Enrichment Lesson: Be the Bug

Overview
Students may have never thought of looking at the world through another perspective. In this activity, the students will be challenged to think about the the invertebrates collected in their stream study and the habitat in which they live. What would the world look like to those invertebrates?

A student field trip or photos of invertebrates may assist students with the creative process. Also, a class discussion about perspectives might help the students focus on what a "bug" might experience.

A good accompanying lesson would be Build a Bug, where the students are challenged to create their own invertebrate based on the biological facts they learn. The creative stories could wither be based on actual invertebrates or the organisms the students create.

Objectives
Students will:

compose a short story

Time
One or two 45 minute class periods.

Materials

paper/student journals pictures of invertebrates magnifying lens

Procedure

Take students to the sampling site or show them photos of invertebrates to assist in prompting the creative thought process.   Ask the students to think about the world if they were as small as a "bug". Would the world seem different? Would it seem more scary? Would they be able to explore places they could not possibly reach at their current size? Continue to ask students such questions until they begin their creative thought process.   Ask the students to focus on one invertebrate they have observed, think about the habitat, body shape, diet, etc. What would a day be like for that invertebrate?

Assessment Suggestions

• Have the students write a short story about "being the bug"