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Insects
The most diverse group of animals on Earth: what makes an insect, how insects grow and change, how they breathe, how many there are and why we need them. Three ages, each with a text, an experiment, a game, a quiz, a printable worksheet and a teacher sheet.
Ages 6–7Six legs and three body partsInsects are everywhere! Find out how to spot an insect by counting its legs and body parts, why a spider is not an insect, and build your own insect model.Ages 10–11The world of insectsWhat makes an animal an insect, how insects grow by moulting and metamorphosis, how many there are, and why they matter. Then catch and sort minibeasts with a pitfall trap.Ages 15–16Insects: structure, gas exchange and abundanceInsects as arthropods, the tracheal system, growth by ecdysis and metamorphosis, the uncertainty in insect numbers, pollination and insect decline, and a two-habitat pitfall-trap investigation.