Molting

The two gridsets of Molting can be utilized as a standalone study unit or be used as an additional instructional bonus unit to complement and extend the Wonders and Magic of Nature collection. The science content and reading level for this study unit is at a third to fourth grade level.

The opening launcher screen gives students access to the two included gridsets, the Molting (anchor book), and What Do You Know About Molting?,a comprehension book. The following is an overview of the two gridset/books of the Molting study unit.

The anchor book is written in a chapter format, with a table of contents page. In the first chapter of the Molting gridset/book, students are introduced to the subject of molting and read that molting takes numerous forms within the animal kingdom.

In the second chapter, students learn that birds molt feathers and parts of their beaks and bills at various times. Students will see that molting in multiple stages is a natural process that birds go through as they mature. Students will also learn that different species molt more often than others and examine the benefits derived by those species in this process.

In the third chapter, students learn about reptilian molting. They will read about and see that snakes and lizards molt in different ways, although they both molt for the same reason (i.e. they have grown too large for their skins).

In the fourth and final chapter students read about arthropods (i.e. insects, spiders, and crustaceans) and their molting processes. Arthropods molt when they out grow their hard outer shells and also when they need to move on to the next phase in their maturation process.