The Amazing Animal Quiz

THE FORGOTTEN ANIMALS QUIZ

Introduction. Insects and their relatives (Arthropods) are some of the most amazing animals that inhabit our world, yet most of us rarely give them credit for their incredible abilities. The "Amazing Animal Quiz" can help you and your students "tune in" to the incredible world of arthropods and open their eyes and minds to learning more about them. Hopefully after students complete this exercise they will have a better appreciation for the amazing abilities of arthropods.

Getting started. This quiz is really quite simple and makes a great introduction to a unit on insects and other arthropods. Before starting, have students number a piece of paper from 1 to 25 down the left hand side. Tell the students that you are going to read a series of statements that describe animal activities (don't bias them by mentioning insects or arthropods at this time) and that you want them to right down the name of any one animal that they can think of that fits the description you have given.

NAME AN ANIMAL THAT...

...raids the garbage
...is cold blooded
...hides from other animals by using camouflage
...changes shape as it grows
...is poisonous and covered with scales
...lives in the ground
...is capable of flying
...attacks and devours (eats) other animals
...migrates long distances
...gathers and stores food
...sings to attract a mate
...hibernates as an adult
...eats wood
...lives longer than 40 years
...is striped
...lives on another animal
...spends part of its life cycle in the water
...drinks nectar from flowers
...lays eggs
...has big back legs and is a good hopper
...catches their prey with traps
...is active mostly at night
...is brightly colored
...is covered with hairs
...gives off a foul odor

Scoring the quiz. After administering the quiz, have the students score themselves in the following manner: 1 point for each mammal named, 3 points for each bird, reptile, amphibian, or fish named, and 5 points for each arthropod (insect, spider, etc.) named. As you can see, in this exercise you get more points when you answer with arthropod names.

A few of the possible arthropod (insect/spider) answers are:

fly/maggot, carrion beetle
any insect or other arthropod
walkingstick, underwing moth, crab spider
any insect or other arthropod
monarch butterfly
ant, yellowjacket, white grub/beetle
fly, bee, wasp, ant, moth, butterfly, beetle, bug, grasshopper, agonfly, mayfly, caddisfly - in fact, most adult insects!
praying mantis, ladybird beetle, aphidlion, wolf spider, tarantula, centipede
monarch butterfly, painted lady butterfly, green darner dragonfly, leafhopper
ant, honey bee
cicada, cricket, katydid
morning cloak butterfly, ladybird beetles
termite, wood-boring beetle (not ants!)
queen termite
bee, monarch (caterpillar), swallowtail (caterpillar), beetle
louse, flea, tick
dragonfly, damselfly, mosquito, stonefly, mayfly, caddisfly
butterfly, moth, bee, fly
any insect or other arthropod (except a few aphids and roaches)
grasshopper, cricket, leafhopper, flea, flea beetle
antlion, spider
moth, most beetle
many butterflies and beetles
mosquito, caddisfly, and many caterpillars
stink bug, bombardier beetle, black swallowtail caterpillar

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This educational resource was prepared by the Young Entomologists Society, 6907 West Grand River Ave., Lansing MI 48906-9131, phone/fax 517-886-0630, e-mail YESbugs@aol.com. Support minibeast youth education - join Y.E.S. today!