Science Insects & Minibeastsusually ages 7–9

Not all minibeasts are insects

Not all minibeasts are insects: distinguishing insects from other minibeasts. Spiders have 8 legs and 2 body parts (arachnids), woodlice have 14 legs (crustaceans), worms have no legs, snails have a shell and one foot. The 'Is it an insect?' sorting game.

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Sort a set of minibeasts into 'insect' and 'not insect' groups using the six-legs rule
Explain why a spider is not an insect by noting it has eight legs and two body parts
Name at least one difference between insects and another minibeast group such as worms having no legs or woodlice having fourteen

🖨 Print this page to keep the checklist — it prints beautifully.

Try this together

If you showed your child a spider and asked whether it's an insect, could they explain why not — for example, that spiders have eight legs, not six?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

The insect body planages 7–9Must know the insect body plan (6 legs, 3 parts) to distinguish insects from non-insects

Not all minibeasts are insectsthis skill · ages 7–9

Unlocks

Sorting and Identifying Minibeastsages 7–9Must understand insect vs non-insect distinctions before using classification keys

The most successful animals on Earthages 9–11Must understand insect classification to appreciate species diversity

Grouping Living Thingsages 8–9Insect vs non-insect sorting enriches curriculum grouping-by-features

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

This skill sits outside the F–6 Australian Curriculum — no candidate code matched (v0.1). No NSW K–6 outcome code matched (v0.1). No Victorian Curriculum 2.0 code matched (v0.1).

Nearby on the map

Bees and pollinationages 7–9 Camouflage, warning colours, and mimicryages 7–9 Incredible insects: record-breakersages 7–9 Insect life cycles: complete metamorphosisages 7–9

All Insects & Minibeasts skills →