Lesson Plan GRADE 11

Subject – Life Sciences Prior Knowledge

Grade - 11 Holometabolous insect life cycle.
Number of learners – Water hyacinth weevil life stages.
Date – Water hyacinth growth pattern.

Learning outcomes - Lesson outcomes:

LO 1 Scientific Inquiry & Problem Solving Skills At the end of this exercise, learners should be able to:
- AS 1, Identify questions; AS 2, Collect and Manipulate Data; 1) Describe the different stages of the life cycle of the weevil
AS 3, Analyse, Synthesize, Evaluate and Communicate and where they would expect to find those stages.
Findings. 2) To find and count different life stages of the weevil, or use
LO 2 Construction & Application of Life Sciences Knowledge indirect measures of the weevil population such as feeding
- AS 1, Access Knowledge; AS 2 Interpret Knowledge scars, to assess at what stage of growth the population is in.
Content Area – Diversity Change and Continuity 3) Design experiments to discover and explain what factors
could limit weevils population,
Lesson Topic: Population Studies
Population Studies – Characteristics
Lesson Title – Population structure of water hyacinth weevils. Time required 3-4 hours
Content Teacher Activities Learners’ Activities Time
Estimate
Introduction
Knowledge - Water hyacinth weevils are Assist learners in choosing a problem Develop a problem statement. 20 mins
holometabolous, See the information statement so that they ask a scientific Understand holometabolous insect life
booklet. question in a scientific manner. Ensure cycles.
Have completed a pilot study to learners understand holometabolous insect Think about data collection and design of
understand how to sample the weevils. life cycles. Ensure learners plan ahead by data sheet on which to record your data.
Skills - Identify a question; design an designing a data sheet and sampling Decide what will be done with the insects
experiment; collect data and analyse it. protocol. Show learners how to sample the collected.
plants and identify the different life stages
of the weevils.
Body
The following life stages can be found Ask the class what sort of question they What question do you wish to answer? 60 mins
and counted. see diagrams and further could ask and answer. Split class into Plan a sampling procedure and design an
information in the information booklet. groups of ~ 5. Decide what will be done appropriate data sheet. Decide what will
with the insects that are collected during be done with the insects you will collect.
Adults – two species, Neochetina the experiment. Get learners to design a Sample plants and associated insects to
eichhonniae and Neochetina bruchi, and data sheet based on the weevil’s life provide useable data for later analysis.
both sexes. history (egg; larva; pupa; adult) and the
plant’s structure – (leaf one up to leaf six Sample each plant by breaking it into
Adult Feeding Scars. or seven roots; crown; petiole; leaf roots and shoots; then shoots into petioles
Eggs. lamina). with their leaves, (keep the leaves in the
Larvae. Get each group to decide on a meaningful, growth order, from the inside outwards).
Larval Mines. but feasible sample size (balance time Look for adults in the petiole base at this
Pupae. available vs. larger samples being more stage. Tasks per learner: - count leaf
accurate). scars; look for eggs with a hand lens or
microscope. Slice the petioles to look for
 larvae and larval mines. Look for larvae
in the plant crown. Search for pupae on
the root mass. Trace leaf size and shape
onto paper for later measurements and
calculation of scars per unit area.

Present the data in a useable format to

describe the characteristics of the weevil
population. For example, a table could be
used to indicate where different stages are
found (See table one; information
booklet).
Conclusion
Planning Get learners to relate the data collected Relate the conclusion gathered from the 30 mins
Data collection back to the question asked. Was the data, back to the question originally
Life Cycles appropriate data collected? Was it asked.
Sampling Skills. collected thoroughly? Was it presented in What can you conclude about the
Microscopy a way that made the answer to the characteristics of this population of water
Measuring and counting question easy to find and interpret? hyacinth weevils?
Analysing and presenting data.
Assessment Task or /Homework
Suggest ways in which data can be Draw at least three graphs and one table 120 mins
presented; such as a graph with the adult that summarise your findings of this
numbers of the x axis related to the larval investigating (don’t repeat the same data
mines on the y axis – see information in the table and graphs). Write brief
booklet. conclusions under each graph or table to
explain its significance in terms of the
weevil population
Extension Activity
Repeat the sampling in different seasons of the year; especially spring vs. summer.
Rear the hyacinth in different nutrient conditions to see how the weevils respond to plant and water quality.
What would you predict could happen if you changed the environmental conditions? E.g. High water nutrients vs. Low water nutrients
Misconceptions/Reflection on Learning
What other data could easily have been gathered along with weevil population characteristics?
What do your results suggest to you about the weevil’s ability to control growth of water hyacinth?