Make a Macroinvertebrate
GRADE LEVEL:
K- 6
SUBJECT AREAS:
Science
DURATION:
30-60 minutes
SETTING:
Classroom
Outdoors
LINK TO THE
UTAH CORE
CURRICULUM:
Science –
K-2:
Standard 1.1.1
Standard 1.2.1,2
Standard 1.3.4
Standard 4
Third Grade:
Standard 2.1
ILO 1.a, 2.a, 2.c, 3.a,
3.c, 4.b-c
Fourth Grade:
Standard 5.2
ILO 1.a, 2.a, 2.c, 3.a,
3.c, 4.b-c
Fifth Grade:
Standard 5.1-2
ILO 1.a, 2.a, 2.c-d,
3.a, 4.b-c
Sixth Grade:
ILO 1.a, 2.a, 2.c-d,
4.b-c
August 2010
PURPOSE: To introduce students to aquatic macroinvertebrates and the
adaptations that allow them to live in an aquatic environment.
SUMMARY: Students will learn about adaptations macroinvertebrates
have in order to live in an aquatic environment. Students will engage in a
short, interactive presentation, then will use various craft supplies to make
their own “macroinvertebrate” with the adaptations and qualities they just
learned about.
BACKGROUND: The small animals that live in water are called aquatic
macroinvertebrates. Macroinvertebrates include many types of insects and
other animals such as worms, mollusks and small crustaceans.
Most aquatic macroinvertebrates make their home in rocks, leaves and the
sediment of streambeds, lakes and ponds. These organisms have many
special adaptations that allow them to live in different types of
environments.
PROCEDURE:
1. Ask the students to think about the differences between life above
water and life below water. Ask them to think of adaptations that
insects would need to live underwater.
a. NOTE: introduce the following terms or ask students to help
you define them: aquatic, adaptation, macroinvertebrate (See
DEFINITIONS below). Have the students think of all the
different adaptations a bug would need to live in an aquatic
environment. For younger students you may want to start out
with what adaptation, aquatic, and macroinvertebrate means.
Help them discover the meaning, instead of just telling them.
2. Ask if all aquatic environments are the same. Have the students
tell you adaptations an aquatic macroinvertebrate would need in
order to live in these different environments (see “Frequently
Asked Questions” below for more information).
3. As the students tell you adaptation ideas, point to pictures of bugs
that have those adaptations, and/or use a model of a
macroinvertebrate you have built (or build concurrently) with the
supplies they will use.
USU Water Quality Extension
www.extension.usu.edu/waterquality
4. Discuss the adaptations as you go along. Why would a macroinvertebrate need
them? How do they help the macroinvertebrate survive? (See middle column in the
table below labeled “Use”)
5. Invite the students to begin making their aquatic macroinvertebrates with all or
some of the adaptations they have learned using the supplies available on their
tables.
6. As the students make their aquatic macroinvertebrates, walk around the tables and
have them show you which adaptations they are including on their
macroinvertebrate.
NOTE: An individual macroinvertebrate may not have all of the
adaptations listed on the table. Your “bug” may have features
found on many different macroinvertebrates. Remind the
students that their “bug” does not have to have all of the
adaptations, like a real macroinvertebrate they might find in a
stream or river.
MATERIALS: Materials for this activity are listed in Table 1. Feel free to use your
imagination and use other items as you think fit.
Additional suggestions:
•
•
Tacky glue or hot glue gun (supervised by teachers) for the eyes, air bubbles,
netting, etc.
Bendaroos® are waxy and will stick to themselves. Clay or play-doh® will work
also. Therefore we recommend using play-doh®, clay, or Bendaroos® for the
body. Craft objects can then be stuck to the body to minimize the need for glue.
WRAP-UP:
Have the students share the aquatic macroinvertebrates they have made. Each student
can explain the adaptations their macroinvertebrate has, and how these adaptations would
help their macroinvertebrate live underwater.
