Insect or spider?

Insect or spider?

Auto-markingPencil and paperOnline interactive
Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about using evidence to decide if six animals are insects or spiders.
Ms Norman’s Year 6 class is studying spiders. The class has been asked to find a spider in the playground and draw it. Some children got muddled and drew insects. Use the insect and spider charts below to decide which drawings are of spiders and which are of insects. Give as many reasons as you can for your answers.
 
Features of all insects
3 body parts
6 legs
antennae
Features of all spiders
2 body parts
8 legs
spinnerets for making webs

Question

This is:

    • a spider

    • an insect

    • not sure

Explain why you decided on your answer.

Question

This is:

    • a spider

    • an insect

    • not sure

Explain why you decided on your answer.

Question

This is:

    • a spider

    • an insect

    • not sure

Explain why you decided on your answer.

Question

This is:

    • a spider

    • an insect

    • not sure

Explain why you decided on your answer.

Question

This is:

    • a spider

    • an insect

    • not sure

Explain why you decided on your answer.

Question

This is:

    • a spider

    • an insect

    • not sure

Explain why you decided on your answer.
Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online (with auto marking displayed to students).
Level:
3
Curriculum info: 
Science, Understanding about science, Living World
Keywords: 
evolution, classification, features, insects, spiders, observation, science capabilities, use evidence
Description of task: 
Task: Students decide whether six animals are insects or spiders and justify their answers. Assessment focus: Using evidence.
Curriculum Links: 
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
 
Capability: Use evidence
This resource provides opportunities to discuss all the features of a plant or animal need to be considered when grouping them scientifically.
 
Science capabilities: 
Use evidence
Making Better Sense: 
Insects
Answers/responses: 
  Y6 (10/2005)
a)
Garden spider
This is: a spider
It has 8 legs,
2 body parts,
a spinneret for making webs		 at least 1 reason – very easy

more than 1 reason – moderate
b)
Weta
This is: an insect
It has 6 legs,
3 body parts,
antennae
 		 at least 1 reason – very easy

more than 1 reason – moderate
c)
Flea
This is: an insect
It has 6 legs, and
3 body parts
 		 at least 1 reason – very easy

more than 1 reason – moderate
d)
Wolf spider
This is: a spider
It has 8 legs,
2 body parts, and
a spinneret for making webs
 		 at least 1 reason – very easy

more than 1 reason – moderate
e)
Mosquito
This is: an insect
It has 6 legs,
3 body parts, and
antennae
(also accept 'has wings')
 		 at least 1 reason – very easy

more than 1 reason – moderate
f)
Daddy longlegs
This is: a spider
It has 8 legs,
2 body parts, and
a spinneret for making webs
 		 at least 1 reason – very easy

more than 1 reason – moderate
Results are based on a trial set of 133 Year 6 students in October 2005.
Diagnostic and formative information: 

In the trial of this resource:

  • Students were not given a mark for correct identification as the assessment focus was on how the students used evidence. If a student gave at least one correct reason, the assumption was that the student had correctly identified the animal in the first place. It would be of interest though to talk to students about any "not sure" responses to identify difficulties they were having in identifying the animals.
  • 45 students showed their background knowledge when they answered e) with "It's an insect because it has wings and a spider never has any". However this answer could also indicate a possible misconception, that all insects have wings. One way of checking this is to discuss in more detail their ideas about the flea and weta (insects that do not have wings).
Next steps

The context of this task is classification but the assessment focus is on how well students use evidence. The following activities could be used to provide additional practice in using evidence:
  • Give small groups pictures of spiders and insects and have them decide whether each picture is of a spider or an insect and then justify their decisions to the class.
  • Look at a range of specific insects (for example, stick insect, cicada, butterfly, beetle). Identify which features all the insects have in common.
  • Use identification keys to identify unknown animals.

When comparing spiders and insects ensure that students realise both spiders and insects are animals. Spiders and insects are similar in some ways and different in others. Important big ideas related to classification are:

  • Scientists group animals in particular ways.
  • All the individuals within a group share a number of features.

Buidling Science Concepts books:

  • Ministry of Education (2001). Building Science Concepts Book 6, Soil Animals. Wellington: Learning Media.
  • Ministry of Education (2003). Building Science Concepts Book 39, Is this an Animal? Wellington: Learning Media.
  • Ministry of Education (2004). Building Science Concepts Book 62, Spiders Everywhere. Wellington: Learning Media.
Science Online
 
For similar ARB resources at level 3 involving classification: