UP CLOSE THIS IS THEIR : (2ND -3RD GRADES) Pre-visit Information

In this Up CLOSE program, a zoo naturalist brings live ambassadors into your classroom for an interactive discussion about the varying life cycles of classified as arthropods. This program is designed to support Washington state science standards 2-3 SYSE and LS1B, and integrates well into curriculum units on animals, , , arthropods generally, life cycles, , and more. To help you and your students get the most out of this program, the following overview details the concepts covered, useful vocabulary, and suggestions for pre-and post-assessment activities. For even more activities and information, see the Amazing Arthropods teacher packet, available free with your Up CLOSE arthropod program reservation. (Additional copies of the packet can be downloaded at www.zoo.org/education/teacher-packets)

CONCEPTS  Arthropods are the largest in the . Roughly 80% of all known animal are arthropods. The phylum includes: - Insects (, , butterflies, , , etc.) - (spiders, , , etc.) - (, , shrimp, , pillbugs, etc.) - (herbivores with 2 sets of legs on each body segment) - ( with 1 set of legs on each body segment)  The life cycles of arthropods are as diverse as their millions of species suggests. Arthropods can: - be predators, herbivores, , detrivores ( decaying plant matter), or - have lifespans lasting hours, or lasting decades - provide extensive care to their young, or just lay and leave (or die)

Your instructor will then introduce your students to two contrasting arthropod species, discussing the differences and similarities between their life cycles. There will be an opportunity for students to ask questions about each animal. Which specific species will be discussed varies widely by individual animal availability, and is not known until the day of the program. Note: At the end of the program, the students will have an opportunity to touch one of the animals (providing their behavior throughout the program indicates they will be able to do so calmly and gently). The instructor will bring sanitizer, but you will also need to have your students wash their with soap and following the program. VOCABULARY : eight-legged arthropods with two body segments, and without wings or antennae; includes spiders, scorpions, ticks, , etc. Arthropod: any one of a group of animals having an , segmented body, and jointed (legs, antennae, etc.) : an animal that eats meat; whether that animal hunts, eats carrion, or both : many-segmented, carnivorous (meat-eating) arthropods with one pair of legs on each body segment : a very diverse group of mostly aquatic arthropods with ; includes crabs, lobsters, barnacles, pillbugs, etc. Detrivore: an animal that eats decaying plant matter Exoskeleton: the hard outer shell of an arthropod; provides the animal’s body structure in the same way as our own Herbivore: an animal that eats plants : six-legged arthropods with three body segments and two antennae; includes ants, bees, butterflies, grasshoppers, beetles, roaches, and many, many other groups *Life cycle: a description of the stages of development of an organism : many-segmented, detrivorous (decaying plant matter-eating) arthropods with two pairs of legs on each body segment Predator: an animal that obtains food by killing and eating other animals : an animal that eats carrion (animals that are already dead) : arachnids with a pair of front pincers and an elongated “” with a -containing stinger at the tip : -producing arachnids; includes , orb-weavers, common house spiders, and many others (but not harvestmen, commonly known as “daddy longlegs,” which do not produce silk and are not true spiders)

PRE- AND POST-ASSESSMENT The following activity will provide you with an understanding of your students’ current knowledge of arthropods. Be sure to tell your students this exercise is not a , but is a way of seeing what they already know and what they haven’t yet learned.

I KNOW CARDS Materials: 1 index card per student, with “I know” written on one side, “No idea” on the other With the students in a group, tell them you’re going to ask them some questions about a group of animals called arthropods and their life cycles. If they’re fairly certain they know the answer to the question, they should hold up the “I know” side of the card, if they do not know the answer, they should hold up the “No idea” side. If they’re not sure, they should wiggle the card and forth as they hold it up.

Then, ask the following questions (or, create some of your own):  Can you name some animals classified as arthropods?  Are there lots of arthropods in the world?  Can you name some animals classified as insects?

 Vocabulary words marked with an asterisk are included in the Washington State Science Standards.  Can you name some animals classified as arachnids?  Think of an insect – do you know: - Where it ? - What it eats? - How it cares for its young?  Think of an arachnid – do you know: - Where it lives? - What it eats? - How it cares for its young?

KWL CHART Materials:a marker and two (or more) large sheets of paper Divide a sheet of paper into three columns (or use three individual sheets). Label the columns/sheets “What we know about the lives of arthropods,” “What we want to know about the lives of arthropods,” and “What we have learned about the lives of arthropods.” Before your program, discuss as a group what the students think they know for certain, and what they’re unsure about (or simply have no idea about and would like to know). Afterwards, discuss and fill in the “What we learned” column. (This is a particularly valuable activity for helping younger students come up with questions to ask the presenter in the limited amount of program time available.)

QUESTIONS ABOUT YOUR UP CLOSE PROGRAM?

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