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Learn about 10 underground animals; their classifications, habitats, food, and more. This 42 page print and use unit study is a child-directed unit study for intermediate readers that requires no parental prep time. Adaptable for younger grades or beginning readers. Includes D'Nealian-style writing practice and animal report forms.
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UNDERGROUND
CRITTERS
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Table of Contents
Pillbug 3
Earwig 6
Centipede 9
Millipede 12
Mole Cricket 16
Wolf Spider 19
Ant 24
Earthworm 29
Mole 34
Shrew 38
It is recommended that you provide classification charts to go along with these lessons in order to visually demonstrate the classification of animals. For free animal classification charts send a blank email with 'Animal Classification Chart' in the subject line to [email protected].
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Pillbug
What is the name of this arthropod?
• Pill Bug? • Roly-poly? • Armadillo Bug?• Ball Bug?• Potato Bug? • Sow Bug?
• Wood Louse? • Doodle Bug? • Slater? • Gribble? • Isopod?
The pillbug is more afraid of you than you are of it. If it is threatened, it will simply roll up into a ball to protect itself with its hard exoskeleton. For this reason, it is sometimes called a roly-poly. The closely related sowbug, on the other hand, just runs away - a sowbug does not roll into a ball.
Sowbugs are oval with a flattened body. They are wingless, brown or gray, with seven pairs of legs and overlapping "armored" plates that make them look like little armadillos. Sowbugs have two tail-like appendages on the rear end. Pillbugs are similar, except they don't have these appendages and can roll up into a tight ball.
Pillbugs are found in damp, dark places, such as under rocks and logs. Pillbugs are nocturnal and are herbivores (plant eaters). They eat decaying wood, leaves, and other vegetation. Because they eat rotting plants, they are usually helpful insects but they can be pests to seedlings or crops. Pillbug predators include birds, frogs, toads, snakes, lizards, and some small mammals.
Pillbugs and sowbugs are not insects at all. Instead, they are arthropods like crabs and lobsters. Arthropods are a group of animals that have a hard exoskeleton, jointed legs, and a segmented body. Arthropods are invertebrates, so they have no backbone. Most animals that live on land use lungs to breathe. Pillbugs have no lungs. They have gills, like fish! If they get too dry, they will die.
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Appearance:(color, size, shape; males/females different?; how does the appearance act as camouflage
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Food:(kind of food, where it finds food)
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Habitat:(where does it live - forest, near river, etc.; type of home - size, shape, color, locations; other plants and animals that live there)
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Enemies:(who are the enemies; how does this animal protect itself?)
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Other Interesting Facts:
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Is this animal a/an:
Carnivore Herbivore Omnivore
Is this animal a vertebrate or an invertebrate? To which Phyla does it belong?
Invertebrate Vertebrate
Annelid Amphibian
Arthropod Bird
Cnidarian Fish
Echinoderm Mammal
Mollusk Reptile
Porifera
Other ____________________
Is this animal:
Diurnal Nocturnal
Is this animal beneficial or destructive?
Helpful Harmful
Mostly Helpful Mostly Harmful
Draw a picture of this animal in its environment.
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PillbugTrace the word that names the picture.
Pillbug Pillbug Sowbug Sowbug
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Pillbugs like: dry, sunny places damp, dark places
on warm rocks and logs under logs and rocks
Pillbugs are: carnivores herbivores omnivores
meat eaters plant eaters meat & plant eaters
Pillbugs are: nocturnal diurnal
active at night active during the day
