RIC-0399 Minibeasts

©R.I.C. Publications 

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RIC-0399 4.1/513 

Published by R.I.C. Publications

F oreword 

Minibeasts are all around us! The species have existed on the 

Earth for millions of years. This is a fascinating theme that will 

capture the interest and imaginations of the children in your class. 

Minibeasts lends itself to an across-the-curriculum theme. It enables teachers to 

integrate learning tasks from all subject areas and hence promote a more extensive 

knowledge of the topic to students. Providing living examples of the kinds of creatures 

children will be learning about will enable teachers to program many hands-on, sciencebased 

activities. In this blackline master set, minibeasts include insects, arachnids, worms 

and some crustaceans - the types of animals that are suitable to keep in a classroom 

environment. This theme package provides teachers with resources to focus learning and 

ideas to instill further extension of the topic within your class. 

Enjoy teaching the world of Minibeasts! 

Contents 

Theme Ideas .................................................... ii 

Clip Art ............................................................ iii 

Contract.......................................................... iv 

Student Record Sheet................................. v 

Cover Page....................................................... vi 

Language 

Identifying Minibeasts...................................1 

Did You Know? ................................................ 2 

What Am I? ..................................................... 3 

Adjectives and Verbs ................................... 4 

Compound Words and Homonyms ........... 5 

Minibeast Word Puzzle................................. 6 

Describe a Minibeast ....................................7 

Creature Crosspatch................................... 8 

Legend of Arachne........................................ 9 

Phobias and Endangered Species ..........10 

An Ant Colony................................................ 11 

Amazing Arachnids ..................................... 12 

Life Cycles - 1 and 2 ............................13 - 14 

Biology International - 1 and 2........ 15 - 16 

Minibeast Acrostic Poems ........................ 17 

Butterfly Discovery .....................................18 

An Unsolved Mystery .................................19 

Ugly Bug Invitation .................................... 20 

Make a Minibeast ........................................ 21 

Minibeast Matching Game ...................... 22 

Mathematics 

Measuring Minibeasts...............................23 

Pick the Pattern ..........................................24 

Minibeast Maths Puzzlers ....................... 25 

Symmetry .................................................... 26 

Science 

Minibeast Classification........................... 27 

Minibeast Observation ............................. 28 

Minibeasts Up Close ..................................29 

Investigating Snails .................................. 30 

Health 



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Spider Alert! - First Aid ............................ 31 

Studies of Society and the Environment 

Where in the World?....................................32 

Project - Minibeasts ................................. 33 

Answers........................................................ 34 

R.I.C. Publications - Minibeasts 

www.ricgroup.com.au 

i

T heme Ideas 

• Ants, snails, silkworms, earthworms 

and mealworms are all suitable to 

keep in the classroom for 

observation. 

• Write a fictional story titled… 

'Trapped in the land of the 

Minibeasts.' 

• Organise a visit to the zoo or museum 

to see the insect displays. 

• Write a daily diary to record 

observations of the minibeasts being 

kept in the classroom. 

• Make a 'Did you know?' big book for 

children to read in class. Include 

unusual pieces of information that 

children find in books. 

• Create a class wall 

mural with as many 

different minibeasts as 

possible. 

• Find out about the types of minibeasts 

that live in the desert, the rainforest 

and the water. 

• Make minibeast bookmarks showing the 

children's favourite creatures. 

• Study 

minibeasts 

that use 

camouflage as 

a form of 

defence. 



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• Compile a list of the ways 

insects have helped humans 

and the environment. 

• Set up a 'Minibeast of the Week' 

display - examples/books; collect 

information and pictures; 

children can record interesting 

facts on shaped cards. 

• At the conclusion of the topic, 

hold a 'Minibeast Quiz Day'. 

Think of interesting minibeast 

prizes. 

• Drama - move like different 

minibeasts; demonstrate a 

butterfly's life cycle; attack 

predators. 

• Make a minibeast jigsaw. 

Give it to a friend to solve. 


ISBN 978-1-86311-498-1 


ii

C lip Art 



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iii

C ontract 

When I have filled the leaves with ladybugs, my reward will be… 

1. 

2. 

3. 

To earn a ladybug, I must: 



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iv

Page 

R ecord Sheet 

Page 

Title 

1 Identifying Minibeasts 

2 Did You Know? 

3 What Am I? 

4 Adjectives and Verbs 

5 Compound Words and Homonyms 

6 Minibeast Word Puzzle 

7 Describe a Minibeast 

8 Creature Crosspatch 

9 Legend of Arachne 

10 

Phobias and Endangered Species 

11 

An 

Ant Colony - Cloze 

12 

Amazing 

Arachnids - Cloze 

13/14 

Life 

Cycles 1 & 2 - 

Comprehension 

15/16 

Biology 

International 1 & 2 - 

17 

Minibeast Acrostic Poems 

18 

Butterfly Discovery 

19 

An Unsolved Mystery 

20 

Ugly Bug Invitation 

21 

Make 

a Minibeast - Procedure 

Comprehension 

22 

Minibeast 

Matching Game - Oral Language 

23 

Measuring Minibeasts 

24 

Pick the Pattern 

25 

Minibeast Maths Puzzlers 

26 

Symmetry 

27 

Minibeast Classification 

28 

Minibeast Observation 

29 

Minibeasts Up Close 

30 

Investigating Snails 

31 

Spider Alert! - First Aid 

32 

Where in the World? 

