‘Yucky’ Bugs Are Good for Us
Here is an example of an inquiry map to go alongside the ‘Yucky’ Bugs Are Good for Us video.
Model adapted from http://socialinquiry.ssol.tki.org.nz
Focus of Learning/Topic
Bugs are not just useful, but absolutely crucial to our planet and to people.
Big Ideas
New Zealand Curriculum Links
Innovation, inquiry and curiosity; ecological
sustainability; thinking; future focus.
Everything is connected. New Zealand is a special place with many
unique species and ecosystems.
New Zealand Curriculum Areas (L2–4)
Science
Living World … is about living things and how they interact with each other and the environment … and distinctive
ecosystems.
Social Sciences
Place and Environment – Students … come to understand the relationships that exist between people and environment.
Other natural links in levels and content will occur that suit the needs and interests of your students.
Question
Generating
Developed through
Immersion
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Further inquiry within future learning
Use this time to excite
students about the topic while
exploring the Focus of Learning
and the Big Ideas. For ideas on
what teachers and students may
wish to do, see Immersion
on page 2.
Reflecting
and Evaluating
In this phase, students choose a key
question for their inquiry, and subsidiary
questions to help them answer the key question.
Many students will need teacher guidance to
ensure they choose a rich question. See
Question Generating on page 2 for
a starting point.
Reflecting and evaluating occurs
throughout the inquiry process and
helps students analyse their knowledge,
build new understandings and evaluate the
meaning of their findings. This may be
done individually or as a peer review.
See Reflecting and Evaluating
on page 3.
Exploring Values
and Perspectives
Exploring values and perspectives occurs
throughout the inquiry process. There are
ideas and examples throughout this inquiry
that encourage, explore and model various
values and perspectives. For examples
of specific guiding questions, see
Exploring Values and Perspectives
on page 4.
Finding Out
In this phase, there are learning
experiences a teacher might use that
help students explore and deepen their
understanding of the Big Ideas. In doing
this, students will begin to answer their key
questions, while developing crucial background
knowledge. See Finding Out on page 3. This is
a guide only, a teacher or student
may have their own ideas.
Sorting and Analysing
Leading to
This is when authentic opportunities are
provided for students to sort, sift, organise, think,
analyse and synthesise information. This is the stage where
students compare and consider the information they have
found, to make sense of the information and to determine
what is relevant for answering their key question. See
Sorting and Analysing on page 4 for strategies
and tools that can help.
So What? Now What? Action and Review
Students share their discoveries and reflect upon what they have learnt. They then decide how to apply their new
knowledge in an authentic context. They then take action to improve the lives of others in our world and/or to
share information. Finally, students review their inquiry to find out if they have they achieved their purpose. What
could they do differently next time? For ideas see So What? Now What? Action and Review on page 4.
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Immersion
There are two parts to this stage: watching the video ‘Yucky’ Bugs Are Good for Us with guiding questions and engaging
in brief learning experiences to reinforce the new knowledge and reflect on students’ own values and those of others.
1) Watching the video
0 min 15 secs – Ruud: “Have you noticed how a lot of adults don’t like bugs very much? They say they’re yucky”.
Discuss with students – what do their friends/family members think about bugs? Do they know anyone who is terrified
of/loves bugs? Why might people have different attitudes toward bugs? Is it okay to have these different reactions to
bugs?
1 min 7 secs– Ruud: “Did you know there are also bugs that kill the pests that you don’t want in your bedroom or in
your house?” Discuss with students.
1 min 44 secs – Ruud: “They are keeping the balance in nature.” Discuss with students – what might this mean? What
does balance mean? What is the balance in nature? Do we know enough to answer that question? Maybe we’ll learn
more.
End – Ruud: “Yucky bugs? I don’t think so. I think they’re GREAT!” Discuss with students – why does Ruud think bugs
are great? How do they feel towards bugs now? (Why) have they changed their minds?
2) Review and reflect
Meet our native bugs!
