepidoptera, which includes the
more than 165,000 species of
butterflies and moths. (See “New
York area butterflies” entry below
for more information.)
destructive agricultural pests originated in Japan, and
were accidentally introduced to the U.S. in 1916.
BUTTERFLY: See “New York area butterflies” entry
below.
FLEAS (Order Siphonaptera) are tiny, wingless
insects that live and feed on birds and mammals.
These parasites suck the blood of their hosts using
their piercing mouthparts. Their tough skin makes
them difficult to kill. They also have strong legs, and
can leap more than a foot in the air.
FLY: See “Fly family” entry below.
HONEY BEE: See “Bee family” entry below.
“TRUE BUGS”: Squash bug, water bug, water strider,
back swimmer, harlequin bug, and bed bug (Order
Hemiptera)
Although the word “bug” is often used to refer to
any insect, it is actually the proper name only for
insects belonging to the order Hemiptera. All of
these bugs have mouthparts adapted for piercing or
sucking, and two pairs of wings. The hind wings are
used for flying, while the forewings fold flat against
the insect’s back. There are about 40,000 species of
true bugs in the world, with 4,500 of them in North
America alone.

■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
Information About the Specimens in the Case (continued)
NEW YORK AREA
BUTTERFLIES: Monarch,
swallowtail, and red admiral
(Order Lepidoptera)
Butterflies are brightly colored
insects with four delicate wings,
which are covered with tiny
scales that rub off easily. Their
mouth-parts consist of a long,
coiled tube called a proboscis,
through which they suck up
nectar or tree sap. These three
species are all commonly found
in New York.
BEE FAMILY: Honey bee,
wasp, hornet, and yellow
jacket (Order Hymenoptera)
Insects from the order
Hymenoptera have hard
bodies, two pairs of wings,
and chewing mouthparts. In
some species, the female
insect’s egg-laying organ (called an ovipositor) has
been developed into a stinger, which she uses
against predators.
Insect lifecycle groups
LUBBER GRASSHOPPERS
(Order Orthoptera) undergo
incomplete or gradual
metamorphosis. Females lay
their eggs inside plants.
When the eggs hatch, the
nymphs emerge, looking like
miniature adults but lacking
wings or reproductive organs. Also see
“Grasshopper” entry above.
INSECTS 10
FLY FAMILY: Horsefly, robber fly, blowfly, housefly,
and mosquito fly (Order Diptera)
Flies all belong to the order Diptera, which has about
86,000 species worldwide, with more than 16, 300
just in North America. They are known for having
only one pair of normal wings; its other wings are
simply a pair of knobs (known as halteres) on the
insect’s back. Most flies have large compound eyes.
TERMITES: Worker termite,
soldier termite, winged termite,
and signs of termite
destruction (Order Isoptera)
Termites are small insects
with soft bodies and biting
mouthparts. Some have
wings, while others don’t.
These insects feed on trees and wood products, but
although some varieties are known for destroying
buildings, others are useful scavengers who feed on
dead logs. Termites are social insects, living in large
colonies with a complex assortment of jobs. For
example, worker termites tend the nest and
offspring, while soldier termites protect the colony.
AMERICAN COCKROACHES
(Order Blattodea) undergo
incomplete or gradual metamorphosis.
Also known as
“waterbugs,” these insects lay
their eggs in dark crevices.
Nymphs mature into adults
after about a year.