33 

Project - Minibeasts 

Complete 

Comment 



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v

I would like to learn the following things about minibeasts… 



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I dentifying Minibeasts 

Not all minibeasts or creepy-crawly things are insects. 

Find the definition of an 'insect' in the dictionary. 

Are spiders insects? 

Are snails insects? 

Brainstorm all the insects and other minibeasts you can think of, then 

share ideas with your classmates and add to your list. 

Look in books to find illustrations and information about various minibeasts. 

Choose four and draw them. 

1 . 

2 . 

3 . 

4. 



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Write their names onto the semantic grid and complete the chart. 

Name 

Number 

Legs 

of 

Number of 

body parts. 

Is it an 

insect? 

Does it 

have wings? 

Lives above or 

below ground. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

R.I.C. Publications - Minibeasts www.ricgroup.com.au 

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D id You Know? 

Use these words to fill in the missing spaces and learn some interesting 

facts about minibeasts. 

sleep, grow, mouths, wings, Australia, 

diseases, antennae, horned, individual, hive, sand, nocturnal 

Millipedes rely on their 

to feel where they are going. 

Earwigs curl up in groups to 

3 

for the winter. 

They hunt at night. 

There are three kinds of 

honeybees that live together 

7 

in a 

- the 

queen, drone (male) and 

worker bees. 

Mosquitoes are a type of fly 

which live and breed in warm, wet 

places. They can carry 

like malaria and Ross River Virus. 

9 

2 

Three types of fly found in 

bush fly and house fly. 

Scorpions are 

An earthworm can 

up to 30 cm long. 

Short- 11 

grasshoppers are also called locusts. 

Dragonflies have two large 'compound' eyes 

that are each made up of thousands of tiny 

eyes. This allows them to see in all 

directions. 

5 

animals. 

10 

Beetles use their 

4 

are the fruit fly, 

in a biting action and bugs 

have mouths like needles. 



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Two differences 

between moths and 

butterflies are: 

1. Butterflies fly during the day, moths usually fly at night. 

2. A moth rests with its 

8 

open, 

but a butterfly rests with its wings closed. 

The ant-lion lives in 

1 

12 

and makes traps for 

ants to fall into. 

6 


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W hat Am I? 

1. 

Read the clues to identify the mystery minibeasts. Draw a detailed picture 

of each. 

4. 

2. 

3. 

I am a type of beetle. 

My bright colours warn enemies to stay away. 

If I am attacked, I ooze vile-tasting, sticky, 

yellow blood from my knees. 

I am red with black spots. 

I am a 

I am usually 3 to 4 cm long. 

My first pair of legs are fangs. 

Some of my kind have up to 125 pairs of legs. 

My body is made up of many segments. 

I am a 

5. 

6. 

I have a poisonous bite, but it is not always 

dangerous to people. 

I get rid of insect pests in peoples' homes. 

I have more than six legs. 

I am a 

I am a wingless insect. 

I have large hind legs for jumping. 

I live on other animals. 

I am a nuisance to pets. 

I am a 



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I catch prey with my long, powerful front legs. 

I have a slender body that looks like part of a 

leaf. 

When I rest, I look like I am praying. 

I lay thousands of eggs in my lifetime. 

I can use my sting many times over. 

I am the leader of a group called a swarm. 

I am a 

I am a 

Choose two different minibeasts and write your own 'What am I?' puzzles. 

Ask your friends to try and identify your mystery creatures. 

(Remember to write the easiest clue last!) 


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A djectives and Verbs 

Adjectives are describing words; for example, tiny and smooth. 

Write adjectives that describe these minibeasts. 

beetle butterfly worm spider 

1. 

Add adjectives to complete this string writing activity. 

Moths, moths, moths 

Moths, moths, moths 

Ants, ants, ants 

, , moths , , ants 

, , moths , , ants 

Read your string poem to the class. 

Ants, ants, ants 

Verbs are action or doing words; for example, run and hear. 

Think of doing words that describe the actions of different minibeasts. 

List them here. 

Put three of these verbs into sentences about a minibeast. 



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2. 

3. 

Underline the verbs in the sentence below. 

Most insects live on or near plants. Plants give them 

food and shelter. Some insects even look similar to 

parts of a plant. Others can change their appearance 

to match their surroundings. They use camouflage to 

protect themselves from predators. 

Challenge - These words describe groups of animals. 

A colony of ants, a swarm of bees and a plague of 

locusts. Can you think of any others? 

Colour this moth so it 

looks like the tree bark. 


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C ompound Words and Homonyms 

Join two small words together to form compound words. 

(They are all names of minibeasts.) 

Put them into alphabetical order. 

lady 

hopper 

bed 

wood 

fire 

bird 

fly 

lace 

bug 

fish 

lice 

wing 

wig 

silver 

grass 

ear 

Compound 

Words 

1 . 

1. 

2 . 

2. 

3 . 

3. 

4 . 

4. 

5 . 

5. 

6 . 

6. 

7 . 

7. 

8 . 

8. 

Alphabetical Order 

Homonyms are words that sound the same but are spelt differently 

and have different meanings. 

Choose the correct homonym for each sentence. 

1. The ants disappeared into a . 

2. The caterpillar had spiky tufts of on 

its colourful body. 

3. A bee lands on each bright in search 

of pollen. 

4. In many spider species, the spiders 

are much smaller than the females. 

5. A centipede is a carnivore or -eater. 

6. Some creatures catch their in traps. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

Put four of the homonyms you didn't use into sentences. 

