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=Insects=

Goals
Increase respect and appreciation for insect life Engage student interest and wonder about the natural world Connect with students in other schools in a shared learning activity

My Personal Starting Point
On vacation this summer my seven-year-old son and I pretended to be at the snail races as we watched many large snails. We also found two millipedes which my son was unwilling to touch at first. As I marveled at these long and many-legged creatures soon my son became more interested and engaged. Then he was holding them and talking to them. Unfortunately, when I walked away to prepare lunch, he smushed them. I was disappointed and upset. How could he have done this? It started me wondering about how his fear and negative attitudes towards bugs is an important part of his relationship with the natural world. Can his mindset and dim view of insects be changed? Since then I've paying more attention to my family's and friends' attitudes towards insect. Insects are feared, avoided, swatted, poisoned, etc., and few are welcomed.

Activity
The main activity is for students to capture and bring insects to classroom. (Or to photograph them outdoors and leave them untouched.) Insects are photographed in close-up mode with a ruler or object for scale. Photo is posted on a new wiki page (or added to an existing one for that insect type) Relevant information is posted below insect photo. Experts provide additional information and research is conducted as relevant and interest allows Students provide feedback and comment on insects, sharing personal stories.

Catch and Release
I think a policy of "catch and release" is a useful ground rule for an insect study. If we are going to learn about insects then we shouldn't be holding a possible death sentence in mind as we look at them. With the exception of insects that are actively biting us, students should stay open-minded and not do harm to our subjects. Insects are small, but they still are alive and children should not be encouraged to think of life callously.

Cameras and Photos
We have lots of digital cameras and we hope to make use of the closeup feature (flower mode on our cameras) to take pictures of insects we find. We can include a hand, a coin, a ruler, etc. to help with scale. Along with each photo we can write a description - where it was found, what we notice about it, etc. Setting up a "bug box" where insects can be viewed and photographed easily may be helpful.

Information Template
Once students have an insect to examine in the classroom, they should write a description of the insect. Ideas for information to include follow: Where was the insect caught or sighted? (On or above ground, on a leaf, tree trunk, in the ground, etc.) What did you notice about its environment? Possible food sources? Home or habitat? What country, city, state...? Who caught or found it? (Optional) Shape? Size? Color? Number of legs? Eyes? Antennae? Other descriptive details. What is the insect's name or type (if known)? Do you think of this as a "good" or "bad" insect? Why?

Research
Once photos with descriptions are posted we may still need help identifying insects. Our science teacher can help, or maybe someone who views this wiki can help. Knowing the name of a insect can help us conduct more research on the insect. What does it eat? How does it get along with people? Is it a helping insect or a pest?

Additional Wonderings
As part of research about the insects, more information could be collected from experts and published resources about harm and benefits of identified insects. Is the insect considered to be a pest? Of benefit to humans? An important part of the ecosystem? How? Is there any folklore about the insect?

Comments and Interaction Among Students
Once a wiki entry is made, students are invited to leave comments in the discussion tab about the insect. Is the insect one they have seen before? What experiences do they have with it? Do the students know any additional information about its behavior, preferred foods, habitat, etc.? Students can also questions.

Assessment
Do students delay or refrain from killing or harming insects? Do students show less fear of insects? Can students name and describe three insects in their environs (and one outside)?