■ INFORMATION FOR THE TEACHER ■
Information About the Specimens in the Case (continued)
DRAGONFLIES (Order
Odonata) undergo incomplete
or gradual metamorphosis.
Adults mate while
flying, and the female lays
the eggs near water.
Dragonfly naiads may hunt
and eat other insects,
tadpoles and even small fish. When mature, the
naiad crawls onto land, splits open its skin, and
emerges as an adult.
SQUASH BUGS (Order
Hemiptera) undergo
incomplete or gradual
metamorphosis. Females lay
the eggs on the leaves or
stems of plants. Nymphs eat
feed on the plants, causing
the leaves to wilt and turn
black. Adults may seek shelter among these dead
leaves to survive the winter. Also see “True bugs”
entry above.
HONEYBEES (Superfamily
Apoidea) undergo complete
metamorphosis. The queen
bee lays eggs, which hatch
into larvae and are cared
for by worker bees (males
and sterile females). After
going through the pupa
stage, the bees are mature and take on the work of
the hive.
COLORADO POTATO
BEETLES (Order Coleoptera)
undergo complete
metamorphosis. Females
attach their eggs to the
undersides of leaves. About
two to three weeks after the
larvae hatch, they drop to
the soil below and pupate. They emerge as adults
about ten days to two weeks later.
INSECTS 11
HOUSEFLIES (Order Diptera)
undergo complete
metamorphosis. Eggs are laid
in garbage, and hatch within
a day. The larvae take five
days to reach full size, and
after five days in the pupa
stage, the flies emerge as
adults. They live about two to four weeks. Also see
“Fly family” entry above.
CABBAGE BUTTERFLIES
(Order Lepidoptera) undergo
complete metamorphosis.
Eggs hatch into bright green
larvae called caterpillars,
which feed on plants. In the
pupa stage, the butterfly
enters a chrysalis while
undergoing drastic physical changes. It emerges
from the chrysalis as an adult. Also see “New York
area butterflies” entries above.
TENT CATERPILLARS (Order
Lepidoptera) undergo
complete metamorphosis. As
with other butterflies and
moths, the eggs hatch into
larvae, which enter the pupa
stage by enclosing themselves
in a cocoon or chrysalis.
When full grown, tent caterpillars become moths.
However, they are best known for the destruction
they cause as larvae, when their voracious eating
habits can strips acres of forest of its leaves. See also
“New York area butterflies” entry above.
You can learn more about insects in the Museum’s
natural history collection (as well as other objects
from around the world) by visiting our Collections
Central Online database at
www.brooklynkids.org/emuseum.

ACTIVITY 1
All Grades
Related Objects or Specimens: All
Introductory Activity:
What I Like About Insects
Most children (and adults) will be able to easily tell you
what they don’t like about insects. Finding something
they do like may be a bit more difficult for them. But as
outlined in the information box below, there are lots of
good things about insects. This activity can be done
before you receive the case (or before you share its
contents with the class) in order to introduce your unit
on insects.
Materials:
• Blackboard OR chart paper
What To Do:
1 Brainstorm with the children to create a list of things
that they, and people in general, do not like about
insects. (See Discussion Questions below.)
LITERACY EXTENSION:
WRITE A BUG-OIR
Insects and Humans
Insects make a positive contribution to our daily
lives in a variety of ways:
• We benefit from insects’ special relationship with
plants. They pollinate (fertilize) many fruits,
vegetables and field crops as they feed upon the
various plant parts. Many insects also feed on or
live off of plants that are harmful to humans.
• Insects are the main source of food for many fish
and other small animals, especially birds. Some of
these animals provide food for humans.
• In some parts of the world, people eat insects,
too. For example, some peoples in South America
eat beetle grubs. Moths and grasshoppers are
considered a delicacy in parts of Africa and Asia.
INSECTS 12
2 Next, show them the insect specimens or photos in
the case. Let them explore the specimens and discuss
anything they know or feel about the insects.
3 Record their reactions and observations (both positive
and negative) on the blackboard or a piece of chart
paper. If your students need inspiration, share with
them the list of positive and negative ways in which
insects and humans interact (see the box below).
Discussion Questions:
• Why do you think some people do not like insects?
• What do you like or dislike about bugs yourself?
• How are insects harmful or useful to humans or
other animals?
See page 21 for more information about how this
activity meets New York State Learning Standards.
Tell your students a story about a real-life encounter you had with an
insect. Ask them to think of memories they have of encountering bugs
themselves. Have them write down (or tell) their stories. Instead of a
memoir, they will create a bug-oir!
• Some insects produce honey, beeswax, silk, and
other commercial products.
• They are a source of many types of chemical
substances that have valuable properties.
• Insects are valuable subjects for biological and
medical research.
Other insects are undeniably harmful to humans:
• They may bite or sting, or spread diseases.
• Some insects damage people’s homes or
belongings.
• Other insects kill our agricultural crops, or
contaminate the food we store in our cupboards
or warehouses.

