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| Incredible Insects | |||
| by Linda C. Joseph, Columbus (Ohio) Public Schools, Library of Congress | |||
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| Incredible Insects | |||
| by Linda C. Joseph, Columbus (Ohio) Public Schools, Library of Congress | |||
[Editor's note: URLs mentioned in this article appear in the chart that follows.]
Pests, workers, artists—the intrepid insects of the world fascinate, annoy, and benefit humankind. From butterflies to bees to the lowly cockroach, insects are an integral part of the natural environment, making their mark on culture through rhyme and lore. Who can resist Jiminy Cricket, a bug transformed into a wise intellectual who advises Pinocchio and encourages kids to get the en-cy-clo-pe-di-a to find information? Who hasn't chuckled at unsuspecting bugs planning an attack only to be foiled by RAID?
What causes fireflies to blink? Did you ever wonder about the origin of "Sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite?" Sleep tight is a reference to the tightening of ropes that supported mattresses on old beds and don't let the bed bugs bite refers to the critters that sometimes lived in the wooden frame. Regardless of the reactions by students, insect studies are a favorite in the classroom. Let's delve into the insect world and see what we can learn.
Insect Starting Points
Citybugs
Bug
identification is a snap. Kids can use the guided search by answering a
series of questions, or they can browse through images. Two features that
will be very helpful to your budding entomologists are the pages about
where to find bugs and how to make a bug collection. Ask the expert, insect
anatomy, and lots of resources are furnished as well. This Web site is
a collaborative outreach project between UC Berkeley's College of Natural
Resources and the Oakland Unified School District in California.
Entomology
for Beginners
Little
ones will enjoy the colorful illustrations and the simple interactivity.
By clicking on different parts of an insect, they will learn about its
anatomy. Metamorphosis is demonstrated through an animation showing the
stages of butterfly development. "Simple and elegant" is the best way to
describe these pages that are sure to please the young entomologist.
Insecta
Inspecta World
The
building of Insecta Inspecta World was the culmination of a yearlong research
activity by the Thornton Junior High School Honors Academy, conducted under
the review of the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution,
in 1999. Information on a variety of insects is thoroughly researched and
very well-written. Sounds, animations, and drawings complement the material
being presented. One particularly intriguing article discusses insects
that appeared on ancient coins.
|
(from Audubon Institute: Eating Insects, http://www.auduboninstitute.org/html/eatbugs.html) CHOCOLATE CHIRPIE
CHIP COOKIES
2-1/4
cups flour
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla; beat until creamy. Beat in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture and insects; mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded measuring teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. |
Insects
on the Web
More
than 90 stunning photographs and descriptions from 14 insect groups, including
ants, grasshoppers, and walking sticks, greet the visitor to this site.
Especially interesting is the section on butterfly wing patterns. Roll
your mouse over the picture and the image changes from a circle to a wing
shape. Click on the image and learn facts about the characteristics of
the genus while viewing a poster view of the patterns.
Iowa
State University Entomology Department
Photographs,
notes about insect problems related to Iowa, and a chat room highlight
the Iowa Sate University Entomology Department Web site. Although the gallery
does not present an exhaustive list of insect images, the ones provided
show spectacular close-ups of the different species. Suggestions for the
treatment of insect infestations are contained in the notes section. Insect
topics can be discussed in the interactive chat room. High school students
would benefit most from this college entomology department.
University
of Kentucky Entomology Department
Looking
for solutions to pest problems? Want to know how to raise crickets? Need
some classroom activity and lesson ideas? Check out the Entomology Department
at the University of Kentucky. Insect recipes, games, a bug calendar, and
a bibliography for further reading can be found in the For Kids section
of the site. In addition, there are several lessons and units from which
to choose and use in the classroom, including flour beetles, termite trails,
and choose an insect. Art teachers will appreciate directions for making
paper mache insects and other craft items. This is a wonderful way to integrate
science and art.
Wonderful
World of Insects
Once
you navigate beyond the distracting advertisements and locate the "Key
to the Order of Insects" at the bottom of the page, you will discover a
wealth of information. Begin exploring an insect's anatomy by clicking
on Pete the grasshopper. You are transported to another area of the page
where the specific anatomical part is described. Each description is accompanied
by a black-and-white line drawing. Next, read an introduction to the various
insect orders. Many of these pages have links to other Web sites. Finally,
if you are contemplating keeping insects in the classroom, be sure to review
the care sheets that cover housing, feeding, breeding, and other important
facts.
Insect Cams
Ant
Cam
Get
up close and personal with a queen ant and her colony. There are two cameras
that automatically refresh every few seconds. However, the coolest feature
is the live streaming video of the ants in motion using RealPlayer. Answers
to questions such as, "How long do ants live?," "How much weight can a
worker carry?," and "Do ants ever get lost?" can be found in "Ant Facts."
In addition, there are step-by-step instructions on building an ant terrarium.