Review the video ‘Yucky’ Bugs Are Good for Us, listing in a chart all the bugs mentioned. Add to this chart as the
inquiry continues. Perhaps the students can add some initial thoughts about the content right away. This chart can
also be used as a basis for sorting and classifying activities later in the inquiry.
Discuss the Màori concept of wairua, the spirit within all things. The wairua (spirit) of people, land, animals, plants
and insects is all connected. How do the bugs care for the wairua of the land? To help make these connections add
another column showing how each bug or insect helps care for the wairua of the land, people, animals or plants, for
example, the katipo eats beetles and slaters, ants clean up bird droppings.
The coolest bug!
Ruud said in the video “This is the coolest slug on the planet!”
Have students work in groups or individually to choose a bug from the chart they have made and draw it. This could
be a scientific diagram or an artistic illustration. Then have them write why Ruud thought this bug was cool, and
why they think this bug is cool or yucky.
Discuss the Màori concept of manaaki (caring). Do we have a responsibility to care for the bugs we’ve learned
about? Even if we think they are yucky? Can you think something is yucky, and still care for it? How could we
express manaaki for our native bugs?
New words to explore and understand
Make sure you include a learning experience that identifies (and possibly defines) key words in the inquiry.
For example: camouflage, decomposer, humus, leaf litter, manaaki, native, predator, protein, recycling squad,
wairua
Question Generating
It is great if students can come up with key and subsidiary questions themselves; however, this takes a lot
of practice and students often need support. Begin by recording any questions that naturally arose from the
immersion experiences. Next, explore questions sparked by the key question.
Sample key question:
Why are bugs not just useful, but absolutely crucial to our planet and to people.
Sample subsidiary questions:
– Like humans, bugs live in communities and depend on other species. What sorts of things do bugs need to
live successfully in their communities?
– Which bugs are helpful in which situations?
– What are the names of some native bugs?
– Why are native bugs important?
– How do bugs help people? In the natural environment?
– What animals do you know that use camouflage?
– How does nature keep a balance?
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– What bugs might be useful in places such as my compost bin, the forest, at home?
– What are the roles of bugs in forest/costal/river eco-systems near to my home?
– What are the characteristics of predator/decomposer/producer bugs?
Finding Out
Many sources could be used for gathering information (such as people in the community, books, the Internet, pictures
or, if possible, examining various bugs). Make sure the resources are reliable and a variety of resources are used. The
possible learning experiences below will lead students to find answers to many of the questions they will have come
up with in the Question Generating part of the inquiry, while still giving a complete view of the big idea. A teacher may
want to focus on one experience or a combination. Some student questions will need a different research approach.
The recycling squad
There are millions of species of bugs, and thousands of them can be found in your backyard! Make a list of the things
bugs eat, such as plant material, seeds, fruits, roots, dead leaves and dead plant materials, dead animals, biscuits
and chocolate from the pantry, wool and carpets, paper, timber in the house, fungi and moulds, muesli, pepper,
cheese and milk, live flies and other insects, rotten wood, bark, compost...
In the video, Ruud referred to the bugs in the compost bin as ‘The Recycling Squad’. The scientific name for these
animals is ‘decomposers’. Investigate the role of decomposers in an ecosystem: What is their job? How do they
recycle? What would happen if we didn’t have decomposers? What other organisms help with decomposition? (Fungi
and bacteria)1.
Ecosystems/ Web of life
There are many different ecosystems (forest, coastal, island, river, ocean, rocky shore, etc.), but within each
ecosystem, there are always the same roles, for example: decomposers, producers, predators. Learn about the
different parts of a healthy ecosystem. Explore one type of ecosystem in detail (the DoC Forest ecosystems activity
is a great one2). Pay particular attention to the bugs. What roles do they fill? (decomposers, predators...) What other
animals (and plants) feed on bugs?
If you do the DoC Forest ecosystems activity, a great idea is to put it up on the wall with strings linking the animals.
Have students add to the ecosystem as they learn more.
Making it relevant for students
Investigate Pacific Island ecosystems or relationships, for example, coconut trees and coconut crabs. Investigate
the interrelationships in a local ecosystem – such as the school garden, or a stand of bush or other natural area in
the school grounds or nearby.
