Vocabulary.com - Thematic feature on Science: Biology - Insects

Sam Mantics
"Hi, I'm Sam Mantics, Dean of Admissions & Directions at Vocabulary University.

Type in 18 answers to the Rooty® puzzles in the boxes BELOW the puzzle and use the "submit" button after the third puzzle. You will get immediate feedback in the form of the correct answers and the use of the words in context. A word bank menu below each puzzle will assist in your personal vocabulary acquisition.

To see a list of 129 insect words click here."







The following story clarifies meanings of these words.

I keep learning incredible things about insects while exploring with James, Nancy and another scientist, Rachael.
Our ENTOMOLOGIST is an INDEFATIGABLE worker and feels no TREPIDATION about being around huge insects. He has an INSATIABLE curiosity about how bees POLLINATE and the unique PROBOSCIS of the butterfly.
The other INDUSTRIOUS scientist with us, concerned about safety, suggested QUARANTINE for the group of observers who were bitten. The idea of confinement indoors is the NEMESIS of every outdoor researcher. Upon leaving a SUBTERRANEAN cave with our geologist, James and I sprayed a pungent INSECTICIDE that created an UBIQUITOUS odor.
One day I joined a zoologist who, while on a NOCTURNAL foray, examined the EMBRYONIC LARVAE that were INDIGENOUS to the tropical landscape. In a few weeks she hoped to witness their METAMORPHOSIS and anticipated seeing many different IRIDESCENT hues on the nascent insects.

  • To request our monthly new content newsletter via email and/or be included in our participant's list, please email Jan Cook. Please include your name, school name,city and state/country, if applicable.

    Puzzle #1 - Directions

    Rooty*Hoot*Hoot text - Puzzle #1 Theme = INSECTS - Bees:

    • Answer 1:--12 letter noun--root is ENTOMA = insects -- Someone specializing in the branch of zoology dealing with insects
    • Answer 2:--9 letter noun--root is BOSK = feed -- elongated, protrusion on the head of certain insects used for feeding
    • Answer 3:--11 letter noun--root is TREPID = trembling, agitated -- tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; trembling or quivering movement
    • Answer 4:--13 letter adjective--root is FATIGA = tire, weary -- incapable of being tired out; tireless
    • Answer 5:--10 letter adjective--root is SAT = enough -- hard or incapable of being satisfied; greedy; avaricious
    • Answer 6:--9 letter verb--root is POLLEN = fine flour, mill dust -- to fertilize/convey the fine grains or spores to the stigma of flowering plants

    PUZZLE #1 - Rooty® - Answer Sheet

    Your answer 1
    Your answer 2
    Your answer 3
    Your answer 4
    Your answer 5
    Your answer 6

    Cinny Nym
    "Hi, I'm Cinny Nym, Dean of Faculty at Vocabulary University."
    In the list of 22 insect words below, 6 are the correct answers for the puzzle above.

    • adroit, affliction, appetite, deft, diurnal, elusive, entomologist, exoskeleton, harbinger, indefatigable, innocuous, insatiable, mandible, perennial, persist, plethora, pollinate, proboscis, skittish, sting, swarm, trepidation


    Puzzle #2

    Rooty*Hoot*Hoot text - Puzzle #2 Theme = INSECTS - Ants:

    • Answer 7--10 letter noun -- root is QUART = group of 40 -- strict isolation imposed to prevent the spread of a disease (a period of 40 days)
    • Answer 8--12 letter adjective -- root is TERRA = earth, land -- existing, situated, or operating below the earth's surface, out of sight or secretly
    • Answer 9--11 letter noun -- root is CIDE = kill -- a substance or preparation used in killing insects
    • Answer 10--11 letter adjective -- root is STRU = build -- working energetically and devotedly; diligent; full of energy & zeal toward work
    • Answer 11--10 letter adjective -- root is UBIQU = everywhere -- existing or being everywhere, esp. at the same time; omnipresent; pervasive
    • Answer 12--7 letter noun -- root is NEMEIN = dispense (justice) -- unconquerable opponent or rival

    PUZZLE #2 - Rooty® - Answer Sheet

    Your answer 7
    Your answer 8
    Your answer 9
    Your answer 10
    Your answer 11
    Your answer 12

    Dick Shinary
    "Hi, I'm Dick Shinary, Chancellor of Literacy at Vocabulary University."
    In the list of 19 insect words below, 6 are the correct answers for the puzzle above.

    • aggressive, exterminator, extinguish, indestructible, industrious, ineradicable, insecticide, miniscule, nemesis, omnipresent, oust, quarantine, rampant, repellent, rife, subterranean, ubiquitous, undesirable, voluminous


    Puzzle #3

    Rooty*Hoot*Hoot text - Puzzle #3 Theme = INSECTS - Butterfly:

    • Answer 13: - 13 letter noun -- root is MORPH = form -- change of form in either appearance, condition, or function; a transformation
    • Answer 14: - 10 letter adjective -- root is ESCE = becoming -- displaying an array of lustrous, changing colors like those of the rainbow
    • Answer 15: - 10 letter adjective -- root is GEN = born -- originating in or characteristic of a particular region; native; natural
    • Answer 16: - 9 letter adjective -- root is NOCT = night -- pertaining to the night; done, occurring or coming at night
    • Answer 17: - 9 letter adjective -- root is BRYEIN = swell, be full -- the beginning or rudimentary stage of anything; undeveloped
    • Answer 18: - 6 letter plural noun -- root is LARVA = ghost, mask -- immature, wingless, feeding stage of an insect that undergoes transformation

    PUZZLE #3 - Rooty® - Answer Sheet

    Your answer 13
    Your answer 14
    Your answer 15
    Your answer 16
    Your answer 17
    Your answer 18

    Crossword
    "Hi, I'm Crossword, the Mascot at Vocabulary University.
    In the list of 19 insect words below, 6 are the correct answers for the puzzle above.