(Remember capital letters and full stops.) 

meat 

meet 


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hare 

hole 

pray 

flower 

mail 

hair 

whole 



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prey 

flour 

male

M inibeast Word Puzzle 

Use the clues to find the answer in these word puzzles. 

(A= across, D= down) 

1 . 

3. 

1 . 

3. 

1 . 

3. 

1A live in a hive 1A Flat is one type 1A A jumping insect 

1D A variety of fly 

1D Has a sting in its tail 1D Used to bite 

Beetles have four 2A Silverfish on the s 2A Earthworms tunnel in 

s 

of a book 

A snail with no shell 3D Wriggle, walk, hop 3D Ladybirds eat s 

Unjumble these minibeast words. (Some are creature names, others are body 

parts.) Locate them in the word sleuth. 

2A 

3D 

2. 

eey wotheramr eetbel 

gle nlais shilvfersi 

ateannn 

2. 

tekccri 

eeb hpida cacadi 

orniopsc 

lyf 

angfs 

ahed 

wja 

gbu 

ouhmt 

dombena 

nioatnl 

pdeellmii 

ngwi 



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A A A A E Y E A A A 

A A D R A G O N F L Y A A A 

A A H T U O M R O W H T R A E A 

A N T E N N A B D O M E N A A A 

S E T B E E H S I F R E V L I S A 

L N L I A N S C O R P I O N F L Y 

Z R I M I L L I P E D E G N I T S 

A O O A D A C I C R I C K E T W A 

A H N H O R N E T T E L T E E B A 

A A A P H I D G E L F A N G S A A 

A A H E A D W I N G U B A A A 

A A J A W L A A A A A A 


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2. 

thorne 

noragfydl

D escribe a Minibeast 

Write brief descriptions and interesting facts about a minibeast that... 

…lives underground. 

Name: 

…is poisonous (to humans). 

Name: 

Description: 

Description: 

…can fly (to search for food). 

Name: 

Description: 



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…lays eggs (on a plant). 

Name: 

Description: 


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C reature Crosspatch 

Write these creatures names on the grid according to the number of letters 

in their names. 

wasp, slater, tick, mosquito, lice, caterpillar, flea, locust, cockroach, 

spider, slug, silkworm, grasshopper, moth, centipede, earwig, mite, glowworm, beetle 

4 letters 6 letters 8 letters 9 letters 

11 letters 

Now place the names onto the crosspatch so they all fit together. All words 

go down or across (ie. not backwards). 



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L egend of Arachne 

The scientific name for the group of creatures that spiders 

belong to is 'Arachnida' - spiders are one type of arachnid. The 

ancient Greek name for spider is 'arachne'. 

The name Arachnida originates from an ancient Greek legend. 

Read the Greek legend. 

Once there was a young girl named Arachne. She was very clever at spinning and 

weaving beautiful tapestries. She told the people in her village that she was 

better at spinning than the goddess, Athena. So Athena challenged Arachne to 

a contest. When Athena saw Arachne's beautiful work, she became very angry. 

She ripped the cloth and beat the girl. Arachne was disgraced and hanged 

herself. Athena felt so guilty that she sprinkled magic dust on the girl's body 

and changed her into a spider so she could spin for ever and ever. 

Choose three important events from the story and illustrate them. 



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These minibeasts also have names associated with Greek mythology. Find 

out about these creatures famous namesakes. 

1. Hercules - beetle 

2. Ulysses - butterfly 


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P hobias and Endangered Species 

A phobia is an intense, irrational fear of certain things or situations. 

For example, 'arachnophobia' is a fear of spiders. 

Find out what people with these phobias fear. 

1. acrophobia 2. agoraphobia 

3. claustrophobia 4. cynophobia 

5. bacteriophobia 6. haemophobia 

How do you think you could help somebody overcome a fear of spiders? 

Most small creatures do not need to be feared, as they are not harmful to man and those 

which are, often only become so when provoked. There are many minibeasts which actually 

help humans and the environment. Can you think of some? We should value all living things 

and ensure they will always be part of our world. Did you know that even though arthropods 

are the most successful group of animals to have evolved on Earth, some species today 

are listed as rare or endangered? 

The large Homerus Swallowtail Butterfly, found 

only in Jamaica, is now an endangered species 

because it is so popular with butterfly collectors. 

Other animals' survival can be dependant on 

changes to its environment - if their food supply 

decreases or living conditions are altered, their 

numbers can decline. 

Design two badges that show your favourite insects. Keep one and give the 

other to a friend in another class. 

Have a special 'Insect 

Awareness Day' - wear 

your badge and visit 

other classes to 

explain the 

importance of insects 

in our world. 

I Love 

In s e cts 

Spiders 

H e 

lp 

U s 



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Sw a 

Save the 

llo w ta 

Find out about other endangered species. 

il 

• Cut out and glue your design onto 

a cardboard circle and attach a 

pin. 


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A n Ant Colony 

larvae store 

Read the following passage and put in the missing words. 

food, build, thousand, work, nest, ant, bigger, groups, eggs, Inside, die, rooms, lays 

Ants live in large 

can be several 

underground. 

of 

like a mound above the ground; others 

called colonies. They build their own homes - there 

ants in one nest. Some ants build a 

each nest are many tunnels and little 

their home 

called chambers. Each chamber has a different purpose. Three types 

live in the nest and they all have different jobs to do. 

1. The queen ant is than the other ants in the nest. She 

eggs. 

2. Male ants do not in the nest. They mate with the queen and then 

. 

