: Butterfly or Moth?
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Approach: Station
Level: Year 8
Focus: Identifying differences and similarities
Resources:Video recording on laptop computer

Questions/instructions:

This activity uses the computer.

Click the Butterfly or Moth? button
to hear the video.
Video voiceover:
Listen carefully to the video. It tells about the differences between a butterfly and a moth.

Ne Student video
[Consecutive still shots of butterfly and moth, with voiceover, followed by interactive computer screen with questions.]
Butterflies and moths look alike, but there are ways of telling them apart. Butterflies are usually more colourful than moths. Butterflies fly around during the day, while most moths fly at night. At night, moths cannot use what they look like to find each other. Instead the male finds the female by her scent. Moths often shiver before they fly. The shivering helps to warm up their bodies. When a moth lands it spreads out its wings. Most butterflies rest with their wings pressed together. When butterflies and moths land they hold on tight using hooks on their feet. A butterfly’s antenna has a blob at its end. The antenna of a moth is feathery. Both butterflies and moths have two pairs of wings, which they use to fly through the air. They have large eyes that allow them to see in colour. Butterflies and moths feed on the sugary nectar made by flowers. Butterflies and moths lay their eggs on plants. Their eggs hatch into caterpillars.
Answer the questions by clicking the mouse on the box you think is correct.
[Click on screen to enlarge.]		 Screen


% responses
y4
y8
Which insect has 2 pairs of wings?
both
65
81
Which insect comes out in daylight?
butterfly
76
89
Which insect rests with its wings out?
moth
54
73
Which male insect finds a female by her scent?
moth
62
70
Which insect has a blob on the end of its antenna?
butterfly
66
77
Which insect uses its wings to fly?
both
62
83
Which insect feeds on flower nectar?
both
35
56
Which insect rests with its wings together?
butterfly
62
79
Which insect has feathery antenna?
moth
69
85
Which insect has eggs that hatch into caterpillars?
both
21
38
Which insect has hooks on its feet?
both
43
63
Which insect shivers before it flies?
moth
71
79
Which insect sees in colour?
both
16
27
Which insect comes out at night?
moth
88
96
Total score:
12–14
12
30
10–11
17
30
8–9
25
22
6–7
25
11
0–5
21
7
Subgroup Analysis:
Year 4
Butterfly Graph Year 4
Year 8
Commentary:
Performance on recall of audio information was moderately good at year 4 level and substantially better at year 8 level. There were almost no gender differences, but a large difference by ethnic groups was found in both year 4 and year 8. These differences were more evident at year 8.
 
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