Milkweed Bugs

 

Subject Area

 Entomology, habitats, abiotic factors
Age or Grade

 6th- 8th grade
Estimated Length

 50-80 minute class period to explain; 2 weeks of student observations
Prerequisite knowledge/skills

 None. This activity introduces students to habitat requirements, animal care, and insect body plans.
Description of New Content

1. Organisms have specific abiotic and biotic requirements to live and reproduce.

2. We can create environments that contain these necessities and then observe the life cycle of organisms.

Goals

 Students will create a habitat in which milkweed bugs can live and reproduce. They will record observations of insect behaviors and changes in the habitat/organisms over time.
Materials Needed

Instructions

For each group:

male and female milkweed bugs (available from www.wardsci.com)

3-4 twigs (20-30 cm long)

4-liter Ziploc bag

small vial with cap

paper towel

flexible tubing (5-10 cm long)

shelled sunflower seeds

netting

rubber bands (small)

polyester wool

paper clip (large)

string/line to hang 'habitats'

Procedure

 

 

 

Opener Allow students to observe the milkweed bugs. How do males and females look different (coloration)? How do they get information about their environment?
Procedure: 1. Allow students to assemble habitats, following provided instrtuctions. 2. Syudents should make detailed observations every other day, specifically noting changes they see (e.g. dead bugs, eggs laid, young hatched)
Closure Continue observations throughout the life cycle. Discuss how each component of the habitat is necessary for the milkweed bugs to live and reproduce. What would happen if one or more of these resources was removed?

Evaluation

 Check student observations. Each observation should include the date, notes on changes observed, notes on insect behaviors, drawings, etc.
Extensions

 Have students build another habitat (e.g. terrarium or aquarium). Discuss similarities/differences between habitat types.
References FOSS Planetary Science Course, © The
Regents of the University of California