Caveat Academy course · Grades 6 to 10

Entomology: The Study of Insects

Insects up close: the body plan that sets them apart from spiders and pill bugs, molting and metamorphosis, the big orders and how to key out a find, how insects fly, see and talk with scent, dance and light, their work as pollinators and recyclers, and their place in health, farming and science, with field activities for any yard or park. Six modules at your own pace, with a check in every lesson and a certificate at the end.

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$19one-time · every device you sign in on
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Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Or get it in the Middle school course library, $79 for 28 items.

6 modules · 18 lessonsabout 12 hours$19

Six modules, eighteen lessons

Each module ends with a practice set that tracks mastery, an explain-it-back prompt, a short written response and a module exam. The final opens when every module is proficient; passing it earns a certificate with a verification code.

  1. Module 1: What makes an insect

    Identify insects by their body plan, distinguish them from other arthropods, and explain why insects are so diverse.

    • The insect body plan
    • Insects and their relatives
    • How many insects are there?
    about 2.1 h

  2. Module 2: Growth and life cycles

    Compare molting, complete and incomplete metamorphosis, and predict development time with degree-days.

    • Molting
    • Complete metamorphosis
    • Incomplete metamorphosis and temperature
    about 2.1 h

  3. Module 3: The major insect orders

    Classify insects into the major orders by wings, mouthparts and life cycle, and use a dichotomous key.

    • Beetles and true bugs
    • Butterflies, moths and flies
    • Bees, wasps, ants and others
    about 2.1 h

  4. Module 4: Senses, flight and communication

    Explain how insects fly, see and communicate with pheromones, dances, songs and light, and use Dolbear's rule.

    • How insects fly and see
    • Smell and chemical signals
    • Dances, songs and light
    about 2.1 h

  5. Module 5: Insects in ecosystems

    Analyze insects' roles as pollinators, recyclers, food and social colonies, and evaluate actions that help insect populations.

    • Pollinators
    • Recyclers, food and colonies
    • Insects in trouble, and how to help
    about 2.1 h

  6. Module 6: Insects and people

    Evaluate pest control choices, explain helpful and forensic uses of insects, and design a field survey.

    • Pests and disease carriers
    • Helpful insects and insect science
    • Being an entomologist
    about 2.1 h

Try it before you start

This is how every lesson works: step through a worked example at your own pace, then answer a check and get the reason right away. Nothing here is saved; the course keeps your progress.

Module 3 · Bees, wasps, ants and others

Worked example: a short dichotomous key

  1. Step 1: Does it have wings? If yes, go to step 2. If no, consider wingless groups such as worker ants or silverfish.

A lesson check from each module

The checks need JavaScript turned on. The course itself works the same way.

What you get

Academics · Middle School$19 · included with the Academy pass and Whole-school licenses

What you finish with
A finished semester of entomology: you can tell an insect from a spider, tick or pill bug at a glance, explain molting and both kinds of metamorphosis and predict development with degree-days, place most insects you meet in their order and use a dichotomous key, explain how insects fly, see and communicate, read a waggle dance and estimate temperature from cricket chirps, explain insects' work in ecosystems and how to help them, and plan a fair field survey. Passing the final earns a Caveat certificate of completion.
Who it is for
Students in grades 6 to 10 who like bugs, nature or biology, students preparing for life science or biology, and homeschool families who want a complete semester unit. Field activities need only a notebook, a phone camera and, if you like, a sweep net; insects are observed and released.
Format
An online self-paced course: 6 modules and 18 lessons with worked examples you reveal step by step, 144 practice and exam items (multiple choice, numeric, fill-in and ordering), an explain-it-back prompt and a rubric-checked short response in every module, module exams with one retake, a 24-question final and a certificate with a verification code. About 12 hours in all; works on a phone or a computer.
Access
$19 one-time, yours on every device you sign in on; the course opens once you are signed in with it. Included with the Caveat Academy pass and Whole-school licenses. Also in the Middle school course library ($79) and the Academics Suite pass ($149), and 1 more bundle. Progress is saved in this browser on this device, and the certificate page lets you download your record.
Where it lives
The Middle School space in Caveat Academics.
Support
Access, a receipt, a refund or a correction to the course: team@caveatacademic.com.

How it works

  1. Open the course and start Module 1. Each lesson takes about 25 to 35 minutes; two or three a week finishes the course in about a semester.
  2. Answer the checks as you read. Every answer shows the reason, and a miss links you back to the lesson that covers it.
  3. Finish each module with its practice set and exam. Proficient on every module opens the final; 70 percent passes it.
  4. Print or download your certificate and record from the certificate page.

Start the course

Sources and accuracy

The lessons are original writing by Caveat Academic Services. Facts were checked against these free, open references, which are also good places to read further.

  1. Smithsonian Institution, Encyclopedia Smithsonian, bug info and insect numbers: si.edu/spotlight/buginfo
  2. U.S. Forest Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, monarch butterfly biology and migration: fs.usda.gov
  3. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, pollinators and food crops: fao.org/pollination
  4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mosquito control around the home: cdc.gov/mosquitoes
  5. Stork, How many species of insects and other terrestrial arthropods are there on Earth?, Annual Review of Entomology, 2018: doi.org

Entomology: The Study of Insects is a self-paced course from Caveat Academic Services. It follows the sequence of a typical one-semester entomology or insect science elective but does not replace a school course and awards no credit. Field activities are observe-and-release; collect only where it is allowed, stay away from stinging insects and their nests, and check for ticks after time outdoors. Species counts and other figures are rounded estimates. Support: team@caveatacademic.com.