The starting example has six placed legs but one wrong target: L6 is on abdomen A instead of thorax T. The other five leg connections remain correct. The checker distinguishes that error from an unplaced L6 or a misplaced antenna using a simplified adult body-plan key.
Work through the example
Change L6 target to T and Check model. All six legs now target T and both antennae target H. Leave L6 blank to see five placed legs and an incomplete model. Change N2 to T to see the specific antenna error without losing the valid leg records. This is a teacher trial, not a specimen or recorded learner result.
Have learners identify head, thorax and abdomen before placing appendages. Ask three different questions: which pieces exist, which are placed, and which target the required region? A complete count can conceal a wrong connection. The simplified key omits wings for scope and does not identify an unknown specimen. Keep the paper model and actual explanations separate from the prepared trial.
Define a simplified adult body plan
Use three body-region pieces:
| Part ID | Label | Declared place |
|---|---|---|
| H | Head | Front |
| T | Thorax | Middle |
| A | Abdomen | Rear |
For this diagram, the front faces left and the rear faces right. The body outline follows H–T–A. Keep orientation stated in text rather than making color stand for front and rear.
Smithsonian's educational transcript describes the three regions, antennae attached to the head, and legs attached to the thorax. Its insect-zoo description also identifies the body regions and paired legs. We use those basic relationships with our own IDs and packet, without copying museum illustrations, specimens, or activity results. Smithsonian insect features, Insect-zoo description
No wing pieces are included in this simplified task. That omission does not mean all insects are wingless. The packet makes no universal wing-count claim.
Give every appendage its own record
Add two antenna pieces N1 and N2, plus six leg pieces L1 through L6. Together with H, T, and A, the bank contains eleven unique pieces.
| Pieces | Count | Expected target |
|---|---|---|
| N1, N2 | 2 antennae | H |
| L1, L2 | First labeled leg pair | T |
| L3, L4 | Second labeled leg pair | T |
| L5, L6 | Third labeled leg pair | T |
Pair labels help maintain the inventory. This model does not specify detailed thoracic segments, exact leg proportions, joints, or a species' appendage shape.
Keep the part ID, label, current placement, target region, and review state in separate fields. Moving L6 must update L6's connection, not replace it with another L1.
The expected connection record is N1 → H, N2 → H, and every L1–L6 → T. The three body pieces form the front-middle-rear sequence H–T–A. Appendage arrows describe attachment, not movement or energy flow.
Assemble the body before counting completion
Give the learner the original paper piece bank and a blank body/attachment sheet. First identify head, thorax, and abdomen, then place them in the declared order. Next place the antennae and the three leg pairs.
The teacher key contains the expected targets. Leave student records blank until the learner assembles or explains the model; use the filled ledger only as a prepared example.
Use separate inventory questions:
- Are all supplied unique pieces present?
- Which pieces are placed, and which remain unplaced?
- Are the placed pieces connected to the stated regions?
Six available legs do not mean six placed legs. Six placed legs do not mean six correctly attached legs.
Recreate this example
Build one self-contained responsive HTML example titled “Insect classroom game: count and connect” for readers completing the stated task. Return the complete HTML with embedded CSS and JavaScript. Use no remote fonts, libraries, images, requests, account connections, or saved-state claims.
Use eleven original IDs H,T,A,N1,N2,L1–L6. Fixed body order H head front, T thorax middle, A abdomen rear. N1/N2 target H; all legs target T. Start L1–L5 T, L6 A, N1/N2 H. Labeled L6 and N2 target inputs accept H/T/A or blank unplaced. Check model reports placed-leg count separately from wrong targets. T fixes L6; blank yields five legs placed and L6 unplaced; N2 T yields antenna error. Reset restores initial wrong-target trial. Preserve valid records and do not repair automatically.
Use an anatomy attachment worksheet with stable part IDs and separate count/target results design with a compact header. Keep the actual sample data, controls, and useful default result visible early on a 360px-wide screen. Use readable text at least 16px, generous paragraph spacing, strong contrast, semantic labels, visible keyboard focus, and wrapping source blocks. Stack records on narrow screens rather than forcing a wide table.
Wire each action to an explicit type=button click handler using element selectors; the host permits scripts but blocks form submission. Update the visible result when the described action occurs. Show specific error feedback for invalid or missing input and clear stale feedback after dependent inputs change. Use plain text when displaying user values.
The simplified adult key omits wings and does not identify real insects or certify mastery. Keep the source fixture and worked teacher or developer example distinct from actual user records. Include the domain-specific explanation and next check beside the result. Provide no fake download, send, deployment, approval, or persistence button. Everything operates locally for the current page session.
Review the prepared copy in NOS
Use the repaired L6 trial to ask why a correct count was insufficient. NOS can render an HTML explanation beside the part key, and eligible static prompts can be revised visually after a colleague’s review. Check the actual paper assembly and record what the learner explained.