Worker ants build and guard the nest, gather 

look after the 

rubbish 

Queen in egg room 

, larvae and pupae. 

food store 

tunnelling 

, keep the nest clean and 

Find and observe ants in their natural environment. 

Can you work out where the ants are coming from and going to? 

Can you locate the entry to an ants' nest? 

How do the ants follow a trail? 

Are the ants carrying anything? 

What happens if you drop a few grains of sugar in the ants' path? 

See if you can find the answers to these questions to discuss when you 

return to your class. Write a brief recount of the experience. 


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cocoons 



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A mazing Arachnids 

Use the topic words to complete the comprehension activity. 

trap, divided, living, million, grow, carry, victim, glands, live, eight, types 

carry, new, people, larger, backbone, little, back, sting, pincers, host 

Arachnids are a large group of animals that belong to the Arthropod (means joint-legged) 

family. The group includes spiders, scorpions, ticks and mites. They have 

legs and a hard external skeleton which cannot 

ones as they get bigger. Their bodies are 

parts; the head and thorax (which are joined together) and the abdomen. 

abdomen 

There are many different 

have several eyes but can see 

. So they moult and form 

into two 

of spiders. Spiders 

. They make silk in 

at the back of the abdomen. They use the silk 

in different ways, but mainly to make webs to 

their prey. Spiders eat insects and other small invertebrates 

(animals with no 

poisonous bite which can kill or paralyse their 

the juices out of the insect. Most spiders lay eggs. They help 

because they eat flies and other insect pests. 

Scorpions have lived on Earth for as long as 45 

years. Most species are not dangerous to people - they rarely 

attack, but can give a 

if threatened. They hunt for 

food (insects and spiders) at night and catch their prey with two 

large 

four legs on each side of body 

.) They have a 

. The spider then sucks 

. Scorpions use the sting in their tails, if the insect fights. 

Scorpions give birth to young, which are carried on their mother's . 

Ticks and Mites are very similar, but mites are 

less than 1 mm long! Most of them, are parasites (they live on or in other 

Ticks and mites can 

head 

and 

thorax 



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. Even so, mites are 

things). They use their mouths (like a beak with teeth) to hold onto 

animals and plants. Then they suck blood or other body fluids from the victim. 

diseases which affect humans. 


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L ife Cycles - 1 

An animal's life cycle is the way it changes and grows from an egg to an adult. 

Insects like dragonflies and grasshoppers have a life cycle with three stages. Other 

insects, including butterflies, wasps, bees and ants, have life cycles with four stages. 

3. adult 

Dragonfly 

Butterfly 

- 3 stage life cycle - - 4 stage life cycle - 

1. eggs 

2. nymphs 

(larvae) 

1. The female dragonfly lays the eggs. 

She drops them onto the surface of a 

body of water or attaches them to a 

plant. 

2. The eggs hatch into young dragonflies 

called 'nymphs'. They live in the water 

and as they grow, they shed their skin 

many times. 

3. After a year or more, the nymphs climb 

out of the water and shed their skin 

for the last time. They will have 

developed wings and become adult 

dragonflies. 

4. adult 

3. pupa (chrysalis) 

2. caterpillar 

(larvae) 

1. The female butterfly lays eggs on a 

plant, which will be food for the young 

when they hatch. 

2. From the eggs, hatch larvae called 

caterpillars. The hungry caterpillars 

eat the empty egg shells. 

3. The caterpillars find a place to rest 

and then spin a cocoon made from silk. 

It then becomes a pupa or chrysalis. 

Inside the cocoon, the pupae grow and 

change into insects. 

4. When the case opens, a butterfly 

emerges. 

1. eggs 



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L ife Cycles - 2 

Read the article and answer the following questions. 

1. Write 'fact' or 'fiction' next to each statement using information from the text. 

a Inside each cocoon, a nymph grows and changes. 

b Some female dragonflies lay eggs on the surface of a pond or stream. 

c Caterpillars shed their skin to become a pupa. 

2. Larvae are young animals that hatch from eggs. True / False 

3. Pupae spin cases called cocoons around themselves. True / False 

4. Write a word with a similar meaning from the article. 

a moult 

c named 

5. Why would a butterfly lay its eggs on a leaf? 

6. Why do dragonfly nymphs shed their skin? 

7. a What is a 'life cycle'? 

b Why do you think it is called a cycle? 

b top 

d steps 



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8. Name two insects (other than a butterfly) with a four 

stage life cycle. 

9. A grasshopper's life cycle has three stages. Do you think that (like dragonflies), 

grasshopper nymphs would live in the water? Yes / No 

Why? Why Not? 

10. On the back of this page write words that describe how you would feel if you were a 

butterfly coming out of a cocoon. 


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B iology International - 1 

- An Introduction to Beetles - 

June Issue 197 

Beetles, like all insects, have 

three main body parts - the 

head, the thorax and the 

abdomen. Its body is 

protected by a hard, often 

shiny covering like armour. 

This hard case is one form 

of defence against enemies. 

On the head are antennae 

and palps, which are used 

for smelling and feeling, two 

eyes and its jaws. The 

thorax contains the muscles 

which control the beetle's 

three pairs of legs and two 

pairs of wings. Almost all 

Diagram of a beetle 

beetles can fly. The beetle's 

front wings are folded back 

over the rear wings, which 

are used to fly. The abdomen 

contains the insect's 

digestive, respiratory and 

reproductive systems. The 

beetle breathes through 

airholes in the sides of its 

abdomen. 