ACTIVITY 2
All Grades
Related Objects or Specimens: Individual insect
blocks (Scarab beetle, bamboo weevil, soybean beetle,
red cotton bug, stink bug, wasp, cicada, cricket, deer
horn flower beetle, long horned beetle, yellow stag
beetle, and yellow butterfly)
There is an almost inconceivable amount of variety in
the insect world. Insects come in almost every shape,
size and color imaginable. But no matter how big or
small, what color or shape, where they live or how they
move, all adult insects have the following:
• An exoskeleton
• A segmented body with three parts: the head,
the thorax and the abdomen
• Six legs
• Two antennae, and
• Wings (with very few exceptions, like ants and some
immature larvae).
By examining individual insect specimens in small
groups and listing their parts, students will determine
the parts that all insects have in common.
Materials:
• Magnifying lenses
• Blackboard OR chart paper
• Paper and pencils
LITERACY
EXTENSION
GRADE 3–5
What is an Insect?
INSECTS 13
What To Do:
1 Group students into pairs or groups of three or four.
2 Distribute one insect specimen to each pair or group.
3 Instruct the children to examine their insect and to
make a list of all of its body parts. (It is not necessary
for younger children to know the proper names of
these parts. They can call them anything appropriate
at this point.)
4 Once all the pairs or groups have finished their lists,
gather the class together and have each group report
on the body parts of their insect. Record their findings
on the blackboard or chart paper. As you do this, you
can introduce or review vocabulary words by offering
the correct names for the body parts of the insects.
5 After compiling each group’s list of body parts on the
blackboard, have students identify what parts all of
their insects have in common.
Discussion Questions:
As they are looking at their insects, ask your students:
• How many legs to you see?
• What color is your insect?
• What do you think your insect feels like?
• Do you see any wings on your insect?
• Can you find the mouth? What do you think your
insect eats?
See page 21 for more information about how this
activity meets New York State Learning Standards.
Have students write a short story in which their insect introduces and describes
itself, or describes a typical day in its life. Students may make up the story entirely
from their own imaginations, or older students may conduct library or Internet
research to make their story as factually accurate as possible.

ACTIVITY 3
Build a Bug
All Grades
Related Objects or Specimens: All
Students will reinforce their understanding of the
insect’s unique body structure by creating their own
imaginary insects.
Materials:
• Copies of the “Build a Bug” worksheet on the next
page (one per student)
• Scissors
• Glue sticks
• Colored pencils or thin markers
• Construction paper or other paper for background
• Optional: Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s Build-a-Bug
website: http://www.brooklynexpedition.org/
structures/bugs/bug_index_3.html
What To Do:
1 Pass around the insect group blocks and butterfly
specimens. Have students look at the insects’ colors
and body parts, and encourage them to think about
the function of these things.
2 Distribute a copy of the “Build a Bug” worksheet
each student.
3 Have students select the body parts they wish to use,
and then color and cut out those parts.
LITERACY
EXTENSIONS:
CAN YOU
DRAW MY
INSECT?
MATHEMATICS
EXTENSION:
COMBINATION
MATH
INSECTS 14
4 Students should assemble their insects and glue
them to another piece of paper. They should label
the insect’s body parts and give their insect a name.
They may also want to draw an imaginary environment
for their insect in the background.
5 Alternatively, your class can put together amazing
insects online by visiting the Brooklyn Children’s
Museum’s Build-a-Bug web site.
6 Optional: Using a large piece of poster paper, have
the students design a world for all of their insects to
live in. Work together to draw an aquatic environment,
a forest, and other areas on the poster, and
have students decide where their insect would live in
the classroom insect world.
Discussion Questions:
• Looking at the insect specimens from the case, what
do their bodies tell you about where they live and
how they move around?
• What kind of environment is your insect built for?
• What kind of job does your insect do? For example,
is your insect a pollinator or a predator?
• What color is your insect? Does the color help it
blend in or stand out?
See page 21 for more information about how this
activity meets New York State Learning Standards.
• Have children work in pairs. Each child draws an insect using basic lines and
shapes, and writes a detailed description of it. Then the two children switch
written descriptions without looking at each other’s drawings. From the
written description they have received, each one tries to draw the other
student’s insect. Then the two children may compare drawings.
• Alternatively, find (or make up) a very short story featuring an insect that is
described in detail. Tell the story to your students. Have them try to draw
the insect based on your description of it.
• Using the Build-a-Bug insect part handout (see next page), have students
calculate how many insects can possibly be built from those parts. Make
sure they know each insect has to have a body, legs, and wings!

