ANT LIFE CYCLE
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS
(ANT LIFE CYCLE WHEEL,CARDS,WORKSHEETS)
ANT LIFE CYCLE BOARD GAME
ANT LIFE CYCLE BOARD GAME
Learning objectives
The students will be able to familiarize the terminology in the life cycle of an ant.
To be able to follow given directions.
To identify stages of the life cycle of an ant through game.
ANT LIFE CYCLE WHEEL
HOW TO USE
Print, cut out and laminate the printable ant life cycle wheel. (or paste in a card stock for durability)
Show each stage to your students and explain to them the development in each stage.
Print and give your students a copy and let them do their own ant life cycle wheel.
For older students (ant life cycle wheel activity)
Divide the class depending on the number of students.
Decide which group goes first.
Have the representative from the group spin the spinner.
Note where the spinner indicator lands. (eggs, larva, pupa, ant) and pose a question about that area to the group. If the group answers the questions correctly, award it a point.
Then have the next group turn the spinner and ask the group a related question. Give a point if the question answered correctly.
Give each group five chances. In case of a tie, choose a life cycle stage and ask a question. Each of the group participating in the tie breaker write down the answer. Give a point for each correct answer.
Recognize all the students for their participation.
ANT LIFE CYCLE CARDS
OBJECTIVE
Help the students visualize the life cycle of an ant.
HOW TO USE THE CARDS
These could be laminated back to back or individually.
Show each card to your students and explain each stage of the ant life cycle development.
ANT LIFE CYCLE WORKSHEET 1
Learning objectives
To identify the stages of a n ant life cycle.
To identify the correct sequence of the life cycle of an ant.
To familiarize about the life cycle of an ant.
To develop coloring skill.
ANT LIFE CYCLE WORKSHEET 2
Learning objectives
To identify the stages of a n ant life cycle.
To identify the correct sequence of the life cycle of an ant.
To familiarize about the life cycle of an ant.
To develop coloring skill.
To develop writing skill.
HOW TO USE
Print and give your students a copy. Explain to your students the directions written in the worksheets.
Monitor your students while doing the activity.
This could be a group or individual activity.
OVERVIEW
ANT LIFE CYCLE
ANT LIFE CYCLE
Ants are common insects, but they have some unique capabilities. More than 10,000 known ant species occur around the world. They are specially prevalent in tropical forests, where they may be up to half of all the insects living in some locations.
SOCIAL BEHAVIOR
Ants typically live in structured nest communities that maybe located underground, in ground-level mounds or in trees. Carpenter ants nest in wood and can be destructive to buildings. Some species such as army ants, defy the norm and do not have permanent home, instead seeking out food for their enormous colonies during periods of migration.
Ant communities are headed by queen or queens, whose function in life is to lay thousands of eggs that will ensure the survival of the colony. Workers ( ants usually seen by humans) are wingless female that never reproduce, but instead forage for food, care for the queen's offspring, work on the nest, protect the community and perform many other duties.
Male ants often have only one role - mating with the queen. After they have performed this function, they may die.
EGG
EGG
This is the first stage of the development of the ant. The queen is the only one who lays eggs in the colony. The eggs are about 0.5 mm in size, white, transparent, oval shaped and sticky. This feature of them helps the workers carry them in clusters, which is far faster and easier.
LARVA
LARVA
The second stage of ant's development. After a period of time (depends on the species temperature and humidity) a larva hatches from the egg. It is completely hopeless, almost immovable ( it can make some small essential movements, but not shift), half-moon shaped, white and hairy. Its hairs have the same function as the sticky surface of the eggs. At this stage of development, the ant is completely dependable on the adults. It eats either from piece of food that it has been given by other ants. Depending on the conditions it develops for different for different period of time. During this time the larva pines several times and increases its size. One can see the digestive system in older larvae through their transparent cover.
PUPA
PUPA
The pupa is the last but one phase from the development of the ant. After a period of time (depends on the conditions), the larva stops eating. Some species pupate naked. Their pupae look like white, transparent ants with their legs and antennae folded by the body. Others make themselves a cocoon. They knit it out of a secretion secreted by a gland in their lip. As the time passes, the cocoon gets darker in color. Later a black stain appears on the back part of it. This is a sign that the digestive system is already formed and can excrete.
ANT
ADULT/ ANT
The forth and final stage of the development of the ant. After a period of time, (depending on the conditions) the ant hatches out of the pupa. In fact, other ants bite at the top of cocoon and take the ant out. At first, it is pale and soft. After a few hours it gets the normal color of its species and can hardly be distinguished among the other ants. During this final stage of the development the ant does not grow in size.
FACTS ABOUT ANT
Did you know?
Ant's worst enemies are not humans, but other ants.
Any ant from a foreign colony or species is treated like an enemy.
Ants have been known to fight one another and the victor will return home with the losing colony's eggs, young and food.
The Slave Maker ant ( Polyergus rufescens) is one of the species that raids the nest of other colonies stealing the pupae. The stolen pupae then hatch and work as slaves within the slave maker colony.
The army ants of South America can have up to 700,000 in its colony.
Army ants actually do not have a set home.
They are nomadic having a temporary homes and feed on the move.
Despite the fact that ants are one of the most annoying pest around, they are actually one of the most interesting little creatures too.
In respect to an ant size and weight, if a man was to run as fast as an ant he would be as fast as a racehorse.
Ants can lift 20 times their body weight.
A single ant has 250,000 brain cells. Humans have 10,000 million and 35,000-40,000 ants have the potential as colony to match the human brain.
Ants can survive 24 hours under water.
Some ants can swim and float.
The ant family actually has the most poisonous insect in the world; Maricopa harvester ant has the sting equivalent to 12 honey bees!
The biomass or weight of all the ants in the world matches the weight of all of the humans in the world.
Asian weaver ant can support over 100 times their body weight.
The largest colony of ants ever record is by the Argentinian ants, stretching over 3750 miles. This species was one of the first to be known for creating super colonies!
The queen ant has the longest life span of any insect in the world, capable of living 30 years.
Ants move an estimated 50 tons of dirt and soil per year in one square mile.
The wingless ant in the canopies of the tropical rainforest actually are able to glide when they fall from the tree tops. This is why they do not land on the dangerous floor of the jungle, gliding to nearby branches and leaves.
Ant actually take naps. In the study it was found that ants have anywhere from 200-250 sleeping episodes as long as one minute or so adding up to about 4.8 hours a day.
Resources:
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/invertebrates/group/ants/
http://www.antday.com/?lang=en&pageid=lifecyclehttp://www.antday.com/?lang=en&pageid=lifecycle
http://www.domyownpestcontrol.com/all-about-ants-c-1_571.html#ant_life_cycle
No comments:
Post a Comment