Elementary School
Teacher’s Guide
BIODIVERSITY
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | EDUCATOR | BIODIVERSITY
Introduction
The Field Museum has over 12 million specimen in its Arthropod Collection, with 4.1
million of those speciment being individually pinned insects. Jim Louderman has
been the collections assistant in the Insect Division of The Field Museum for nearly 20
years. In addition to the work he does at the Museum, he regularly conducts ecological
assessments at various sites in the Midwest. Currently, he is collaborating with the Jo
Daviess Conservation Foundation in Hanover, IL to survey the insect population in a
prairie restoration site. He is also working on a prairie restoration project on the Museum
Campus in Chicago that will increase native biodiversity in the area.
In this module your students will learn how to identify insects, with a focus on beetles.
They will get a sneak peek behind the scenes, and meet Jim to learn how to build a
carrion trap and conduct an insect survey to assess the biodiversity in their community.
We will talk about different ways students can easily increase biodiversity in their area,
as well as larger scale biodiversity projects that he has worked on. After students carry
out their survey, they will be able to evaluate different solutions to increase biodiversity in
their area.
Background
Arthropods are the largest phylum of animals consisting of about 83% of all known
species. Arthropods are defined by five characteristics. They have bilateral symmetry,
a segmented body, hard exoskeleton, jointed legs, and many pairs of legs. Examples
of types of arthropods include: myriapods (centipedes and millipedes), trilobites
(extinct), chelicerates (spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs), crustaceans (crabs, pillbugs,
barnacles), and insects.
Insects are a group of arthropods with the following characters: a body divided into
three segments (head, thorax, and abdomen); one pair of antennae, three pairs of mouth
appendages, three pairs of legs on thorax, and often one or two pairs of wings. Examples
of insects include: flies, moths, beetles, and ants. Contrary to popular belief, spiders are
not insects. Coleoptera (beetles) are the largest order of insects and can be found all over
the world. Beetles have the following distinguishing characteristics: chewing mouth parts;
front wings (elytra) that are hard and act as covers for the hind wings, which meet down
the middle of the back; hind wings are large, membranous, and folded beneath the elytra.
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | EDUCATOR | BIODIVERSITY
Background (cont.)
It is estimated that there are over 300,000 species of beetles worldwide, more than
23,000 can be found in North America. Because of their abundance, beetles are a great
indicator of biodiversity in an area. Biodiversity can refer to the genetic, species, or
ecosystem variation within an area, biome, or biosphere. A high diversity of beetles can
predict a high diversity of other organisms. Their diversity can also be monitored over
time to measure changes in biodiversity. Conversely, a high number of the same species
of beetle would indicate a low biodiversity.
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | EDUCATOR | BIODIVERSITY
NGSS Alignment
These activities align with the following Next Generation Science Standards, among others.
2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in
different habitats.
or
3-LS4-4. Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the
environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may change.
Science and Engineering
Practices
Planning and Carrying Out
Investigations
• Make observation (firsthand or from
media) to collect data that can be used to
make comparisons. (2-LS4-1)
Engaging in Argument from Evidence
• Make a claim about the merit of a solution
to a problem by citing relevant evidence about
how it meets the criteria and constraints of
the problem. (3-LS4-4)
Crosscutting Concepts
Disciplinary Core Ideas
LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans
Systems and System Models
•
Connections to Nature of Science
•
There are many different kinds of living
things in any area, and they exist in
different places on land and in water.
(2-LS4-1)
Populations live in a variety of habitats,
and change in those habitats affects the
organisms living there. (3-LS4-4)
•
A system can be described in terms of
its components and their interations.
(3-LS4-4)
Scientific Knowledge is Based on
Empirical Evidence
• Scientists look for patterns and order
when making observations about the
world. (2-LS4-1)
Scientific Knowledge Assumes an Order
and Consistency in Natural Systems
• S cience assumes consistent patterns in
natural systems. (3-LS4-4)
Adapted from NGSS Lead States. 2013. Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States. Washington, DC: The National
Academies Press.
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | EDUCATOR | BIODIVERSITY
Activity 1
WHAT IS AN INSECT?
After this lesson your students will be able to:
• Describe the characteristics of an insect.
• Differentiate beetles from other insetcs.
MAIN IDEAS
• The biological classification of life follows
the hierarchy of: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum,
Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species.
• Each level of classification groups organisms
by shared characteristics.
• Insects are classified as invertebrates (have
an exoskeleton), having six legs, a threesegmented body, one pair of antennae, and
usually wings.
PREREQUISITE
KNOWLEDGE
• Basic anatomical vocabulary, such as:
body, legs, wings, eyes, antennae.
MATERIALS AND PREP
You will need to prepare the following materials prior to this lesson:
• Download and review the Beetle Avtivity.
• Make copies of Insect Anatomy Vocabulary handout for each student, pg. S5.
• Make copies of Insect Cards for pairs or groups of four, pgs. S1-S4.
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | EDUCATOR | BIODIVERSITY
DIRECTIONS
1. Activate your student’s prior knowledge on biological classification or taxonomy.
• How do scientists classify organisms?
