We dissected a LARGE grasshopper this week!! The students felt so professional with their goggles, gloves & special science tools! All students gave the experience a try, even though their stomachs might disagree!
We took this step by step to make sure we were understanding all the complex parts of our insect, finding the connections to our learning unit, while also being fragile with our specimen.
First step was to twist and pull the legs off. If they did it correctly, they could see a visual of the skeletal part of the leg. If they did it incorrectly, the inside organs would rupture.
Second, remove the two sets of wings. There is an outer wing that is heavier (to heavy to fly with). The wing beneath has a much thinner membrane which is used for lift off. Students removed both sets to remove as a barrier when it came to opening the grasshopper up.
In addition to the inside, students found the ear drum, eye sockets, how to idenitify how their grasshopper was a male or female, intricate detail on the hind legs and what the fibers are used for, etc.
Our experiment of dissecting was a hit!! Great extension activity for our listening unit!
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