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This lesson introduces the study of insects in science by using poetry. Students work in cooperative groups to prepare choral poetry readings and present factual information on an assigned insect to the class. The choral poetry readings also serve to increase fluency in English-as-a-second-language students. During four 30-minute sessions, students will: participate in choral poetry readings; work cooperatively in groups to create a choral reading of an assigned poem; use a graphic organizer to gather factual information about a particular insect; and present choral poetry readings and research information orally to the class. The instructional plan, lists of resources, student assessment/reflection activities, and a list of National Council of Teachers of English/International Reading Association (NCTE/IRA) Standards addressed in the lesson are included. A research information sheet is attached. (PM)

Asserts that informational reading material is scarce in primary classrooms and that many primary grade teachers do not know enough strategies for helping children understand this type of reading material. Describes an effort to engage a group of first-grade children in reading and writing experiences involving informational texts and related strategies and activities. (SD)

Early and ongoing exposure to entomology promotes interest in insects, minimizes fear of nature, and instills appreciation for biodiversity. Three effective ways to introduce young children to the study of insects are: live collections for observation and investigation, re-creation of insects through artistic constructions to learn structure and function, and dramatic play activities to understand insect behavior. (TJQ)

Describes a directed research project that examines the territorial and aggressive behavior of crickets. Presents behavioral ecology laboratory experiments in which students test the hypothesis that crickets with established territories are more likely to win confrontations that intruding crickets. (Contains 11 references.) (ASK)

Describes a successful simulation that explores animal camouflage and the fundamental idea that organisms depend on their environment. Uses a story from a basal reader to facilitate student learning; however, other trade books could also be used. (SAH)

Presents an example of an authentic inquiry-based investigation of living organisms that can be easily performed in a school setting or students' neighborhood using pillbugs. Students observe, ask questions, collect data, classify and compare, measure, and analyze data to draw conclusions about pillbug behavior. (SAH)

Reports the effects of Bacillus thuringiensis var. Kurstaki (BT), which is highly toxic, to a non-target lepidopteran, the Painted Lady butterfly. Indicates that BT kills some Painted Lady butterfly larvae at the lowest dilution tested after 48 hours. (ASK)

Presents activities on insects for second grade students. In the first activity, students build a butterfly garden. In the second activity, students observe stimuli reactions with mealworms in the larval stage. Describes the assessment process and discusses the effects of pollution on living things. (YDS)

Explains how the internet can be successfully used in science education by searching different web sites. Points out the dangers of the web such as accuracy of information, information overload, and availability of inappropriate materials. Recommends using web filters, instructing directions for internet searches, and using bookmarks. Uses computers as a publishing tool for an online classroom newsletter. (YDS)

Provides information on the health issues during the construction of the Panama Canal, focusing on issues such as the identification of mosquitoes as carriers of yellow fever and malaria and the role of Colonel William Crawford Gorgas in the battle against mosquito-born disease. Includes teaching activities. (CMK)

Points out the motivating effects of puppets, books, and animals on children's learning. Warns against books that may include incorrect scientific concepts and suggests the use of puppets. Recommends puppets, prose books, and internet sites. (YDS)

Describes an activity for primary students on bees. Demonstrates life in a beehive using students playing bees. Reports the effects of this activity on student learning. (YDS)

Describes a one-month sixth grade class activity with monarch butterflies called Monarch in the Classroom. Students learn about insects, especially the class material butterflies, including their life cycle, eating habits, migration, and how they overwinter. The lesson plan covers sorting animals, focusing on features, analyzing the community for monarchs, and observing butterfly scales. (YDS)

Describes an activity in which students make careful observations about earwigs, then design their own questions for further investigation. (WRM)

Describes an activity in which students use metric measurements to find length and mass, calculate the towing strength of a bess beetle, and compare animal adaptations with human adaptations. (WRM)

Describes a field-tested interdisciplinary unit activity that involves collecting data on honeybees. Students gain hands-on experience with collecting, transforming, and analyzing data in this activity by using actual techniques employed by entomologists, the scientists who study insects. (ASK)

Describes the use of mud dauber wasp nests in laboratory activities in ecology and behavior and life science classes. Provides students with an opportunity to develop and practice basic skills including dissection, identification, observation, measurement, and communication. Discusses the life of mud daubers, obtaining and storing nests, laboratory planning and preparation, safety considerations, and teacher information. (JRH)

Recommends the use of seed beetles for studying animal behavior and provides suggestions for practical and project assignments. Sources for obtaining the beetles and a list of the equipment needed for their study and maintenance are provided. Answers to common concerns are addressed. (DDR)

Describes the Monarch Watch program that tracks the migration of the monarch butterfly. Presents activities that introduce students to research and international collaboration between students and researchers. Familiarizes students with monarchs, stimulates their interest, and helps them generate questions that can lead to good research projects. (JRH)

Presents an activity enabling students of grades four to nine to construct a "Buzzing Bee" model using simple materials. Provides students with the opportunity to explore the concepts of sound and the Doppler effect. (MKR)

Presents a plain English map of the chromosomes of the fruit fly that contains genes from very different kinds of studies. Represents the work of nearly a century by thousands of researchers using a tremendous variety of techniques. (JRH)

Describes field and classroom activities to conduct investigations of insects that emphasize capture and release rather than capture for semipermanent collections. Provides contact information for the Young Entomologists' Society, Inc. (JRH)

Describes three census activities concerning birds and butterflies that involve students in the actual collection of biological data. A Project Feederwatch data form is also included. (ZWH)

The life history of the Chironomus tentans can be observed in easily established and maintained laboratory cultures. Projects for the classroom include observing hydration of an egg mass; embryonic development, hatching and larval feeding; larval activity; and mating activity. (MDH)

Describes the procedures for starting and maintaining a bee hive to enhance any lesson on the study of bees. (ZWH)

Uses the GEMS guide, "Ants at Home Underground", to explore the life of ants and teach about them in a classroom setting. The activity applies students' knowledge of ants and students learn about ant colonies, what ants eat, and how they live. (SAH)

Introduces a series of molecular genetics laboratories where students pick a single colony from a Drosophila melanogester embryo cDNA library and purify the plasmid, then analyze the insert through restriction digests and gel electrophoresis. (Author/YDS)

Explains the planning procedure for outdoor classrooms and introduces an integrated unit on monarch butterflies called the Monarch Watch program. Makes recommendations to solve financial problems of outdoor classrooms. (YDS)