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Exploring habitats in the local environment

Topic: Exploring habitats in the local environment

Learning Outcomes

  • The children will be enabled to look for, catch, identify and draw  different insects, found in various areas of the school grounds.
  • Children will identify the various areas around the school discussing where insects could be found.
  • The children will be introduced to a variety of different insects in  the classroom, noting the amount of legs, or identifying features, i.e wings etc.,
  • Then go on an outdoor hunt using the pooters, draw their bug, then release the bug, return to their class and try to identify them using images on the whiteboard.
  • Identify their bugs according to information sheets see link below.

 

Introduction

  • KWL : ask what insects/bugs the children can identify. How do they know it’s a spider not a fly etc.
  • Discuss the identifying features as seen on information cards available at https://www.twinkl.ie/resource/t2-s-1169-insect-information-cards
  • Brainstorm where  around the school we would most likely find bugs/creatures .
  • Introduce pooters, explain how to use them (which straw to suck on, not to share them etc)
  • Remind children to work with partner.

Development

  • Children work in pairs to  explore their chosen area on school grounds, e.g  grass, puddles, under stones, in grass, (around bug hotels, or in raised beds if applicable. )
  • Children look for bugs, drawing ones that still enough to draw, eg snails, worms, ladybirds butterflies etc.
  • Use pooters to examine smaller bugs like louse or small spiders,  draw what they see under the  magnified lens.

Plenary

  • Children collect all items, ensure all bugs have been released.
  • Return to the class room, using their own sketches, refer to the bug information cards again to identify the species.
  • Using the link to Irish wildlife. ie children can identify a particular type of species e.g butterflies.
  • Children discuss their findings  in the class, and walk around looking at each pairs drawn images to see if they can idetnify more.
  • Complete KWL and discuss findings.

 

Other Resources for teaching this topic

https://www.twinkl.ie/resource/t2-s-1169-insect-information-cards

http://www.irishwildlife.ie/insects.html

lesson suggests pooters, they are not vital, the lesson can be done easily with free insects.