Mississippi Science ZOO.5.6

ScienceGrades 9–12Zoology I and II

The Standard

ZOO.5: Students will understand the basic structure and function of phylum Arthropoda, and how they demonstrate the characteristics of living things.

Describe the importance of chela for decapods, (i.e., lobsters and crabs).

2026 Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Science · Phylum Arthropoda

Teacher's field guide

What Students Need to Do: Students identify chela as the pincers on a crab or lobster. They explain how the pincers help the animal grasp food and defend itself.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can point to the chela on a diagram and describe what it does. They can explain how a crab might use it to hold food or ward off a predator.
Common Misconceptions: Students may think claws are used only for fighting. Some mistake the pincers for mouths or assume every decapod has large claws.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: “A crab finds a mussel and then meets a hungry fish. How could its chela help in each situation?”

Lesson moves

Have students use kitchen tongs to pick up a bean and hold a sponge, then discuss which task needs a firmer grip.
Show a crab diagram and ask students to write how its pincers help it eat without being part of its mouth.
Give pairs action cards labeled grasp prey, swim backward, ward off predator, and walk; have them sort chela jobs from other jobs.
Show a photo of banded lobster claws at a seafood counter and ask what the bands prevent during handling.

Free download

A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to ZOO.5.6, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.

PDF, US Letter, prints cleanly in black and white.

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