Many ground beetles are 

rarely seen because they 

come out at night to hunt. 

There are several kinds of 

beetles which can live 

underwater. Some beetles 

are helpful to man because 

they help keep the number 

of pests down. Others can 

be a nuisance as they 

damage trees and plants. 

Most beetles are 

vegetarians; many are 

scavengers (they feed on 

what other animals have 

left behind). Some beetles 

produce chemicals that are 

foul smelling or tasting, or 

actually harm the attacker 

as another form of defence. 



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Label this diagram. 

abdomen, antennae, compound eye, front leg, front wing, 

head, hind leg, jaws, middle leg, rear wing, thorax 


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B iology International - 2 

Read the excerpt 'An Introduction to Beetles' from the well-known Biology 

International Scientific Journal. Use the information to complete this 

comprehension activity. (Write full sentences where appropriate.) 

1. Underline the correct answer. 

a A beetle raises its front wings… i to frighten its enemies. 

ii to uncover its abdomen. 

iii when it wants to fly. 

b Palps are… i situated behind the beetles eyes. 

ii feelers used to handle and taste food. 

iii the same as antennae. 

c All insects have… i 

ii 

iii 

2. Beetles have four wings. True / False 

less than ten body parts. 

at least two body parts. 

three distinct body parts. 

3. A beetle breathes through holes in the sides of its thorax. True / False 

4. Why does a beetle's body have a hard covering? 

5. Where are the muscles that control wing movement situated? 



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6. How do some beetles protect themselves from attackers? 

7. Are all beetles helpful to man? Yes /No 

Why? / Why not? 

8. Most beetles have compound eyes which contain many lenses and enable them to see 

in all directions. 

Why would this be an advantage? 

9. Use your dictionary to find meanings for these and write them on the back of this page. 

pincers nuisance defence 


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S 

P 

I 

D 

E 

R 

W 

O 

R 

M 

M inibeast Acrostic Poems 

Here is an acrostic poem about a snail. 

S lippery, slimy, sliding creature 

N ear the gate in my garden 

A ll curled up if I touch your horns 

I nside your shell you hide until 

L ike day, you slowly reappear 

Each line begins with a letter from the subject word. 

Try writing your own acrostic poems about these minibeasts. It may be 

helpful to brainstorm topic words first - this will provide more ideas when 

writing your poems. 

M 

O 

T 

H 



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Share your poems with children in your class and other classes. 

Choose your favourite poem and present it on card, the same shape as the 

minibeast you have written about. Make a class or library display. 


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B utterfly Discovery 

You are a biologist studying rare species of exotic 

butterflies in the tropical rainforests of Brazil. This week you 

made an amazing discovery - a new butterfly species, never 

seen before! 

Write a postcard to a friend or family member describing what 

has happened (how you discovered the butterfly) and your 

excitement at being the one to make the discovery. 

recipient's name 

Draw a scene 

showing 

some of the 

other 

beautiful 

butterflies 

living in the 

rainforest. 

date 

draw your butterfly 

name 

address 



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design a stamp 

sender's name 


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A n Unsolved Mystery 

I am in year five at North Boyden Primary School. My class is learning about bugs. 

My friend, Pete, thinks it is a really cool topic because we get to keep all these creepycrawly 

things in containers around our classroom. Some of the kids think they are 

DISGUSTING! One boy, called Ben, loves trying to kill bugs. He told everyone that he eats 

snails and worms in his garden and pulls legs off 

spiders. We always say 'Err, gross!' Yesterday 

something happened that no-one would have ever 

expected. I think our school should be on one 

of those TV shows about unsolved 

mysteries! 

Use the story to answer these questions. 

1. Why do you think the giant bug was after Ben? 

We'd just come back in from 

lunch and were about to start a 

science lesson. Suddenly, the door 

was flung open and Ben burst into 

the room. He looked like a wild 

man! He was really pale and his 

eyes were nearly popping out! He 

was trying to catch his breath 

and talk at the same time. 

'Giant........bugs........trying......to 

get me!' he stammered. Everyone 

was silent. Then we saw it, an 

enormous green claw reaching through the 

doorway... 



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2. What do you think about people who kill small creatures. 

This is only the beginning of the recount. The scene has been set, but what 

happens next? How does the story unwind and end? Put yourself in the 

writer's place and imagine you are sitting in this classroom. 

Now finish the mysterious tale! (Keep writing on the back of this sheet.) 


19 

ISBN 978-1-86311-498-1

on 

at 

Dress 

U gly Bug Invitation 

Plan a class Ugly Bug Party. Discuss the up-coming 

event and all the arrangements with your teacher. You 

could hold a special dress-up day at school: 

• make and wear ugly bug masks; 

• have an ugly bug feast; and 

• play ugly bug games. 

You will need to bring: 

RSVP by 

to 

invites 

The Ugly Bug Masquerade 

(date) 

to… 

from 

Party… 

to 

(address) 

(event) 

(date) 

(sender) 

(time) 

(place) 



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Draw one of your friends in their ugly 

bug costume and write what you most 

enjoyed about the party. 


20 

ISBN 978-1-86311-498-1

M ake a Minibeast 

You are going to make a model of a minibeast. Work in small groups. 

Follow these instructions: 

1. To make the dough - mix 3 cups of flour and 2 cups of salt in a large bowl. Add 1 cup 

of water and stir with a fork until a soft dough is formed. Sprinkle with flour and 

knead the mixture. (Add more water if the dough is dry.) 

