What is an Insect- Skill Building
Spring and Summer is the perfect time to study Insects. Help your student become their own entomologist with these fun skill building worksheets. This What is an Insect? Skill Building Activity will help students learn about the parts of an insect and use that knowledge to determine what is an insect and what is not.
What’s included in the What is an Insect Unit Study
- What is an Insect- This chart explains what determines what an insect is along with a picture description.
- A cut and sort worksheet where students determine what is an insect and what is not based on what they learned from the Insect chart.
- An Insect Graph- Students will practice graphing by going on a backyard scavenger hunt and searching for the different insects that are found on the graph and then graphing what they find.
Hands on Activities for this Mini Insect Unit
- Insect Hotel: Build an “insect hotel” using natural materials like twigs, leaves, pine cones, and bamboo. Research which insects are attracted to different materials and discuss the importance of providing habitat for beneficial insects.
- Dissection: Obtain preserved insect specimens (or safe alternatives like mealworms) and guide students through a dissection or just an up close observation. Examine the different body parts and compare them to the “What is an Insect” chart.
- Lifecycle Observation: Raise butterflies or mealworms in the classroom, observing and documenting each stage of their life cycle.
Online Insect Unit Resources:
Check out these fun videos found on YouTube to further enhance your student’s insect learning.
Kindergarten-1st grade video
2nd-3rd Grade
All About Insects for Children: Bees, Butterflies, Ladybugs, Ants and Flies for Kids Time: 5:44
Insects for Kids Time: 11:44
Do you have time for a Movie? (please make your own judgement about the appropriateness of the movie for your family)
Check out these great books about Insects:
Grab the What is an Insect- Skill Builder Worksheets here:
If you are looking for a more in depth insect unit with more activities and worksheets be sure to check out the complete Insect Unit here:
Angela is the Homeschool Encourager for the Overwhelmed & Under-Caffeinated and the Chaos-to-Confidence Specialist behind Schooling with Grace. With a no-fluff approach, a dash of humor, and a whole lot of heart, she helps homeschool moms cut through the chaos, ditch unrealistic expectations, and teach with confidence.