Transcript KGBugscope-8 - WordPress.com

The Fly
Kasryn Gillmore
Summary
There are over 100,000 different species of flies, and they live everywhere!
Flies belong to the order of species called diptera, which means “two-wings.” Flies
have six legs and its body consists of a head, thorax, and abdomen. They also
have sticky feet, which allow them to stand on smooth surfaces such as
the ceilings/walls in houses and buildings. Flies like to eat nectar, plant sap,
blood, other insects, and decaying mater like feces and food. The cannot chew;
instead flies suck up their food with a straw-like tongue, which then gets absorbed
in their mouth like a sponge.
There are a number of steps in the life cycle of a fly. First, a female fly lays
up to 300 eggs (maggots) in soil, on plants, on other animals, and on dead/rotting
flesh. It takes about one day for these to hatch. Over the next four days, these
proceed into the three stages of instar where the maggots move in large masses,
increase greatly in size, and moult to pre-pupa. In the pre-pupa stage (four days
long), it will not feed, find a site (usually soil), and change into a pupa. The pupa
stage is the last stage before emerging as an adult fly. In this last stage, the pupa
does not feed and its body takes about ten days to transform. Finally, as an adult
fly, they cycle can start all over again. Flies usually live up to 22 days or so.
Hand Drawn Picture
What I knew about
flies prior to
BUGSCOPE…
• Head and body
• Big eyes
• Two wings
• Six legs
Hand Drawn Picture Round 2
What I added…
• Small hair follicles or
“fibers”
• Mouth parts
• Head, thorax, and
body (under the
wings)
BUGSCOPE
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
When comparing
BUGSCOPE
pictures to online
pictures and hand
drawn pictures, you
can tell there are
major differences.
•You can see the hairs on insects’ bodies, as well as its body parts up close and magnified.
•You have online bug “professionals” to guide you through your insect and answer any
questions
California State Standards
Grade 3 Life Science 3b.
Adaptations in physical
structure or behavior may
improve an organism’s
chance for survival. As a
basis for understanding this
concept:
• b. Students know plants and
animals have structures that
serve different functions in
growth, survival, and
reproduction.
How this standard applies to
BUGSCOPE…
• Students can use the fly, for
example, to locate the
balancer (stabilizing organ
behind the wings) and the
arista (sensory organ near
the antenna)
• Students can also use other
insects to compare and
contrast organism structure
and survival tools
Technologies Involved
• BUGSCOPE contains a live chat
client, live images from the
• The technologies involved in
microscope, and interactive control
BUGSCOPE are authentic
over the microscope
resources in education
• BUGSCOPE allows teachers
• Students are involved in live chat
everywhere to provide students with
sessions with scientists, and also
the opportunity to become
have the ability to manage the
microscopists themselves
session by controlling the
• The kids propose experiments,
microscope
explore insect specimens at high• Use of internet resources are a
magnification, and discuss what they
great way to get kids accustomed to
see with our scientists all from a
using the computer at a young age
regular web browser over a standard
broadband internet connection.
Related Literature
QuickTime™ and a
dec ompres sor
are needed to s ee this pic ture.
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
• These trade books could all be connected to
BUGSCOPE
• Students can use flies, grasshoppers, cockroaches,
and any other common insects that are often referred
to in children’s literature for BUGSCOPE and in
classroom microscope observations
Cross-Curricular Activities
•
Students write a “thank you”
letter to BUGSCOPE for the
experiment they held in class
Writing Applications 2.3 (Grade 3)
Write personal and formal letters,
thank-you notes, and invitations:
a. Show awareness of the
knowledge and interests of the
audience and establish a
purpose and context. b. Include
the date, proper salutation,
body, closing, and signature.
•
Teacher creates mathematical
word problems about insects.
For example, “A female fly lays
up to 300 eggs (maggots) at
one time. If 4 female flies laid
their eggs, about how many
maggots will there be?”
Students would use
multiplication to solve.
Number Sense 2.0 (Grade 3)
Students calculate and solve
problems involving addition,
subtraction, multiplication, and
division.