2. Use the dough to make a minibeast model. Roll the dough and cut off a piece to make 

the body. Use a little water to attach body parts. 

3. Put foil on a baking tray and place your model on top. Cook your 

minibeast in the oven for about an hour (longer for larger creatures). 

Let it cool. Paint your model. 

Now record the activity on this 'Procedure' framework. 

Aim (What you want to achieve) 

Requirements (What is needed) 

Method (What is to be done) 

Procedure 



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Evaluation (Was the goal achieved? 

What was the result?) 

My minibeast model. 

R.I.C. Publications - Minibeasts ISBN 978-1-86311-498-1 www.ricgroup.com.au 

21

M inibeast Matching Game 

• This barrier game is played with a partner. 

• Each child is given a copy of the set of cards to cut out. 

• A barrier is placed between the players. 

• Child One chooses one card. 

• Child Two must identify the card from their own set by listening as Child One describes 

those characteristics their chosen minibeast does not have; for example, it does not 

have patterned wings. It does not have antennae. 

• Child Two checks their cards and removes those cards which match the criteria given. 

• When only one card remains, Child Two reveals their card to see if it matches that 

originally selected by Child One. 

• Reverse roles and play again. 



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22

M easuring Minibeasts 

Measure the length of these minibeasts to the nearest 0.5 cm. 

2. 

1. 

4. 

6. 

What is the average of these six measurements? 

+ + + + + = (total) 

Convert these measurements. 

mm 

896 

cm 

54 

257.3 

5. 

(total) ÷ 6 = 

m 

1.32 

(average) 

cm 

m km 

1 854 

4 150 

73.6 

0.92 

Complete these decimal addition sums. Colour a beetle for each correct 

answer. 



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1. 0 . 3 2 2. 4 . 7 7 3. 3 . 8 2 4. 5 . 5 9 5. 4 . 8 8 

5 . 1 6 2 . 9 0 0 . 6 7 1 . 0 3 5 . 4 9 

+ 9 . 5 8 + 9 . 6 4 + 8 . 9 1 + 7 . 4 2 + 2 . 0 2 

3. 

6. 1 2 . 9 6 7. 5 5 . 2 9 8. 1 3 5 . 6 3 

7 0 0 . 3 0 8 . 6 1 4 7 2 . 0 1 

+ 6 8 . 4 5 + 2 7 6 . 5 4 + 9 1 . 3 8 

Challenge - mark your answers and find the average using your calculator. 


23

P ick the Pattern 

Finish these patterns. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

Count by… 

1. 4's: 28 

2. 6's: 24 

3. 7's: 14 

Look at how the number has changed, then hop across these patterns. 

1. 

2. 

3. 

1 . 1 1 2 . 1 2 

9 9 . 9 8 9 . 9 

0 . 0 0 1 0 . 0 1 

Use the pattern clue to complete these. 

1. (+ 3) (x 2) 

1 



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2. (- 4) (x 3) 

7 

3. (÷ 2) 

128 

Create your own number patterns. Ask a friend to solve them. 

1. 

2. 


24

M inibeast Maths Puzzlers 

Can you solve these number problems about minibeasts? 

1. In the display case were five centipedes. Two had 15 pairs of legs. One had 16 pairs, 

one had 20 pairs and one had 22 pairs. 

a How many pairs of legs did the five centipedes have in total? 

b How many legs did the five centipedes have altogether? 

c What was the average number of legs? 

2. A grasshopper's egg hatched three weeks after being laid. The young grasshopper 

(nymph) grew for six weeks before being the size of an adult. The fully-grown adult 

lived for one year. 

a How many days did each stage of the life cycle last? 

egg nymph adult 

b The grasshopper's life cycle lasted for 

3. I measured the lengths of ten jumping spiders. 

5.25 mm, 4.15 mm, 5.55 mm, 4.55 mm, 4.00 mm, 

5.40 mm, 4.50 mm, 5.45 mm, 4.05 mm, 5.10 mm 

a Order the measurements from smallest to greatest. 

b What is the difference between the smallest and greatest lengths? 

weeks. 



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4. The longest earthworms are found in Africa. The researchers found six worms today. 

Worm A was 522 cm long. Worm B was 34 cm longer than A. Worm C was 15 cm 

longer than Worm B. Worm D was 28 cm longer than Worm C. Worm E was 16 cm 

longer than Worm D. Worm F was 47 cm longer than Worm E. 

a How long was each worm? 

A B C D E F 

b What was the difference in length between Worm A and Worm F? 

Challenge - Can you make a problem for a friend to solve? 


25

S ymmetry 

A symmetrical object is one that has two identical halves when it is cut down the middle. 

Complete these symmetrical minibeasts accurately and then colour. 

1. 

4. 

You have just drawn the missing half of each creature. 

A half is written like this 1 / 2 

(one part out of 2). 

Write or colour the correct fraction. 

What is half of… 

2. 

7 

10 

5 

6 

5. 



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3. 

6. 

8 

12 

1. 46 2. 190 3. 134 

What is double… 

1. 16 2. 55 

3. 69 4. 28 

5. 113 6. 252 

Colour each square in this intricate 

butterfly design to make it 

symmetrical. 


26

M inibeast Classification 

Sort these minibeasts into at least three different groups. 

Colour all the creatures that fit into one category the same. 

Change colours for each group. 

1. How many groups did you make? 

2. Explain the criteria you used for each category. 

Name and draw two minibeasts that would fit into each of these categories. 

six legs segmented body patterned wings 

Creatures with similar characteristics are classified as belonging to the same 'family'. 

