Ants

Content Objectives

Students will:

• Learn about ants.
• Access prior knowledge and build background about the significance of ants.
• Explore and apply the concepts of phases and ant parts.

Language Objectives

Students will:

• Demonstrate an understanding of ants.
• Orally use words that describe the different parts of an ant and their phases.
• Extend oral vocabulary by speaking about the purpose of ants.
• Use key concept words [ant, insect, nest, anthill, antennae, phase, benefit; colony].

Other

Explain

• Use the slideshow to review the key concept words.
• Explain that students are going to learn about ants:
• What is an ant.
• What are the different kinds of ants.
• The purpose of ants.
• What are the different parts of an ant.
• What are the different phases of an ant.

Model

• After the host introduces the slideshow, point to the photo on screen. Ask students: What do you see in this photo? (ants). What are they doing? (answers will vary).
• Ask students: What do ants do? (answers will vary).
• Say: An ant is a small insect related to bees and wasps. Ants live together in large groups called colonies. Ants outnumber people! There are many different kinds, functions, and parts of an ant. Would you have an ant as a pet? (answers will vary).

Guided Practice

• Guide students through the next six slides, showing them what ants look like by asking them what the different parts are. Always have the students describe what ants look like.

Apply

• Play the games that follow. Have them discuss with their partner the different topics that appear during the Talk About It feature.
• After the first game, have the students discuss the different phases of an ant. After the second game, have them discuss whether these phases are different from other insects.

Close

• Ask students: How are ants and humans different?
• Summarize for students that the brain cells of 40 thousand ants equals the brain cells of one human? Maybe that's why a lot of ants are needed to build a nest or colony! Encourage them to think about how many ants are in their backyard.