1. Insects and Life Cycles
What makes an insect an insect?

2. What are Insects? 6 legs Three body parts: Head, Thorax, Abdomen
Four wings (IF the insect has wings)
Two eyes (they can be compound)
Two Antennae
Jointed Legs

3. Complete Metamorphosis Incomplete Metamorphosis
How do insects grow?
All insects grow, but some grow through different steps.
Insects can grow by three different methods:
Complete Metamorphosis
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Simple Growth

4. Complete Metamorphosis
Complete Metamorphosis: Insects change to look very different as adults!
Egg, Larva, Pupa Adult (beetles, butterflies, bees)
Images from

5. Incomplete Metamorphosis
Incomplete Metamorphosis: Insects grow in size and may develop a small number of body parts (wings)
Egg, Nymph, Adult (crickets, praying mantis)
Video courtesy of unitedstreaming.com

6. Simple Growth
Simple: Insect only grows in size until it reaches adulthood
Young, Young, Adult (e.g. silverfish)
Photo courtesy of

7. Do they grow as we do?
In addition, insects cannot stretch as they grow like humans do. When they outgrow their outer shell called an exoskeleton, they molt or shed their outer skin to reveal a brand new exoskeleton that fits!

8. Create an Insect!
You have learned a lot about what makes an insect an insect. Your job is to create an insect that lives on Earth! Follow the steps on the next slide.

9. Looks
Use the 6 insect requirements to design, draw, and color an insect. Use the “What is an Insect” page to help you…it MUST follow the requirements!
Legs?
Body parts?
Wings? (if you decide to have them)
Antennae?
Eyes?
Jointed legs?

10. Life cycle
In your drawing of your insect, please include a drawing of your insect’s life cycle. Use the “How do Insects Grow? page to help you.
Complete Metamorphosis-Egg, Larva, Pupa Adult (beetles, butterflies, bees)
Incomplete Metamorphosis-Egg, Nymph, Adult (crickets, praying mantids)
Simple-Young, Young, Adult (e.g. silverfish)

11. Habitat
We learned what an insect needs to survive. Write a script and record your observations of this insect. Make sure to mention these things…
What is the insect name?
Where does it live?
What does it eat?
How does it get water?
Which of the three stages of growth does it go through? (complete metamorphosis, incomplete metamorphosis, simple growth)
Anything else? (Does it have any bright colors to warn off predators, does it camouflage, how did it get it’s name?)

12. Wiki-it! With your partner, create a page on your insect.
Take a digital picture of your insect and its life cycle, compress for web document, and upload to your wiki!
Make sure your Audacity file is converted into an MP3 (NOT .aud) and upload to the wiki
Use any other tool to add information on your insect!