Build a Bug

ACTIVITY 4
Insect Lifecycles
Grades 3–5
Related Objects or Specimens: Insect lifecycle
blocks (Lubber grasshopper, American roach, dragonfly,
squash bug, honeybee, Colorado potato beetle, housefly,
cabbage butterfly, and tent caterpillar)
Because insects have an exoskeleton, they cannot grow
continuously but must grow in stages or through metamorphosis.
Insect life cycles fit into three basic categories:
• No metamorphosis: Insects do not undergo metamorphosis
but simply increase in size after hatching.
The silverfish (not included in the case) is one
common example of this type of metamorphosis.
• Gradual or incomplete metamorphosis: Insects go
through three life stages: egg, nymph, and adult.
These insects may have wings, which (if present)
develop externally. Young are known as nymphs and
there is no resting stage. This type of metamorphosis
is represented in the case by the Lubber grasshopper,
American roach, dragonfly, and squash bug.
• Complete metamorphosis: Insects go through stages
including an active immature stage where they are
known as larvae, maggots, caterpillars, or grubs; a
resting stage in which they are known as pupa; and
an adult stage. If wings are present, they develop
internally during the resting stage. This type of metamorphosis
is represented in the case by the honeybee,
Colorado potato beetle, housefly, cabbage butterfly,
and tent caterpillar.
Materials:
• Pencils and paper
• Optional web resource:
http://www.backyardnature.net/2insect.htm
LITERACY
EXTENSION
INSECTS 16
What To Do:
1 Go over the different types of metamorphosis
(outlined above) with your students.
2 Pass out insect lifecycle blocks to groups of students.
Have the groups examine their insects.
3 Have students work together to figure out what type
of metamorphosis their insect undergoes, and the
order of its lifecycle (with some blocks this will be
very simple). Ask students to create insect lifecycle
charts by drawing the different lifecycle stages and
connecting them with arrows.
4 Next, have students think about why insects develop
in stages (See Discussion Questions below). Have
students think about what insects are doing at the
different stages and how their bodies are suited to
these tasks (for example, the body shape of larvae is
ideally suited for feeding and avoiding predators,
while adult insect bodies are designed for mating
and reproduction).
Discussion Questions:
• Why do you think insects grow in stages?
• What are insects are doing during the different stages
of their development? How are their bodies suited to
these tasks? (For example, the body shape of larvae
is ideally suited for feeding and avoiding predators,
while adult insect bodies are designed for mating
and reproduction.)
• What other living things grow in stages?
See page 21 for more information about how this
activity meets New York State Learning Standards.
Have students write a haiku about insects. The haiku is a Japanese poetry form that
does not rhyme. Each poem has with three lines and seventeen syllables: the first
line contains five syllables, the second line contains seven syllables, and the third
contains five syllables. Haiku are often about something from nature, though the
subject is usually not stated directly in the poem. For example:
Grasshopper
Like a kangaroo
He jumps on powerful legs
Symbol of good luck.

