-Insects and Their Environments: A Secondary Curriculum Module

INSECTS AND THEIR ENVIRONMENTS:

A SECONDARY CURRICULUM MODULE

Developed by: Connie A. Wood

Summary

This module integrates ecology, biology, hydrology, entomology, technology, measurements and cooperative learning processes.

Connection to the Curriculum

This module demonstrates to students the connectivity of insects as part of their larger visible ecosystem and the curriculum topics of diversity, interactions and botany.

Time

This module will take approximately three weeks with five hours of instruction per week.

Season

This module can be used throughout the school year. There will be more variety of specimens during the early fall and spring seasons.

Materials

Observing and collecting material

aquatic nets, can be purchased or made with nylon stocking

stick and white collecting cloth

flying insect nets, can be purchased or made with screen wire

white enamel pan

forceps

water scope, or underwater viewer

plant hook

vials and jars for collecting, 35mm film canisters are suitable

earth bag for material transport

labels

clear plastic soda bottles

clear tape

scissors

box tops

silicone sealant

insect field guide

plant field guide

microscope and/or magnifying lenses

computer with internet access

materials to test water quality

pH pen or pH paper

dissolved oxygen kit

conductivity kit

water thermometer

alkalinity kit

TEKS

7.1A,B 7.1A thru E 7.4A,B 7.12A,B,C,D 8.1A,B 8.2A thru E 8.4A,B 8.11A,B,C

Objectives

Phase One:
Students will gain an understanding of insects by surveying the characteristics, adaptations and habitats of insects. Methods of inquiry will include direct observation, field guide search, textbook search, internet site study (scavenger hunt), and student generated question search.

Students will obtain data about local insects and plants ( Miller Springs Nature Center). Students will use internet sources to find pictures of specific insects representing several habitats.

Students will construct terrarium, aquarium and terraqua columns from soda bottles and listed materials as future insect habitats.

Phase Two:
Students will learn collection methods of various local insects.

Students will collect insects representable to the different niches of the local area. At Miller Springs Nature Center, students will collect ground insects, tree and shrub insects, and aquatic insects.

Students will collect plants, water, organisms and soil to support the insects that they collect.

Phase Three:
Students will identify the insects that they have collected.

Students will build an artificial habitat for the insects that they have collected as close to their natural habitat as possible.

Students will observe and document the components of their insect habitats. This should include biotic and abiotic factors.

Students will determine the interactions between plants, animals, light, water, air and soil.

Science concepts and terms: insects, adaptations, habitat, niche, environment, biotic, abiotic, producer, consumer, herbivore, carnivore, omnivore, diversity, camouflage, mimicry, adaptations, classification systems, kingdoms, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species, model, pH, water alkalinity, photosynthesis

Math concepts and terms: data points, line graph, range, scale, length, mass

Technology concepts and terms: internet, world wide web, net search techniques, browser, bookmark

Group interaction and cooperative learning to collect , identify and complete habitats

Procedures

1. Obtain copies of field guides and text to determine the characteristics of insects. They should know the number and names of body regions, number and location of antennae, number of legs and wings. They should know six major orders of insects.

2. Students should research the parts of a habitat. They should know the major types and components of habitats of local insect areas. Students will investigate the role of insects in biocontrol methods. Students will become aware of the variety and quantity of insects in the world.

3. Students will research local insects on the internet. They will check their list against a master list composed by the instructor. They will find and print graphics of the six major orders of the local area. This procedure and the remainder will be done in cooperative groups.

4. Students will develop two questions concerning the insect information that they have collected. They will e-mail and expert and research the answer to their questions after approval from the instructor.

5. Students will prepare plastic soda bottles as future artificial habitats of collected insects. They will clean bottles, remove labels, cut off spout, punch holes for air, and make appropriate tops, doors, connections and wicks.

6. Students will postulate the type of collection methods that should be used to collect the insects in good condition. From the students ideas and standard collection method students will create a class method of collection.

7. Students will travel to the collection area and gather soil, vegetation and water samples to put in their artificial habitat.

8. Students will collect insects at specific areas representative of the grass, tree and aquatic habitats. Students will use a predetermined number of sweeps or collections in a given area.

9. Students will transport insects back to the classroom in (35 mm film canisters) containers, buckets or habitat chambers.

10. Students will identify their samples as to order, mouth parts and habitat.

11. Students will transfer their insects to the artificial habitats that they have built.

12. Students will determine the correct light, temperature, amount of water, amount of air, and type of soil, plants and or water is appropriate for their artificial habitat.

13. Students will document the abiotic and biotic parts of the artificial habitat. They will detail information on plant height, insect length, insect numbers and types, water pH and temperature, and soil type. They will monitor the growth and condition of the insects over a period of time. (week, 2 weeks, etc).

13. Students will log any interactions between the components of the habitats as they observe changes daily.

Questions

How many different orders of insects did you find in your habitat area?

For which insect did you find the largest count? smallest count?

How did the mouth parts relate to the habitat in which the insect was found? What other adaptations that aided the insect in its environment?

To what degree were you able to replicate the natural environment? How?

What changes and interactions did you observe in the artificial environment? Why?

Expanding the Lesson

Use the insect counts that you have collected to do a bio-index of a specific area (park, nature center, etc.). Estimate the total number of each order in the given area.

Use the internet to compare your findings with those of other schools in your area, biome, or climate zone.

Build a predator-prey habitat to study biocontrol methods for local pests or undesirable plants.

Resources

MacQuitty, Miranda with Mound, Laurence. Megabugs, The Natural History Book of Insects. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1995. ISBN 1-56619-951-4

McGavin, George C. Dr. INSECTS Of North America. San Diego, CA: Thunder Bay Press,1995. ISBM 1-57145-017-3

Ingram, Mrill. Bottle Biology. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 1993. ISBN 0-8403-8601-X

Internet Resources

Beaty, Harold. Common Insects and Other Arthropods Known to be present in Central and West Bell County, Texas. http://bellnet.tamu.edu/Insects.htm

Boldt, Paul ; Carr, William ; Robbins, Thomas ; Hicks, Ralph. Miller Springs Plant Survey. http://bellnet.tamu.edu/res_grid/msps.htm

Evans, Jerry. Centex Naturalist. http://www.vvm.com/~jevans

Greer, Ted. Aquatic Insect Identification. Los Alamos National Laboratory- Science Education and Outreach Office. http://www.education.lanl.gov/RESOURCES/NTEP95/Aquatic_Insects/Aquatic_Insect_ID.html

* These are examples of URLs that I use in my area for identification and research.