Life Cycle of Insects Primary 4 (Basic 4) First Term Week 5 Basic Science and Technology

LIFE CYCLE OF INSECTS, COMMON INSECTS AND VARIOUS STAGES OF AN INSECT LIFE CIRCLE PRIMARY 4 (BASIC 4) FIRST TERM WEEK 5 BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

BASIC SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

FIRST TERM

WEEK 5

PRIMARY 4 (BASIC 4) 

THEME – LEARNING ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT 

PREVIOUS LESSON – Changes in Plants and Reasons for Changes in Animals Primary 4 (Basic 4) First Term Week 4 Basic Science And Technology

TOPIC – LIFE CYCLE OF INSECTS 

LEARNING AREA

1. Introduction

2. Common Insects

3. Stages of An Insect Life Cycle

4. Cycle Life Cycle of Butterfly and Grasshopper

5. Importance of Insects

6. Practice Exercise/Homework/Test Questions and Answers

7. Summary

LEARNING OBJECTIVES 

By the end of the lesson, pupils should be able to:

1. Explain the meaning of insect life cycle.

2. Identify common insects around them.

3. Mention the stages in the life cycle of insects.

4. Describe how insects grow and change.

5. Draw and label stages of an insect life cycle.

ENTRY BEHAVIOUR

Pupils have previously learned about living things, especially animals, and how they grow and change from young ones to adults.

This lesson builds on that knowledge by helping pupils understand that insects are also living things that grow through different stages called a life cycle, just like other animals and plants.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

The teacher will teach the lesson with the aid of:

1. Pictures of insects (butterfly, mosquito, housefly, grasshopper)

2. Charts showing insect life cycles

3. Real insects (if available and safe)

4. Whiteboard and marker/chalkboard and chalk

5. Textbooks

METHOD OF TEACHING

Choose a suitable and appropriate methods for the lessons.

Note – Irrespective of choosing methods of teaching, always introduce an activities that will arouse pupil’s interest or lead them to the lessons. 

REFERENCE MATERIALS

1. Scheme of Work

2. 9 – Years Basic Education Curriculum

3. Course Book

4. All Relevant Material

5. Online Information

CONTENT OF THE LESSON

INTRODUCTION

Insects are small animals with six legs. They are found everywhere in our environment, such as in homes, farms, and gardens.

Insects do not remain the same throughout their lives. They grow and pass through different stages before becoming adults.

The life cycle of insects is the stages through which an insect passes from the time it is born until it becomes an adult insect.

Most insects pass through stages such as egg, larva, pupa, and adult, while some insects pass through egg, nymph, and adult stages.

Understanding the life cycle of insects helps us to know how insects grow and how they reprod uce.

COMMON INSECTS

Some common insects include:

• Butterfly

• Mosquito

• Housefly

• Ant

• Grasshopper

STAGES OF AN INSECT LIFE CYCLE

Most insects pass through four main stages:

1. Egg – The insect starts life as an egg.

2. Larva – The young insect hatches and eats a lot.

3. Pupa – The insect stays inside a covering and changes.

4. Adult – The fully grown insect comes out and can reproduce.

LIFE CYCLE OF A BUTTERFLY AND GRASSHOPPER

Butterfly: Egg → Larva (Caterpillar) → Pupa (Chrysalis) → Adult Butterfly

Grasshopper: Egg → Nymph → Adult Grasshopper

NOTE – All insects grow through stages, but some (like grasshopper) do not have a pupa stage.

IMPORTANCE OF INSECTS

1. Some insects help in pollination.

2. Some insects help in decomposition.

3. Some insects serve as food for other animals.

4. Some insects can be harmful to humans (e.g. mosquitoes).

CLASS EXERCISE/ASSIGNMENT/ASSESSMENT TEST AND ANSWERS

A. Answer the Questions.

1. What is the life cycle of an insect?

2. Mention two common insects.

3. List the stages of a butterfly life cycle.

4. What is a larva?

5. Name one insect that does not have a pupa stage.

B. Fill in the Blanks.

6. Insects have ______ legs.

7. The first stage of most insects is ______.

8. A young mosquito is called a ______.

9. A maggot is the larva of a ______.

10. The adult stage is when an insect can ______.

C. True or False

11. All insects pass through egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages. ______

12. A grasshopper has a nymph stage. ______

13. A mosquito starts life as an egg. ______

14. Ants are insects. ______

15. Insects are large animals. ______

D. Matching

Match the insects with their young stages:

16. Mosquito → a. Maggot

17. Housefly → b. Wriggler

18. Grasshopper → c. Nymph

19. Butterfly → d. Caterpillar

20. Ant → e. Larva

ANSWER KEYS

1. The life cycle of an insect is the stages it passes through from egg to adult.

2. Mosquito, housefly (any two correct).

3. Egg → larva (caterpillar) → pupa → adult.

4. A larva is a young insect stage that hatches from the egg.

5. Grasshopper

6. six

7. egg

8. wriggler

9. housefly

10. reproduce / lay eggs

11. False

12. True

13. True

14. True

15. False

16. b. Wriggler

17. a. Maggot

18. c. Nymph

19. d. Caterpillar

19. e. Larva

SUMMARY

Insects are small animals with six legs. They are found everywhere around us. The life cycle of insects is the stages through which an insect grows and changes from birth to adulthood.

Pupils learned that insects grow through stages called a life cycle. They identified common insects and the four main stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult.

PRESENTATION

To deliver the lesson, the teacher adopts the following steps:

1. The teacher shows pictures of common insects such as butterfly, mosquito, housefly, ant, and grasshopper.

Pupils’ Activities: The pupils observe and name the insects.

2. The teacher asks pupils to mention insects they see around their environment.

Pupils’ Activities: The pupils respond orally.

3. The teacher explains that insects are small animals with six legs and they pass through stages of growth called a life cycle.

Pupils’ Activities: The pupils listen attentively.

4. The teacher introduces the topic: Life Cycle of Insects.

Pupils’ Activities: The pupils repeat the topic.

5. The teacher explains the meaning of insect life cycle as the stages insects pass through from egg to adult.

Pupils’ Activities: The pupils take notes.

6. The teacher explains the stages of insect life cycle:

• Egg

• Larva

• Pupa

• Adult

Pupils’ Activities: The pupils repeat the stages after the teacher.

7. The teacher uses a chart to show the life cycle of a butterfly.

Pupils’ Activities: The pupils observe and describe the chart.

8. The teacher asks pupils to arrange the stages of a butterfly life cycle in correct order.

Pupils’ Activities: The pupils respond correctly.

9. The teacher writes key points on the board for pupils to copy.

Pupils’ Activities: The pupils copy into their notebooks.

10. The teacher summarizes the lesson by revising common insects and their life cycle stages.

Pupils’ Activities: The pupils participate in the summary.

CONCLUSION

To conclude the lesson for the week, the teacher revises the entire lesson and links it to the following week’s lesson.

NEXT LESSON

LESSON EVALUATION 

Teacher asks pupils,

1. What is the life cycle of insects?

2. Mention two common insects.

3. List the stages of an insect life cycle.

4. What is a larva?

5. Give one importance of insects.