USU Water Quality Extension
www.extension.usu.edu/waterquality
Adaptations
Use
Legs, claws, hooked
feet, suction cups, hairs
on legs
Holding on to rocks and
hard substrate, scraping
algae off rocks,
attacking prey
Tails
Compound Eyes
Hairs on head or body
Swimming and
maneuvering
Help insect detect
motion
Help detect movement
or chemical changes in
water
Items Representing
Adaptations
Bendaroos®, pipe cleaners
Bendaroos®, pipe cleaners
Googly eyes (various sizes)
Puff balls, feathers
Antennae
Sensing food, water,
surroundings
Bendaroos®, pipe cleaners
Gills
Breathing dissolved
oxygen in the water
Bendaroos®, feathers
Air bubble
Breathing oxygen from
the surface air
Plastic necklace pop-beads,
bouncy ball, beads
Breathing tube
Breathing oxygen from
the surface air
Straws
Specialized mouth
parts
For scraping, piercing,
shredding, etc. The
mouth parts reflect food
choices of the insect
Toothpicks
Device for catching
food, i.e. net (made by
the insect or part of
their body structure) or
special hairs
Catching food in the
current
Fabric netting and toothpicks,
feathers
USU Water Quality Extension
www.extension.usu.edu/waterquality
EXAMPLE SCRIPT
Does anyone know what aquatic macroinvertebrates are? Wait for answer. Ok, let’s
break those words down. What does aquatic mean? Wait for answers –water. Good.
What does macro mean? Wait for answers – most kids will confuse macro with
micro. If they say micro, say “Micro means really tiny and macro is the opposite…so
what do you think macro means? – Big. What does invertebrate mean? Wait for
answers, By 4th grade most students will say an animal with no backbone. Good.
What is an example of an invertebrate? At least one kid will say insects. Yes! So,
what we’re learning about today are big water bugs or aquatic macroinvertebrates.
Not huge and scary, but big enough that you can see them without a microscope. OK,
let’s say it all again. You guys shout it back to me: “What does aquatic mean?”
“What does macro mean?” etc.
Now these aquatic macroinvertebrates (or big water bugs) need special body parts or
“adaptations” to survive and live underwater. Ok, everybody, close your eyes and
think real hard about what it takes to be a bug and specifically what a bug would need
to live underwater. When you have an idea, open your eyes and raise your hand.
Most students will come up with six legs, lots of eyes, antennae, and even gills. You
can prompt them and give them clues using the table that follows. You can also
prompt them by showing them the prop and having them guess. Here are a couple of
examples:
•
•
How do you think bugs breathe underwater? If they have a hard time, ask
“how do fish breathe?”
What is this straw for? Breathing. Yes. A mosquito larva lives in ponds and
uses a breathing tube to get oxygen from the surface air.
DEFINITIONS
Adaptation: The modification, over time, of the structure, function, or behavior of an
organism, which enables it to be more suited to its environment.
Aquatic: Relating to or consisting of or being in water.
Dissolved oxygen: Oxygen dissolved in water and available for living organisms to use
for respiration.
Emergent vegetation: Plants rooted underwater, but with their tops extending above the
water.
Macroinvertebrate: Organisms that lack a backbone and can be seen with the naked
eye.
USU Water Quality Extension
www.extension.usu.edu/waterquality
PICTURES OF AQUATIC MACROINVERTEBRATES AND ADAPTATIONS
The Stonefly nymph has claws
for capturing prey and holding
on tight to rocky substrates.
The Stonefly nymph has gills in
its “armpits” for breathing
dissolved oxygen in fast flowing
streams.
The Mayfly nymph has hooks
for holding on tight to rocky
substrates.
The Mayfly nymph has gills on
its abdomen for breathing
dissolved oxygen in fast flowing
streams.
USU Water Quality Extension
www.extension.usu.edu/waterquality
The Blackfly larva has a net on its
head for collecting food.
The Cranefly larva has tiny hairs and suction
cups along its body so it can hold on to rocks
and hard substrates in fast flowing water.
USU Water Quality Extension
www.extension.usu.edu/waterquality
The Water boatman has paddlelike legs for swimming in slow
moving water.
The Dragonfly nymph has claws
on its legs for capturing prey and
for climbing emergent vegetation.
EXTENSIONS: Follow this activity with:
y Macroinvertebrate Mix and Match
y Macroinvertebrate Simon Says
y Macroinvertebrate Research
USU Water Quality Extension
www.extension.usu.edu/waterquality