How are people using bugs to help?
Investigate all the many ways people are using bugs to help, such as the gorse spider mites creating silk and
eating the gorse from the ‘Yucky’ Bugs Are Good for Us video. (This might lead to discussions about topics such
as silkworms and mulberry and the silk industry, tiger worms in compost, biological predators, bugs in medicine).
This also leads to opportunities to explore categorising and sorting. Have students investigate the scientific
classification system of order, family, genus, species; classifying bugs as native or introduced, pest or beneficial,
insects, arachnids or slugs.
Who is in my neighbourhood?
Explore and observe the bugs in local area using methods such as pitfall traps, leaf litter shake, close up of tree,
weta motels, inventory of school grounds, tree sweeping3 and others.
Reflecting and Evaluating
Encourage your students to undertake self/peer reflection or use other suitable tools to evaluate their project.
They may ask questions such as:
– Did you answer your question?
– How did you present your information?
– Was that a good format to use? Did it work well?
– If you were to do this again, what other information might you collect to assist your study?
1 A consequence wheel is a great tool for exploring these questions, see http://efs.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-resources-and-tools/
Consequence-Wheel)
2 Visit http://www.doc.govt.nz/publications/getting-involved/for-teachers/outdoor-and-classroom-activities/
3 To do a tree sweep, choose a tree and spread a light coloured sheet underneath it. Carefully “sweep” through the branches of the
tree with a long stick and see what drops down onto the sheet. Use hand held lenses to allow the children to take a close-up look.
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Sorting and Analysing
Refer back to the key questions students generated. Organise the material or information using a variety of tools, such
as flowcharts, T-charts, PMI, thinking hats. Decide how to present the relevant information to best illustrate the inquiry
findings. See www.enchantedlearning.com for examples.
Exploring Values and Perspectives
The Màori concepts of wairua (spirit) and manaaki (caring) are threaded throughout this inquiry. Additionally, personal
values and attitudes such as yucky, great and scary have been explored. To help students reflect on these values,
ask questions such as: Should we show manaaki to bugs, even if we think they’re yucky? What would happen to the
wairua of the land if bugs weren’t around?
So What? Now What? Action and Review
At this point in the inquiry, teachers and students ask “what do we now know and what does this mean for us and
others?” Have students think critically about a solution or new insight and about action they may be able to take.
Have them justify their answers and consider how actions relate to the Màori values. Some ideas for taking action are
listed below.
– Start a worm farm.
– Make bug gardens/rotten-wood homes.
– Build weta motels.
– Challenge your family to be more bug-friendly (then therefore more planet friendly) by composting, growing
pants, not bug-spraying etc.
– Write a song about the yuckiest of bugs to help others see that even the yuckiest creatures have important roles
to play4.
Help for Teachers
• http://www.learnz.org.nz/index.php A virtual field trip programme free for registered teachers.
• http://www.nhc.net.nz/ Free images of New Zealand native species.
• http://www.doc.govt.nz/getting-involved/for-teachers/outdoor-and-classroom-activities/forest-ecosystems/
teaching-resource/ A New Zealand forest ecosystem activity.
• http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/bugs/tguide.htm This site provides a collection of activities and
resources intended as an overview of the study of insects and bugs.
• http://sciencespot.net/Pages/kdzinsect.html Here you will find links to online resources for students and
teachers.
• Check out the many wonderful books on New Zealand bugs by leading authors such as Andrew Crowe, Janet
Hunt, David Miller, Simon Pollard, Joy Cowley, Annette Walker, Dave Gunson, Patrick Dale and Arihia Smith.
• Check out what’s in your school journals.
4 To get started play a track from the Kiwi band, Fatcat & Fishface. Their 2008 album, The Bestest and Horriblest Songs for Children has a song
called ‘Batfly’, about a tiny native fly that lives in the fur of New Zealand’s native bats. Watch the Batfly video here: http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=YkbqUdtj86A
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