ACTIVITY 5
Do They See What We See?
Grades 1–5
Related Objects or Specimens: Bug goggles,
Insects & Spiders by George Else
Students will discuss the reasons that animals need to see.
They will understand that different creatures have
different needs and that their eyes, like other parts of their
bodies, help them meet these needs. They will explore
the compound eye of an insect and understand how this
type of eye helps the insect meet its visual needs.
Materials:
• Blackboard OR chart paper
• Optional: “B-Eye” web site:
http://cvs.anu.edu.au/andy/beye/beyehome.html
What To Do:
1 Discuss and record some of the reasons we need to
see (for example, to avoid danger, to read, to conduct
our daily lives, etc).
2 Now ask them what they think insects might need
to see. Though they will find that insects need to see
for many of the same reasons we do, point out that
they do not see in the same way.
3 Show the picture of the insect eyes on pages 12–13
of Insects & Spiders. Ask the students to describe
them. You will want them to note that insect eyes
are big in proportion to their body size, insect eyes
bulge, and insect eyes look like they are divided into
little sections.
INSECTS 17
4 Tell students that most insects have compound eyes.
Compound means made up of more than one part.
Each little section is a separate lens called an
ommatidia (plural ommatidium). An insect cannot
move its eye, so each small lens points in a specific
direction and sees only what it is pointing directly
toward. All the little images travel to the insect’s
brain, which has to fit them together like a jigsaw
puzzle to figure out what the insect sees.
5 Explain that human eyes work differently. Our eyes
can move, so we see everything all at once with one
lens. Like the insect, however, our brain must
interpret what we are looking at.
6 Let the students experiment looking through compound
lenses. Have them examine an everyday object
two ways—as it appears to their own eyes and as it
appears through the compound lenses of the bug
goggles from the case.
7 Optional: Visit the “B-Eye” web site, which was
designed by a neuroscientist as a tool to show people
how bees see. Students can view images from the
gallery in human and bee eye vision and compare
the two views. Students can also submit their own
drawings and pictures and have them changed into
bee eye vision online.
Discussion Questions:
• How are insect eyes different from human eyes?
• How did the object you examined look when you
viewed it through the bug goggles?
See page 21 for more information about how this
activity meets New York State Learning Standards.
VISUAL ARTS Based on what they have learned about insect vision, have your students draw a
EXTENSION
picture of a flower (or another everyday object) as an insect views it through
compound eyes.

