As a part of our diversity of life unit in science, one of our objectives is to introduce the concept of adaptation by pointing out the structure and behaviors of an insect and how it relates to those adaptations. The insects we are using are Madagascar Hissing Roaches, and as you might guess classroom has also become housing for these little hissing critters. Today my students and I were able observe the molting process with our roaches. Because the this insect is encased in its rigid exoskeleton, which cannot expand, the only way an insect can grow is to get out of the exoskeleton. This is the process is called molting. Below is a video of a couple of our roaches shedding their exoskeleton.

Mr. McClung