LIFECYCLE EXPLORER

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Teachers pack

LIFECYCLE EXPLORER

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Learning Outcomes:Pupils will:

• Participate appropriately in discussions about living things.

• Form answers to questions based on their ideas and observations

• Gain an understanding that animals have offspring.

• Gain an understanding that animals grow and change throughout their life.

KS1 Curriculum Links• participate in discussion about what is read

to them, taking turns and listening to what others say (Eng. Comprehension)

• using their observations and ideas to suggest answers to questions (KS1 working scientifically)

• notice that animals, including humans, have offspring which grow into adults (Sci KS1)

Key Questions:• Why do you think bugs are important?• How do you feel about bugs?

Why do you feel that way? • Do your friends feel the same?• Which is your favourite bug and why?• What questions do you have about bugs?

How could you find out the answers?• Can you find an animal that lays eggs?

Encourage your pupils to identify different animals that lay eggs (e.g. birds, insects, fish)

• Which animal never grows up? Axolotl• Can you find an animal which holds eggs in

its mouth? Banggai Cardinal Fish

During key stage 1, pupils should be introduced to the processes of reproduction and growth in animals. This life cycle trail will take pupils on an adventure through ZSL London Zoo’s B.U.G.S! exhibit, where pupils will have the opportunity to explore the life cycles of real animals. They will see animals at different stages of their life cycle, and be able to observe the changes that occur during growth.

LIFECYCLE EXPLORER

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Follow the path and help your pupils complete the lifecycles trail. The pupils will be able to find some of the answers by looking at the animals and the information around their enclosure. Other information is provided on this page.

2. Praying Mantis• The female praying mantis lays her

eggs in a soft egg sac.• Inside the egg sac the eggs develop

into larvae.• The baby praying mantis emerge

from the egg sac as nymphs, these are fully formed, mini praying mantises.

• The nymphs grow and then moult their exoskeleton about 6 times before they are a fully matured adult with wings.

• In some species, after mating, the female eats the male.

3. Jewel wasp• The female wasp stings a cockroach

to paralyse them and take away their free will (makes them like bug zombies!). She then lays her egg on its stomach.

• After 3 days, the larva hatch and feed on the paralysed cockroach.

• The larva then enters the pupal stage and form a cocoon inside the cockroach’s body.

• The fully grown wasp then emerges from the cockroach’s body.

4. Apple snails• The apple snail lays bright pink

eggs in clusters of 100-1000 on vegetation.

• After developing for 2 weeks, the baby snails hatch.

• Baby snails move towards the water.

• As the snail grows its shell cracks and splits to allow room for growth.

5. Honey beeThere are 3 types of honey bees in the colony, each with different jobs: The queen bee produces the eggs; worker bees are females who do not reproduce; drones are fertile males who attempt to mate with other queen bees.

• The queen bee produces eggs.• The eggs develop into larvae, which

hatch after 3-4 days.• The larvae are fed by the worker

bees. The larvae form a cocoon and enter the pupal stage.

• The adult bee then emerges.

1. Locusts• The female locust lays her eggs in a

hole in the soil.• 2 weeks later a green grasshopper

emerges from the egg. This is called a solitary grasshopper.

• When there isn’t much food, they interact with other solitary grasshoppers and turn into the locust form, changing colour from green to yellow and black.

• The locusts can then form a swarm and attack crops.

MAP + FACTS

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LIFECYCLE EXPLORER

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1. Locusts (As you walk into B.U.G.S , locusts are located at the back of the main foyer)

ANSWERS...

egg

green grasshopper

locust

2. Praying mantis (Walk towards the right of the locusts and follow the exhibits round to the back of the building)

E O L N

Some animals have a hard exoskeleton; these make it difficult for the animal to get bigger, so they need to shed these in order to grow.

LIFECYCLE EXPLORER

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3. Jewel Wasp

(Along the same wall as the praying mantises) Colour in the jewel wasp – blue, green and red (they live in tropical regions so there would be many coloured flowers in their natural habitat).

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1sting

4. Apple snail (Along the same wall as the praying mantises)

Pupils count as many as they can.

out of the water (usually on vegetation but you may see some on the glass)

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5. Honey bees (Follow the path up the slight ramp and the honey bees exhibit is on the right)