Before we start the grasshopper dissection, you need to know the vocabulary that will show up during the lab. These terms will help you understand what you’re looking at instead of poking around like you dropped your glasses in the dark. Read each one so you’re ready before we begin.
Insect Basics
Insect
An arthropod with three body regions and six legs.
Arthropod
An animal with jointed legs, a segmented body, and an exoskeleton.
Exoskeleton
The tough outer shell that protects the insect.
Body Regions
Head
The front body section; holds the eyes, antennae, and mouthparts.
Thorax
The middle section where the legs and wings attach.
Abdomen
The back section that contains spiracles and reproductive organs.
Sensory Structures
Antennae
Long sensory feelers that help the insect smell, touch, and sense movement.
Compound Eyes
Large eyes made of many tiny lenses for detecting movement.
Ocelli
Simple eyes that sense light.
Mouthparts
Mandibles
Jaws used for chewing.
Maxillae
Paired mouthparts that help cut and hold food.
Labrum
The upper lip.
Labium
The lower lip.
Palps
Tiny feelers that help sense and taste food.
Wings and Legs
Forewings
Top pair of wings that protect the hindwings.
Hindwings
Wings used for flying.
Coxa, Femur, Tibia, Tarsus
The four main leg sections; the femur is the thickest part, and the tarsus acts like the “foot.”
Other Structures
Spiracles
Small holes along the abdomen used for breathing.
Tympanic Membrane
The grasshopper’s eardrum located on the first abdominal segment.
Ovipositor
A pointed structure on female grasshoppers used for laying eggs.
Comment Prompt for Students
Before the dissection, answer ONE of the questions below in the comments.
Your response must be 3–4 full sentences and use at least two key terms from the list.
Choose one question:
- Which key term do you think will matter the most during the dissection, and why?
- Which body region (head, thorax, abdomen) are you most interested in, and what do you hope to learn about it?
- How does having an exoskeleton change how a grasshopper lives compared to animals like humans?
- Why do insects need structures like spiracles or a tympanic membrane instead of the organs humans use?
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6 Responses
The body region I am most interested in is the grasshopper’s head. It would be fascinating to see how their brain controls the rest of their body and functions. We can also observe how they eat by looking at their mandibles.
“Which body region of the grasshopper are you most interested in, and what do you hope to learn from it?”
I am most interested in the head of the grasshopper. To me, it is amazing how something as complex as a brain can fit into a grasshopper. I’d also like to learn how the antennas serve the grasshopper. In conclusion, I only want to learn about the head of a grasshopper because the brain and the antennae are fascinating to me.
I am most interested in the head region, particularly learning about the complexity of the brain and the various sensory organs housed there. I hope to understand the detailed structure of the brain and how different lobes are responsible for processing information like sight, sound, and smell. Additionally, I am curious to examine the intricate connection between the nervous system and the sensory receptors within the head.
The term that will matter the most during the dissection is the abdomen because that is where we will cut. The body on the grasshopper I am most interested to learn about is the Thorax because it looks inserting, I hope to learn on how it functions. Having an exoskeleton change a grass hoppers live compared to humans is because grasshoppers use it to impact growth and movement. Lastly insects need strucets inseated of the ones we use is because they are built different.
The body region I am most interested in about the grass hopper is the grasshopper’s head. It would be a good experience to get a look on how their brain looks and controls the body to make it functions.
The body part that I am most interested in about the grass hopper is the grasshopper’s head. It would be a good experience to get a look on how their brain looks and controls the body to make it functions.