    • antenna, culprit, devour, embryonic, epidemic, indigenous, intervene, iridescent, larvae, luminous, metamorphosis, microscopic, nocturnal, nymph, parasite, perennial, primeval, prolific, swamp


    When you hit the submit button below you will see all your answers in one short form. When you hit submit again on that short form, you will immediately get all the correct answers and sentences that use each correct word.

    Your name
    Your E-Mail



    For an "assessment exercise" for the Biology-Insect Thematic Content, click on insects FITB Assessment here.
    To see the Alphalary list of 129 Insect Words click here. Many insect and tropic-related words can be found in the Rain Forest Alphalary word list here.

    Lesson Plan: Answer the following questions:
  • 1. Here is a short list of typical insects. How many more can you name? ants, bees, butterflies, cockroaches, crickets, fireflies, fleas, dragonflies, grasshoppers, houseflies, ladybugs, lice, mosquitoes, moths, silver fish, termites, walking sticks, wasps.
  • 2. Why have insects been successful at surviving? Explain.
  • 3. How many legs does an insect have? Into how many parts is an insect's body divided? Do most insects have wings and antennae?
  • 4. Discuss insects that are łgood˛ or "beneficial" to the environment. What ones are "bad" or harmful? Be specific.
  • 5. What does the term metamorphosis mean? Explain the difference between incomplete and complete metamorphosis. Name examples of ways that insects protect themselves from their enemies.
  • 6. Are insects and spiders the same? If so, explain. If not, discuss their differences.

  • We have five exercises using these 18 Insects puzzle words:
  • Main Insect interactive puzzle - you are here!
  • Insect Crossword
  • Insect Word Find
  • Insect Definition Match
  • Insect Fill-in-the-Blanks
  • Insect Alphalary Word List



    Reminder:
    Don't forget to complete other activities and educational exercises from our current Session #140:

    Interactive, grade level puzzles: ["S140 Level 1"] -- ["S140 Level 2"] -- ["S140 Level 3"]
    Fill-in-the-Blanks: ["S140Level 1-FITB"] -- ["S140Level 2-FITB"] -- ["S140Level 3-FITB"]
    Crosswords: ["S140Level 1 C/W"] -- ["S140Level 2 C/W"] -- ["S140Level 3 C/W"]
    Definition MATCH: ["S140Level 1-Match"] -- ["S140Level 2-Match"] -- ["S140Level 3-Match"]
    Synonym/Antonym Encounters: [S140Level 1-Syn/Ant] -- [S140Level 2-Syn/Ant] -- [S140Level 3-Syn/Ant]
    Find the Words: ["S140Level 1 WF"] -- ["S140Level 2 WF"] -- ["S140Level 3 WF"]
    Contextual Stories: ["S140Level 1 Story"] -- ["S140Level 2 Story"] -- ["S140Level 3 Story"]
    Is It True or False?: ["S140Level 1 T/F"] -- ["S140Level 2 T/F"] -- ["S140Level 3 T/F"]


    Any questions can be directed to Jan and Carey Cook at Vocabulary University for clarification. If you are a teacher, please give us the name, city, state/country of your school.
    For details on other content click School Thematic Content Calendar.

    If you want our free "Alphalary" (alphabetical vocabulary list) of 310 science-related words just email your request to Science Words. Please include your school, city, state/country and grade you teach, if applicable.
    We also have a thematic Alphalaries on Earth/Environment/Conservation. Email your request to EARTH Words.

    If you want to see all of our 110 "Alphalaries" click on this link: Alphabetical Vocabulary List or, in particular, request our 432 Character-Ed related words just email your request to Character Education Words. Please include the name of your school, city, state/country and grade you teach, if applicable.
    Have you tried our set of puzzles inspired by Harry Potter? "Visit our Wizard puzzles". If you want our alphabetical list of 160 Wizard-related words just email your request to Wizard Words.

    Click here for "Teacher Tips & Ideas" on how to use our thematic Alphalaries.
    To request our monthly new content newsletter via email and/or be included in our participant's list, please email Jan Cook. Please include your name, school name, city and state/country, if applicable.


    The powerful graphics for the Insect thematic feature were created by Ian Clazie. A small example portfolio of his graphics can be seen by clicking Ian's graphics.
    We want to acknowledge that the word definitions in these puzzles are used with the permission of Random House Inc. and most come from their "Random House Webster's College Dictionary".
    [Home Page] [Root-A-Week] [Word City] [Mini-Lesson Plan Puzzles] [Participating Schools]***
    [39 Week Lesson Plan] [Content Matrix] [Tell-a-Friend] [About us] [Free Registration] [School Calendar]

    *** If your school is not listed in our "Participating Schools" above, please give us your school's name, city and state/country. Thanks!


    Copyright © 2007 Vocabulary University®