• Answers can vary from listing the classification hierarchy, by observation, or grouping by characteristics.
2. Hand out a copy of S6 to each student.
a. Ask students to identify what parts of the anatomy all insects have.
b. Since spiders are not actually insects, ask students how insects are similar to spiders. How are they different? If needed, use the Internet to find a picture of a spider. You may repeat this with other arthropods; such as crabs, scorpions, ticks, or millipedes.
c. Keep a list of what insect characteristics students come up with. It should include: Three segmented body, six legs, antennae, and (sometimes) wings.
3. Give students 5-10 minutes to label the anatomy of the example insects. Review if necessary.
4. Next, split students into pairs or groups of four and distribute the Insect Cards.
a. Instruct students to separate the beetle cards from the rest of the insects.
b. On a separate sheet of paper, have students use their new vocabulary to explain how the beetles were different from the other insects.
• Example answers could include: “Their hindwings cover their forewings“, “Their wings form a line down the abdomen“, or “They have hardened wings“.
• In fact, what separates beetles from other insects is that the have hardened forewings, which protect their softer hindwings.
5. Once finished, open the Beetle Activity. In this activity students are shown an example of a beetle
and a non-beetle, students are tasked with correctly identifying the beetle.
6. Close the lesson by having students use their own words to summarize the characteristics of
insects and what characteristic is unique to beetles.
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | EDUCATOR | BIODIVERSITY
Activity 2
BROADCAST
After this lesson your students will be able to:
• Design a study to assess biodiversity.
• Create a carrion trap for insect collection.
• Explain how a museum uses insect collections for scientific research.
MAIN IDEAS
• Insect collections are used by museums to
understand the past, present, and make
predictions about the future of insect
biodiversity.
• Insects are one of the most abundant
and diverse organisms on Earth and are
excellent indicators of ecosystem health and
biodiversity.
PREREQUISITE
KNOWLEDGE
• Insect collections are used by
museums to understand the past,
present, and make predictions about
the future of insect biodiversity.
• Insects are one of the most abundant
and diverse organisms on Earth and
are excellent indicators of ecosystem
health and biodiversity.
MATERIALS AND PREP
It is recommended that you do the following
prior to this lesson:
• Watch the Brain Scoop’s Insect Adventure
series: https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=DNphZnLmUDM
• We encourage you to watch all three
videos in the series to gain a deeper
understanding of the process insect
collecting and identification.
• Read the Virtual Visits Technical Guide
• Attend the webinar test-run, link and
direction will be provided one week prior to
your visit
• Check with your IT specialist to make sure
you will have available bandwidth on the day
of your Visit
You will need the following materials:
• Computer with Internet
• (Recommended) Ethernet connected
Internet
• Projector
• (Optional) Scrap paper or note cards
VIRTUAL VISITS FROM THE FIELD
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | EDUCATOR | BIODIVERSITY
DIRECTIONS
1. Follow the Technical Guide provided to set up the
Virtual Visits broadcast.
• While waiting for the broadcast to begin, review
information from the Main Ideas section with your class.
TIPS
Before the discussion, project
the questions below on to the
board and have students write
down their ideas to increase
discussion participation.
OPTIONAL: Provide students with a sheet of paper or note card to record questions that they come up with during the broadcast. This will also be helpful to follow along as the scientist calculates the biodiversity index.
2. During the broadcast the scientists will interact with classrooms by asking students a question. Please type student responses into the chat box in the broadcast window or use the
polling feature.
3. Follow-up the broadcast with a class discussion on what was learned and what students would like to investigate further.
• Ask students how they felt about the experience. What was it like to meet a real scientist? What was their favorite part? Least favorite?
• Ask students to recall the experience. What is the scientist’s job at the Museum? What does he/she study? How do scientists classify organisms? What types of projects does the scientist work on? What did he/she show us?
• If students have conflicting viewpoints, encourage them to discuss it using evidence from
what the scientist said or did.
• Ask students to explain what they learned. What is something you learned about science careers from the broadcast? What is something you learned about science from
the broadcast?
• Have students make connections from the broadcast to their life. What kind of insects have they seen in their community? Have they seen many different kinds? What do they predict is the quality of biodiversity in their community based on these observations? What did the scientist talk about that we’ve learned this year?
• Have students apply the concepts to a new idea. Can you connect citizen science to
understand or solve an issue in your community? What kinds of questions could you
answer about your community using an insect survey?
• Ask students to consider how they can apply this new knowledge in the future. What are some things that you can do to improve biodiversity in your area? What can we do as a class to improve biodiversity on school grounds??
VIRTUAL VISITS FROM THE FIELD
T7
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | EDUCATOR | BIODIVERSITY
Activity 3
BIODIVERSITY ASSESSMENT
After this lesson your students will be able to:
• Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different
habitats.
• Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the
environment changes and the types of plants and animals that live there may
change.
MAIN IDEAS
• Biodiversity is the different types of organisms
that live in an area. Areas with high biodiversity
have many different species of organisms.
High biodiversity is an indicator of a high
quality habitat.
