Young Learners Study Insects at BFA Fairfax

First graders at BFA Fairfax investigated insects earlier this fall. The children learned about structures that help insects survive and grow, such as the compound eye.

To test out what it would be like to see with compound eyes like insects, students tried using multi-lens viewers. They did a comparison between a human and an insect eye and looked at the same object with both eyes and drew a picture for each of what they saw.

Another important concept these first graders explored was the different ways that insects eat. A butterfly is an insect that uses a proboscis to get. A proboscis is like a straw. So the class used straws (proboscis) to see what it would be like to get food just like a butterfly.

Then the students observed features that insects have to help them survive, such as camouflage that helps make these bugs more difficult for predators to spot them!

As part of this STEM unit, students were proud to design their own insect t-shirts!

The first-grade class enjoyed engaging in outdoor discovery in a connected way using STEM.