ACTIVITY 6
Grades 2–5
Related Objects or Specimens: All
Create an Insect Field Guide
Students will create a field guide for recording
information about insects find in the neighborhood,
insects included in this case, insects they have
researched independently, or even imaginary insects
they created in the “Build a Bug” activity
Materials:
• Copies of the “Insect Field Guide” template on the
following page (several for each student)
• Optional: For information on creating an online insect
field guide with your class, visit
http://www.backyardnature.net/2insect.htm.
What To Do:
Option 1: Using the insect specimens from the case or
the Build-a-Bug activity, have children fill up the pages
of their Insect Field Guide with information on the
insects of their choice. Compile insect field guide pages
together to make a class guide to insects.
Option 2: Look for examples of insects outside in the
schoolyard, at a local park, or on neighborhood walk
(see Science Extension below). If you are taking the
students outside to look for insects it is best to focus on
signs of insect life. Have students look for leaves with
holes, chewed edges, curled and shriveled leaves or
surface scraping on leaves.
SCIENCE EXTENSION:
START AN INSECT
COLLECTION
INSECTS 18
Option 3: Have each student (or group of students)
“adopt” an order of insects or an individual insect and
conduct research to become an expert on that insect or
group of insects. Students will collect specimens where
appropriate, research their insects, and present their
findings to the class. Orders of insects and individual
insects up for adoption might include:
• Odonata: Damselflies and dragonflies
• Orthopetera: Crickets, grasshoppers, and katydids
• Neuroptera: Lacewings, fishflies, and mantid flies
• Hemiptera/Homoptera: Water bugs, stinkbugs,
bed bugs, aphids, and cicadas
• Diptera: Deer flies, House flies, horse flies, mosquitoes
• Lepidoptera: Moths and butterflies
• Coleoptera: Lady bugs, stag beetles, June bugs, and
tiger beetles
• Hymenoptera: Wasps, bumblebees, ants, and hornets
Discussion Questions:
• Why is it important to write down what you find out
about insects?
• Why do scientists write about and collect insect
specimens?
See page 21 for more information about how this
activity meets New York State Learning Standards.
If your students are interested in collecting insects, you can get them
started by encouraging them to search for specimens around their own
homes. They might try checking near garbage cans (some insects feed off
of decaying food) or on pets (insects often are attracted to animals). They
may also watch for insects near brightly lit windows or porch lights in the
evenings, since some are attracted to light. Out in the neighborhood, other
good places to look for insects include on plants, in piles of leaves or plant
debris, under rocks and other objects, in the ground, and near water. It is
important to keep in mind that sometimes insect collecting is forbidden in
parks and other public places. Please make sure to check for any restrictions
before you take your students out on a bug hunting expedition.

Insect
Field Guide
Where did you see this insect?
Insect Name
Today’s Date
What did you see? Draw the insect and what you saw around it. Identify
everything by labeling your drawing.
BAGS, BOXES, BOWLS, AND BEYOND 19

■ RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS ■
Vocabulary Words
abdomen:
the third of an insect’s three body segments; the
location of its reproductive organs.
antenna:
an insect’s sensory appendage or “feeler,” usually
located on the head
arthropod:
(Latin for “jointed foot”) any animal that does not
have a backbone, has a hard skeleton on the outside
of its body, and bendable jointed legs.
bug:
any member of the insect order Hemiptera; has a
piercing-sucking type of mouth and upper wings
that are half solid and half veined; sometimes used
as a “slang” term for any insect.
compound eyes:
the large eye, made of many separate lenses (called
ommatidia) found in many insects.
chrysalis:
the protective covering or cocoon that shields a
butterfly during its pupa stage.
entomologist:
a scientist who studies insects.
evolve:
to change or adapt physically over time.
exoskeleton:
a hard, shell-like skeleton that covers the outside of
the insect’s body.
halteres:
a pair of knobs on a fly’s back, representing its
second pair of wings.
head:
the first of an insect’s three body segments; the
location of most of its sensory organs.
hemolymph:
an insect’s blood.
insect:
any arthropod that has two antennae, three
separate body sections, four wings (in most cases)
and six legs in its adult stage.
invertebrate:
any animal that does not have a backbone.
INSECTS 20
larva:
the first stage of an insect’s life, after it is born but
before it becomes a pupa; a larva is an immature,
wingless insect that spends most of its time feeding
and may molt several times as it grows but before it
becomes a pupa.
metamorphosis:
periods of developmental change from egg to
adult: complete when pupal stage is inactive,
incomplete when pupa is active and feeding or
when there is no pupa stage.
naiad:
aquatic nymph; for example, a young dragonfly,
damselfly, mayfly, or stonefly.
nymph:
young or immature form of insect with incomplete
metamorphosis.
pollinate:
to fertilize plants (such as fruits or flowers) by
spreading pollen from one plant to another.
proboscis:
a butterfly’s mouthparts, consisting of a long, coiled
tube through which it sucks up nectar or tree sap.
pupa:
the stage of insect development between the larval
and adult states, in which the insect encloses itself
in a cocoon; while in the cocoon, the insect’s body
goes through many internal changes as the insect
metamorphoses into an adult.
specialization:
developing unique physical adaptations in order to
take advantage of a particular resource or niche in
the environment.
spiracles:
small holes in a land insect’s body, through which it
takes in oxygen.
thorax:
the middle of an insect’s three body segments; the
segment to which its legs and wings are attached.
tracheae:
tiny tubes that distribute oxygen throughout the
insect’s body.

■ RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS ■
Arts
Arts
English
Language
Arts
ELA
ELA
ELA
ELA
ELA
ELA
ELA
ELA
ELA
ELA
ELA
Math, Science,
&Technology
MST
Correlations with New York State Learning Standards
The activities included in this guide meet the following New York State Learning Standard Performance Indicators for elementary students (K–5):
New York State Learning Standard Performance Indicators (Elementary Level)
Standard Area Standard # Subject Letter Students will
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
2
2
4
4
1
1
Visual Arts
Visual Arts
Listening &
Reading
Listening &
Reading
Listening &
Reading
Speaking &
Writing
Speaking &
Writing
Speaking &
Writing
Speaking &
Writing
Speaking &
Writing
Speaking &
Writing
Speaking &
Writing
Speaking &
Writing
Speaking &
Writing
Scientific
Inquiry
Scientific
Inquiry
a
b
Experiment and create art works, in a variety of
mediums (drawing, painting, sculpture, ceramics,
printmaking, video, and computer graphics), based
on a range of individual and collective experiences
Develop their own ideas and images through the
exploration and creation of art works based on
themes, symbols, and events
Gather and interpret information from children's
reference books, magazines, textbooks, electronic
bulletin boards, audio and media presentations, oral
interviews, and from such forms as charts, graphs,
maps, and diagrams
Select information appropriate to the purpose of
their investigation and relate ideas from one text to
another
Ask specific questions to clarify and extend meaning
Present information clearly in a variety of oral and
written forms such as summaries, paraphrases, brief
reports, stories, posters, and charts
Select a focus, organization, and point of view for
oral and written presentations
Use details, examples, anecdotes, or personal
experiences to explain or clarify information
Include relevant information and exclude extraneous
material
Observe basic writing conventions, such as correct
spelling, punctuation, and capitalization, as well as
sentence and paragraph structures appropriate to
written forms
Create their own stories, poems, and songs using
the elements of the literature they have read and
appropriate vocabulary
Observe the conventions of grammar and usage,
spelling, and punctuation
Listen attentively and recognize when it is appropriate
for them to speak
Take turns speaking and respond to other's ideas in
conversations on familiar topics
Ask "why" questions in attempts to seek greater
understanding concerning objects and events they
have observed and heard about
Question the explanations they hear from others
and read about, seeking clarification and comparing
them with their own observations and understandings
INSECTS 21
Activity
1
2
3
4
5
• •
• •
6
• •
• •
• • • • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • • •
• • •
• • • •
• • •
• • •
• • • • • •
• • •

■ RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS ■
MST
MST
MST
MST
MST
MST
MST
MST
MST
MST
MST
MST
MST
Correlations with New York State Learning Standards
The activities included in this guide meet the following New York State Learning Standard Performance Indicators for elementary students (K–5):
New York State Learning Standard Performance Indicators (Elementary Level)
Standard Area Standard # Subject Letter Students will
1
1
1
1
1
2
3
4
4
4
4
4
Scientific
Inquiry
Scientific
Inquiry
Scientific
Inquiry
Mathematical
Analysis
Mathematical
Analysis
Operations
The Living
Environment
The Living
Environment
The Living
Environment
The Living
Environment
Develop relationships among observations to
construct descriptions of objects and events and to
form their own tentative explanations of what they
have observed
Organize observations and measurements of objects
and events through classification and the
preparation of simple charts and tables
Share their findings with others and actively seek
their interpretations and ideas
Use simple logical reasoning to develop conclusions,
recognizing that patterns and relationships present
in the environment assist them in reaching these
conclusions
Explore and solve problems generated from school,
home, and community situations, using concrete
objects or manipulative materials when possible
Access needed information from printed media,
electronic data bases, and community resources
Add, subtract, multiply, and divide whole numbers
Describe the life processes common to all living things
Describe how the structures of plants and animals
complement the environment of the plant or animal
Describe the major stages in the life cycles of selected
plants and animals
Describe basic life functions of common living
specimens
Describe how plants and animals, including humans,
depend upon each other and the nonliving
environment
INSECTS 22
Activity
1
2
3
4
5
• • • •
•
•
•
•
6
• •
• •
•
•
• • •
•
• •