• Beetles can be found in many terrestrial
ecosystems, therefore they make a good
indicator of biodiversity.
PREREQUISITE
KNOWLEDGE
• How to identify a beetle from other insects and
use an insect key.
• Mathematical addition and division.
MATERIALS AND PREP
You will need to prepare the following
materials prior to this lesson:
• Select an area near the school that will be your study site approximately 100 x 100 ft or smaller square.
• Copies of pg. S6 for each student.
• Purchase materials and build a carrion trap.
You will need the following materials:
• 1 qt container
• Gauze
• Propylene glycol
• Rain cover/tarp
• Chicken liver
• Paper plates
• Plastic spoons
• Magnifying glasses
• Forceps
• (Optional) Insect field guides for identification
VIRTUAL VISITS FROM THE FIELD
T8
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | EDUCATOR | BIODIVERSITY
DIRECTIONS
Recommended: One to two weeks prior to you Virtual Visits broadcast, create and set a trap
where you wish to evaluate biodiversity. Allow it to sit and collect insects for one to two weeks.
After your class has viewed the broadcast, collect the trap for students to observe and analyze.
1. Review with your students the methods and materials you used to create, set, and collect the
trap.
2. Task students with helping you identify beetles in the sample.
• Each student should receive a two paper plates, magnifying glass, and forceps.
• Each student will receive a “scoop” of sample from the carrion trap onto his or her paper plate.
3. First, students will individually sort the beetles from the rest of their sample using the forceps onto
the second plate. Once they have removed the beetles from the sample they will sort the beetles
by morphospecies. Sorting by morphospecies is simply grouping beetles by the way they look.
If they look the same, they are the same morphospecies. If they look different they are different
morphospecies. Explain to students they are doing it this way because it takes entomologists
years to master insect identification. Optionally, you may provide students with insect field
guides to help them identify the beetles. Have students record their data into the Biodiversity
Assessment handout on S6.
4. Discuss possible causes of descrepencies between different indices with the class.
5. Discuss whether the sample had “high” or “low” biodiversity. The closer to zero, the higher the
biodiversity.
6. Close the lesson by asking students to propose solutions to increasing beetle biodiversity in the
area. You may write their answers on the board or chart paper.
VIRTUAL VISITS FROM THE FIELD
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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | EDUCATOR | BIODIVERSITY
Insect Cards Identifications
1. Order: Coleoptera, Geotrupes splendidus
splendid earth boring beetle
2. Order: Hemiptera
stink bug
3. Order: Coleoptera, Necrophila americana
American carrion beetle
4. Order: Coleoptera, Onthophagus hecate
tumble bugs
5. Order: Coleoptera, Pasimachus elongatus
blue-margined ground beetle
6. Order: Isoptera
termite, this especially is a soldier
7. Order: Dermaptera
earwig
8. Order: Hymenoptera, Camponotus carpenter ant
9. Order: Coleoptera, Chlaenius sericeus
green pubsecent ground beetle
10.Order: Orthoptera
cricket
11.Order: Coleoptera, Galerita janus
false bombadier beetle
12.Order: Hemiptera, Tibicen linnei
linne’s cicada
13.Order: Coleoptera, Necrophorus tomentosus
golden burying beetle
14.Order: Hymenoptera
bee
15.Order: Lepidoptera, Eurytides marcellus
zebra swallowtail
16.Order: Odonata, Libellula luctuosa
widow skimmer
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T12
Elementary School
Student Handouts
BIODIVERSITY
Major Sponsor:
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | STUDENT | BIODIVERSITY
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S4
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | STUDENT | BIODIVERSITY
Name: _________________________________ Date:__________
Insect Anatomy Vocabulary
Directions: Use the vocabulary in the diagram below to identify the parts of an insect
in pictures 1-3. Connect the word to the body part like the diagram below.
INSECT ANATOMY DIAGRAM
1.
3.
2.
Order Coleoptera
Ground beetle (Carabidae)
Order Mantodea
Praying mantis (Mantidae)
Order Isoptera
Termite worker (Rhinotermitidae)
VIRTUAL VISITS FROM THE FIELD
S5
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | STUDENT | BIODIVERSITY
Name: _________________________________
Date:__________
Biodiversity Assesment
BIODIVERSITY DATA
PROCEDURE
1.Sort out all of the beetles from your
sample.
2.Count and record the total number of
beetles.
3.Sort the beetles by morphospecies.
4. Record how may beetles you have for
each morphospecies.
5. Calculate the biodiversity index.
1. Total number of beetles in your sample: 2.Number of morphospecies groups:
3. To calculate the biodiversity index,
divide your answer to line 2 by your
answer to line 1.
(# morphospecies groups ÷ total # of beetles)
Biodiversity Index =
4. The closer your index is to zero, the higher the biodiversity is. Does your sample have a high
or low biodiversity? Explain your reasoning.
5. If your local government decided to plant native seeds where your class conducted
the biodiversity assessment, what do you think would change about the plant and
animal populations in the surrounding area? Do you think this is a good idea to increase
biodiversity? Why or why not?
VIRTUAL VISITS FROM THE FIELD
S6