Find the meanings of these animal family groups in your dictionary. Give 

two examples of minibeast that belong to each group. 

1. crustacea 



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2. myriapods 

3. molluscs 


27

M inibeast Observation 

Explore your garden at home to find different varieties of minibeasts. 

Draw each one and provide information through your observations. Look at 

this example. 

What 

Where 

When mid-afternoon 

Observed… crawling up the stem of the 

plant, then flew away 

Observed… 

What 

Where 

When 

What 

Where 

a ladybird 

on a large, leafy 

plant in my front 

garden 

Observed… 

Observed… 

What 

Where 

When 

What 

Where 

When 

What 



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Where 

When 

When 

Observed… 

Observed… 

Follow up this activity by collating the information with your classmates. 

Make a class bar graph to show the most commonly sighted insects in your 

area. 

1. Minibeast with highest number of sightings? 

2. Minibeast with lowest number of sightings? 


28

Insect: 

M inibeasts Up Close 

There are living creatures all around us! 

Look for minibeasts that are living in the environment around your school. 

Study them carefully - look at them with a magnifying glass. 

Draw detailed sketches of four minibeasts you find. 

Write descriptions of what they look like - include information such as size, 

shape, colour, covering and body parts. 

Description: 

Insect: 

Description: 

Insect: 

Description: 

Insect: 

Description: 



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Record the number of these minibeasts found by students in your class. 

(Use a tally ) 

ants 

beetles 

spiders 

bees 


29

I nvestigating Snails 

You can keep snails in a glass tank containing 

soil, rocks, wood, plants, water and decaying material. 

Investigate and answer the following questions about a snail's behaviour. 

First discuss the best ways to conduct the experiments with your teacher. 

What do snails like to eat? 

To find out, we… 

Results… 

How does a snail move? 


Results… 

Results… 

Where do snails stay in the daytime? 


Do snails like light or dark 

spaces? To find out, we… 

Do snails perfer to be hot or 

cold? To find out, we… 

Results… 

What makes a snail go into its shell? 


Results… 

Do snails like surroundings 

that are wet or dry? 


Results… 



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Results… 

Think of other questions about 

snails you would like answered. 

Research the subject at the library 

or conduct further experiments and 

share your findings with the class. 


30

S pider Alert! - First Aid 

In Australia, only two species of spider can 

seriously threaten a human life: 

1. the Funnel-Web Spider; and 

2. the Redback Spider. 

Many others can cause a reaction, but not death. 

Almost all spiders have fangs with poison, but not 

all varieties will make you sick. 

The best way to avoid being bitten is to leave 

spiders alone! 

Funnel-Web Spider 

160 km radius of Sydney 

Redback Spider 

To treat a funnel-web spider bite you should follow these steps (draw a 

picture for each stage). 

1. Apply a tight bandage to the limb. 2. Keep the limb still. Use any splint (any 

movement speeds the spread of venom). 

3. Arrange for the person to be taken to 

hospital. 

4. If possible, take the spider (in a jar) for 

positive identification by the doctor. 



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If someone is bitten by a redback spider, the person should be taken 

straight to a hospital. Bandages are unnecessary as the spider's venom 

works very slowly. The following treatment is appropriate: 

1. Put a plastic bag containing ice and water over the painful area. 

2. Take the person to be checked by a doctor immediately (take spider in a jar). 

Find out what antivenene is? 


31

W here in the World? 

Some minibeasts are only found in certain countries or parts of the world. 

This could be due to facts like climate, environment and food supply. 

Use an atlas to plot where these unusual minibeasts live on the world map. 

Record each animal's home using a different colour. 

N 

Scale at Equator 

0 1 000 2 000 3 000 km 

Key 

1. Huntsman Spider 2. Thread-waisted Wasp 3. Venus Swift Moth 

4. Atlas Moth 5. Giant Wetapunga 6. Robber Fly 



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7. South American 8. Madagascar Hissing 9. Queen Alexandra's 

Grasshopper Cockroach Birdwing 

1. 

2. 

3. 

Australia 

USA/Canada 

South Africa 

4. 

5. 

6. 

India New Zealand Kenya 

7. 

8. 

9. 

Peru 

Madagascar 

New Guinea 

Find pictures of these minibeasts in books and use the correct colours to 

colour them. 


32

Name: 

Report 

P roject - Minibeasts 

Due Date: 

Choose one minibeast you would like to find out more about. 

Write a detailed report and illustrate it. (Include information about living 

conditions, food, life cycle, special features etc.) 

You will need a 'Report' framework. 

Diorama 

Create a diorama in a cardboard box 

entitled 'A Minibeast Landscape'. 

You can use coloured paper, paint, 

cardboard, cellophane, egg cartons, 

pipecleaners, toothpicks and other recyclable 

materials to make the minibeasts and form the background environment. 

Your Opinion 

In 1935, cane toads were introduced to Northern Queensland, 

Australia to control the spread of cane beetles that were 

attacking sugar cane crops. The trial was not successful - the 

toads did not kill the beetles and have since become a serious 

pest themselves. Many insects, fish, amphibians and small 

birds that eat the cane toads are poisoned. (They have 

poisonous glands under their skin). Cane toad numbers continue to 

increase dramatically as they have no natural enemies. 

Find out 

1. What is your opinion on governments introducing animals to control other animal 

pests? 



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2. What other methods of eradication are used in this country? 