■ RESOURCES AND REFERENCE MATERIALS ■
Corresponding Field Trips Bibliography & Web Resources
The following museums and organizations have
exhibits or programs related to insects:
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street, Manhattan
(212) 769-5100
www.amnh.org
Bronx Zoo and Prospect Park Zoo
c/o Wildlife Conservation Society
2300 Southern Blvd., Bronx
(718) 220-5131
www.nyzoosandaquarium.com
Queens Botanical Garden
43-50 Main Street, Queens
(718) 886-3800
www.queensbotanical.org/
Staten Island Children’s Museum &
Snug Harbor Cultural Center
1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island
(718) 273-2060
www.statenislandkids.org
The Brooklyn Children’s Museum also offers
programs on insects and a variety of other natural
history topics. For a listing of programs currently
available, please see our website at
www.brooklynkids.org, or contact the Scheduling
Assistant at 718-735-4400, extension 118.
INSECTS 23
The following books and websites may help you to
enrich your experience with the objects in the case.
Gordon, David George. The Compleat
Cockroach: A Comprehensive Guide to the
Most Despised (And Least Understood)
Creature on Earth. Ten Speed Press, 1996.
Lovett, Sarah. Extremely Weird Insects. Avalon
Travel Publishing, 1996.
Wright, Joan Richards. Bugs. HarperTrophy, 1988.
Parker, Steve. It’s an Ant’s Life. Reader’s Digest
Young Families, 1999.
Rinehart, Susie Caldwell. Eliza and the
Dragonfly. Dawn Publications, 2004.
Schaefer, Lola M. What is an Insect? Pebble
Books, 2001.
University of Kentucky Entomology for Kids:
Full of activities, information and classroom extension
ideas.
www.uky.edu/Agriculture/Entomology/ythfacts/a
llyr/ythfacts.htm
BugScope: K–12 classrooms can remotely control a
scanning electron microscope to view specimens
submitted by the class. It is free and teachers are
walked through the steps necessary to participate.
bugscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/
Back Yard Nature: Insects
www.backyardnature.net/2insect.htm
The Orkin Man: Orkin (a pest control company)
sponsors a free program in which a representative
visits your classroom armed with educational materials
and knowledge of insects of every kind.
www.orkin.com/school/
United Streaming: A free educational database
available to all New York State schools. Enter your
own teacher log-in name and password, and search
for programs related to insects:
www.unitedstreaming.com

Acknowledgments
Beth Alberty
Niobe Ngozi
Chrisy Ledakis
Tim Hayduk
Nobue Hirabayashi
Whitney Thompson
■
Portable Collections Series Coordinators
Jewell Handy
Melissa Husby
■
Special Thanks
Erin McCluskey
The Teachers of the New York City Department of Education
■
Funding
This revision of Brooklyn Children’s Museum’s
Portable Collections Program is made possible
by a Learning Opportunities Grant from
the Institute for Museum and Library Services.
■ ■ ■
© 2006
Brooklyn Children’s Museum
145 Brooklyn Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11213
718-735-4400 ext. 170
www.brooklynkids.org
For information about renting this or other Portable Collections Program cases,
please contact the Scheduling Assistant at 718-735-4400 ext. 118.