Is It an Insect,

Jonathan Brinkerhoff

Yes or No?

There are lots of creatures in the world.

Telling which ones are insects and which are not can be tricky.

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to tell if a creature is an insect or not and give reasons for your choice.

What do you think is special about insects that makes them different

from all other creatures?

Do you think a spider is an

insect?

No, a spider is not an insect.

Spiders have 8 legs.

All insects have 6 legs.

Spiders are not insects for another reason.

Spiders have 2 body parts

All insects have 3 body parts.

The three body parts are called:

Are these insects? What do you notice?

ant fly dragonfly

So, what have we learned that’s special about insects that makes them

different from all other creatures?

Do you think this long-horned beetle is an insect?

Do you think a crab is an insect?

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Thumbs up if you think it’s an insect.

Thumbs down if you think it’s not.

Do you think a bumble bee is an insect?

Do you think a centipede is an insect?

Do you think a vinegaroon is an insect?

Do you think a butterfly is an insect?

Do you think a pill bug is an insect?

Do you think a wasp is an insect?

Do you think a beetle is an insect?

Do you think a scorpion is an insect?

Do you think a shrimp is an insect?

Do you think a walking stick is an insect?

Do you think a whistling spider is an insect?

Do you think a tick is an insect?

So, what have we learned that’s special about insects that makes them

different from all other creatures?

For more amazing photomicrographs of insects and

other creatures, check out http://www.morfa.se/flogr/index.php?type=recent

Images• Spider: http://designyoutrust.com/2010/10/27/macro-photos-of-insects-by-john-hallmen/john-hallmen-5/ Scorpion:

http://asitoughttobe.com/page/10/?pages-list• Centipede: http://sifter.org/~simon/journal/20050530.html• Millipede: http://sifter.org/~simon/journal/20050530.html • Shrimp: http://www.bridgat.com/aquatic_products-b793_1.html• Ant: http://www.firstchoicepestcontrol.com/Page.aspx/8/TerminteInspection.html• Fly: http://www.miller-mccune.com/culture-society/%E2%80%9Cfly%E2%80%9D-ing-to-safety-4154/• Dragonfly: http://www.grahamowengallery.com/fishing/more-fly-tying.html• Beetle: http://www.pestproducts.com/crop-beetles.htm• Rollie Polly: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bill_brown/2045280338/• Crab: http://fireflyforest.net/firefly/2006/05/30/ghost-crabs/• Bee showing parts: http://computerkiddoswiki.pbworks.com/w/page/16304745/Insects• Long-horn beetle: http://gurneyjourney.blogspot.com/2009/08/insect-vehicles-part-2.html• Tick: http://www.sierrapotomac.org/W_Needham/Wood_Tick_040307.htm• Wasp: http://nicksagan.blogs.com/nick_sagan_online/2007/04/wasps.html• Walking stick: http://www.richard-seaman.com/USA/States/California/CoachellaValleyPreserve/index.html• Bumble bee: http://www.captainhops.com/2009/03/bumble-bee/• Butterfly: http://butterfly-photo.blogspot.com/2008/07/transparent-butterfly-seeing-is.html• Vinegaroon: http://www.eyefetch.com/image.aspx?ID=510360 • Whistling spider: http://webecoist.com/2008/12/02/strange-and-bizarre-endangered-animal-species/