3. Which animals are seen as pests? 


33

A nswers 

Page 2 - Fill in the missing spaces 

1. individual 2. antennae 3. sleep 

4. Australia 5. nocturnal 6. mouths 

7. hive 8. wings 9. diseases 

10. grow 11. horned 12. sand 

Page 3 - Identify the mystery minibeasts 

1. ladybird 2. centipede 3. praying mantis 

4. spider 5. flea 6. queen bee 

Page 4 - Underline the verbs 

Most insects live on or near plants. Plants give them food and 

shelter. Some insects even look similar to parts of a plant. 

Others can change their appearance to match their surroundings. 

They use camouflage to protect themselves from predators. 

Page 5 - Compound words in alphabetical order 

1. bedbug 2. earwig 3. firefly 

4. grasshopper 5. lacewing 6. ladybird 

7. silverfish 8. woodlice 

- Correct homonyms 

1. hole 2. hair 3. flower 

4. male 5. meat 6. prey 

Page 6 - Use the clues 

1. b e e s 

l 

o 

l 

u 

w i n g 

2. w o r m 

a 

s 

o 

v 

p a g e 

3. f l e a 

a 

n 

g 

p 

h 

s a n d 

- Unjumble the minibeasts 

eye; earthworm; beetle; leg; snail; silverfish; antenna; cricket; bee; 

aphid; cicada; scorpion; fly; wing; fangs; head; jaw; bug; mouth; 

abdomen; hornet; antlion; dragonfly; millipede 

Page 8 - Creature crosspatch 

4 letters - wasp, tick, lice, flea, slug, moth, mite 

6 letters - slater, locust, spider, earwig, beetle 

8 letters - mosquito, silkworm, glowworm 

9 letters - cockroach, centipede 

11 letters - caterpillar, grasshopper 

Page 10 - People with phobias 

1. high places 2. open spaces 3. enclosed spaces 

4. dogs 5. germs 6. blood 

Page 11 - Ant colony cloze 

groups; thousand; nest; build; Inside; rooms; ant; bigger; lays; work; 

die; food; eggs 

Page 12 - Arachnid cloze 

eight; grow; new; divided; types; little; glands; trap; backbone; 

victim; people; million; sting; pincers; live; back; larger; living; host; 

carry 

Page 14 - Life cycles comprehension 

1. fiction; fact; fiction 2. true 3. false 

4. moult - shed; top - surface; named - called; steps - stages 

5. - 11. teacher check 

Page 15 - Label the diagram 

teacher check 

i 

Page 16 - Biology international comprehension 

1. A beetle raises its front wings when it wants to fly. 

Palps are feelers used to handle and taste food. 

All insects have three distinct body parts. 

2. true 3. true 

4. to protect itself against enemies 

5. thorax 6. foul smelling or tasting chemicals 

7. some are helpful to man 

8. - 9. teacher check 

Page 23 - Measure the length of the minibeasts 

1. 6 cm 2. 5 cm 3. 5 cm 

4. 3.5 cm 5. 4.5 cm 6. 6.5 cm 

- Average of minibeasts 

1. 6 cm + 5 cm + 5 cm + 3.5 cm + 4.5 cm + 6 cm = 30 cm 

30 cm ÷ 6 = 5 cm 

- Convert these measurements 

mm 

cm 

m 

540 

54 

0.54 

1 320 132 

1.32 

896 

89. 

6 0.896 

2 573 257. 

3 2.573 

cm 

m km 

1 854 18.54 

0.01854 

7 360 73. 

6 0.0736 

92 

000 920. 

0 0.92 

4 150 41. 

5 0.0415 

- Decimal addition sums 

1. 15.06 2. 17.31 3. 13.40 

4. 14.04 5. 12.39 6. 781.71 

7. 340.44 8. 699.02 Average - 236.67 

Page 24 - Finish these patterns 

teacher check 

- Count by… 

1. 4's: 28, 32, 36, 40, 44, 48, 52, 56 

2. 6's: 24, 30, 36, 42, 48, 54, 60, 66 

3. 7's: 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63 

- Decimal addition sums 

1. 1.11, 2.12, 3.13, 4.14, 5.15, 6.16 

2. 99.9, 89.9, 79.9, 69.9, 59.9, 49.9 

3. 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, 10, 100 

- Pattern clue 

1. 1, 8, 22, 50, 106 2. 7, 9, 15, 33, 87 3. 128, 64, 32, 16, 8 



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Page 25 - Maths puzzlers 

1. 88; 176; 35 

2. egg - 21 days, nymph - 42 days, adult - 365 days; 61 weeks 

3. 4.00 mm, 4.05 mm, 4.15 mm, 4.50 mm, 4.55 mm, 5.10 mm, 

5.25 mm, 5.40 mm, 5.45 mm, 5.55 mm; Difference = 1.55 mm 

4. A=522 cm, B=556 cm, C=571 cm, D=599 cm, E=615 cm, 

F=662 cm; Difference = 140 cm 

Page 26 - Symmetrical minibeasts 

teacher check 

- Write or colour the correct fraction 

1. 4 

/ 6 

2. teacher check 3. 7 

/ 8 

4. teacher check 5. 2 

/ 3 

6. teacher check 

- What is half of… 

1. 46 - 23 2. 190 - 95 3. 134 - 67 

- What is double 

1. 16 - 32 2. 55 - 110 3. 69 - 138 

4. 28 - 56 5. 113 - 226 6. 252 - 504 


34

RIC-0399 Minibeasts

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