Bee
Cam
Clusters
of bees are busy working on the honeycomb at this commercial Web site.
The image refreshes every 30 seconds. To really see the bees in action
you will want to download the short video. If you want to set up your own
observation hive, Draper's Super Bee Aviaries carries the supplies to get
you started.
Insect
Zoo
Maneuver
this camera remotely. Hunt down the white-eyed assassin bugs identified
by white spots on their wings. These insects can be found throughout the
world. They stalk their prey, then pounce and inject a lethal dose of saliva
through piercing mouthparts. The enzymes in the saliva break down the food
and assist with digestion.
Insects
as Food
Despite
the unsavory thought of eating a bug, many cultures in the world do eat
insects as part of their diet. In fact, insects can be thought of as survival
food when nothing else is available. When my sister taught home economics
one year, she introduced the nutritional value of insects and had her students
prepare and sample chocolate-covered ants as well as other delicacies.
Audubon
Institute: Eating Insects
Zach
Lemann is the resident entomologist at the Audubon Institute. He was chief
chef on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and cooked up several recipes, including
toffee surprise, grasshopper fritters, and chocolate covered crickets.
Sounds quite yummy, don't you think?
Insect
Recipes
Did
you know that many insects contain protein and calcium? Check out the nutritional
value of various insects, and then try out some tasty recipes also featured
on The Tonight Show. Choose from a variety of delectable offerings, including
bug blox with dry-roasted leafhoppers, chocolate chirpies with dry-roasted
crickets, and corn borer cornbread muffins.
Insect Sounds
Bug
Bytes
Listen
to wing vibrations, feeding sounds, and even a rice weevil larva in a wheat
kernel. The Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology
is developing methods for counting and monitoring insect populations through
acoustic technology. These sound samples are a result of their work.
Nature
Sounds: Insects
Crickets,
cicadas, grasshoppers, and bees sing their songs in natural settings. A
brief description of where the song was recorded and a personal anecdote
make you feel right at home.
Where to Buy Insects
Carolina
Biological Supply
Purchase
ants, butterflies, crickets, and a variety of eggs.
Insect
Lore
Live
insect kits and other supplies are available.
Lessons and Activities
Alien
Empire
Experience
insects through a multimedia presentation based on the PBS miniseries Nature.
This companion site is loaded with photographs, animations, sounds, video,
and interactive learning. Explore bee anatomy, the life cycle of a monarch
butterfly, and the hatching of mayflies. Solve the insect scramble puzzle
and create masks from the accompanying patterns. Don't miss the videoclip,
"Insects as Food."
Enchanted
Learning Printouts
Print
all sorts of black-and-white insect drawings with labels and descriptions.
This is a wonderful resource when studying insects.
Insect
Scavenger Hunt
Create
your own scavenger hunt by adapting some of the ideas from the Great Cultural
Entomology Scavenger Hunt developed by Dr. Leon Higley at the University
of Nebraska—Lincoln. His list consists of 50 topics to search, such as
dances involving insects, children's books about insects, and children's
songs involving insects. This scavenger hunt could serve as either a hook
or a culminating activity.
Most
Wanted Bugs
Mug
shots and rap sheets are posted by the Federal Bug Intelligence Agency.
Your job is to locate these notorious creepy crawlies and report them to
headquarters. Plan a lesson around this tongue-in-cheek site and enlist
your bug detectives to find and identify these villains in the wild. The
FBIA will be proud of them!
Using
Live Insects in Elementary Classrooms: For Early Lessons in Life
Live
Insects in Elementary Classrooms for Early Lessons in Life is a collection
of 20 integrated lessons with science, math, and language arts activities
that use live insects. These lessons are aligned with National Science
Education Standards (NSES). Most of the lessons include reading a book
such as A Very Quiet Cricket by Eric Carle or Grasshopper on the Road by
Arnold Lobel. Comprehensive rearing sheets explain how to make containers,
what to feed insects, and how to handle them in a classroom setting. Each
insect sheet contains information about identifying features, natural history,
impact on the ecosystem, and tips on collecting. A Spanish version is also
available.
Bug Hunting
It's time for a field trip. Grab those nets, jars, boxes, and magnifying glasses. Stop by the media center and pick up an insect field guide. Remember to take your digital camera or camcorder to document the sights and sounds of your adventure. Be sure to take a journal to record data and other findings. Dress appropriately for the weather and the area where you will be hiking. And please, don't forget the bug spray.
Linda Joseph is the author
of Net Curriculum: An Educator’s
Guide to Using the Internet, published by CyberAge Books. The recipient
of numerous awards, in addition to her work in the Columbus Public Schools
and the Library of Congress, Linda is a part-time instructor for Ohio State
University. Communications to the author may be addressed to her at Columbus
Public Schools, 737 East Hudson Street, Columbus, OH 43211; 614/365-5277;
ljoseph@iwaynet.net.
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