Virtually Bugging

Hey there folks… ever since I’ve been assigned to my practicum I’ve been thinking of simple things that would really make science fun. I was prompted to browse the internet for some ideas on interactive activities and I ran across one from Scholastic.com… so I created a quick lesson for grade 2s

Title of Learning Object: Virtually Bugging
Subject: Science – the best subject by far!
Grade Level: 2
URL: http://www.scholastic.com/magicschoolbus/games/bugs/index.htm

Description of Link: This link takes the reader directly to the Magic School Bus – Monster Bugs activity. This activity allows the student, or teacher, to pick a common insect and match the insect to its various body parts. Travelling up the hierarchy of this html will take you to various other resources such as:
- further resources on bugs and insects that are geared toward children
- a teacher’s guide including a brief overview and some general objectives
- an introduction to some animated and narrated biographies and information
- a short text interview with Ms. Frizzle (I assume she is some sort of character in Magic School Bus? - I have all her posters! – jks)
- an alternate activity that incorporates the topics of insects and ecological damage to rainforests http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/explorer/ecosystems/be_an_explorer/map/form_caterpillars.htm

Description of specific activity: This site would be a great interactive resource to accompany my instructions in lessons regarding Science 2: Topic E: Small Crawling and Flying
Animals. The students would be engaged in a metacognitive manner, with respect to my lessons, in trying to match the insects up to their body parts. Furthermore, each student can create a ‘monster bug’, an insect of their own creation, and explain why their insect is the best. This process would allow the students to reflect upon the roll of wings, mandibles, legs, etc.

Planning and Prep of lesson: I would introduce the students to a local insect, like a lady-bird beetle (depending upon the time of year). I would explain to them that insects like people are living breathing beings that have physiological and biological needs like us. Then I would explain to the students the parts of the insects that are different from us and what they are used for. I would then introduce them to the activity online (of course I would first make sure that the computers had active links, the required software). The students would be matched up in groups of 2 to 3 so that students could help each other in the activity. Once the activity is finished, I would have the students write in their journals about what they had learned about bugs. I would also tell them that once they were finished they could go back to the computer and make their own monster bug. Then once everyone was finished making a monster bug, the students can share their monster bugs with the class and describe how their monster bug works. The journal entry would a form of self-formative evaluation, the final show-and-tell would serve as a form of summative evaluation for me.

Massive outcomes: The general learner outcome that this activity engages is (2-10) the description of general structures of small clawing and flying animals. This knowledge will be applied to locally observed species. The specific learner outcome that accompanies 2-10 are:
2-10-1: the recognition that there are many kinds of small crawling and flying animals.
2-10-3: the recognition that these animals are like people in that they have habitats and have basic needs.
2-10-6: the recognition that these animals can use their physiologies to hide, escape… from predators, and that the same traits can be used in obtaining their basic needs.
2-10-8: identifies that these animals can be helpful and/or harmful and how this is so.

In addition to these outcomes, this activity also covers several division 1 ICT outcomes:
General outcome: C.1- Students will access, use and communicate information from a variety of technologies.
Specific Outcomes
1.1: access and retrieve appropriate information from electronic sources for a specific inquiry

C.5 - Students will use technology to aid collaboration during inquiry.
Specific Outcomes: 1.1 share information collected from electronic sources to add to a group task

C.7 - Students will use electronic research techniques to construct personal knowledge and meaning.
Specific Outcomes: 1.1 develop questions that reflect a personal information need
1.2 summarize data by picking key words from gathered information and by using jottings, point form or retelling
1.3 draw conclusions from organized information
1.4 make predictions based on organized information

P.3 - Students will communicate through multimedia.
Specific Outcomes 1.1 access images, such as clip art, to support communication
1.2 create visual images by using such tools as paint and draw programs for particular audiences and purposes

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