Flies – Robbers and Relatives

Introduction

National Middle School Science Standards

Life Science

Key Terms

fly, entomology, adaptation, biodiversity

Key Concepts

• Characteristics of flies
• Fly feeding relationships
• Assassin (robber) flies as predators
• Diversity of flies
• Technology used by entomologists

Resource Types

Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)

The Flies - Robbers and Relatives teaching resources support students in meeting the following middle school NGSS Performance Expectations:

Life Science

MS-LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

• MS-LS1-4 Use argument based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation for how characteristic animal behaviors and specialized plant structures affect the probability of successful reproduction of animals and plants respectively.

MS-LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics

• MS-LS2-1 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.

MS-LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity

• MS-LS4-2 Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships.

• MS-LS4-4 Construct an explanation based on evidence that describes how genetic variations of traits in a population increase some individuals' probability of surviving and reproducing in a specific environment.