Life Cycle of a Grasshopper

In this lesson plan, children will be able to observe, identify, and describe incomplete metamorphosis of grasshoppers. The development followed by most insects is called metamorphosis. There are two types: incomplete and complete. Incomplete metamorphosis takes place in three stages—egg, nymph, and adult. Nymphs hatched from the eggs look like miniature adults, except they lack wings and are sexually immature. As a nymph grows and matures, the exoskeleton is shed, or molted, several times. Insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis include grasshoppers and dragonflies.