Cornell University
Beneficial Insects
A lot of people think of insects as pests. But actually, some insects are beneficial because they get rid of pests! After learning about beneficial insects, class members research given insects to find out if they are pests or predators.
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Insects: Bug Off
Students design and conduct an experiment to test three organic pesticides to control ants. They view a video that demonstrates ant behavior and the role of pesticides in insect control. In small groups, they set up behavior...
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EPA Pesticides Reduction
Young scholars examine the effects of pesticides on the environment and bugs. They answer questions as an assessment.
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Food Pesticides and Their Risks to Children
Students examine an industrial disaster in India which affected the food for generations to come. In groups, they research the history of pesticides and place them into groups based on the type of pests they control. They partcipate in...
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When Is a Pest an Insect?
Learners view the importance of insects as pollinators. They are now posed with the problem--those insects are nice--but insects are pests right? Students explore their description of pests and pesticides.
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Natural Gardening
Students study the effect of pesticides on plants and insects. In this gardening lesson, students discuss the importance of insects. They define pesticides, evaluate their effectiveness and the problems they might cause. Students...
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The Global Impact of Insect Borne Diseases & Agriculture
Students study the global impact of insect borne diseases, the appropriate use of pesticides, and the concept of human interrelations on a world wide scale. They examine how to safely apply a pesticide, according to the label.
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Web of Life - Insects
Third graders recognize the importance of insects in the web of life, construct a web of life that demonstrates the importance of the web of life and discuss the insects' role in the ecosystem. They recognize factors that change ecosystems.
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Discovering Insects
First graders identify insects and name nine commonly known insects.
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Prairie Restoration and Prairie Ecology
Students collect data as they identify and classify native prairie plants and insects. They create their own population study using a variety of sampling techniques to determine the population density of various species. Students...
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Environment: Insects and Pesticides
Students classify bugs as pest or non-pests and identify ways to control them. They also examine the three levels of pesticides by reading the labels. Students complete charts of signal words on pesticide labels.
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Just Spray 'Em!?
High schoolers read the label of an insecticide and identify pertinent information. They tell that the higher the LD50 the less toxic the chemical. Students begin to extrapolate the impact of pesticide use beyond the death of the insect.
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Weeds on the Windowsill
Students study farming and reasons to control weeds. They examine pesticides necessary for the control of weeds and the damage to the environment. Through experimentation, students plant seeds in different soils and determine if seeds...
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This Stuff Makes Me Sick
Students participate in a lab showing the effects of pesticides on Lumbriculus variegatus. Several extensions and variations are also included in this lesson including one which relates the experiment to how pesticides enter our drinking...
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Honey Bees!
Students research and complete two assignments about honeybees. Students draw and color a picture of a flower with a honeybee inside of it. Students write a letter to the executives at Ridit Pest Control persuading them to stop the...
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Buggy Diner
Pupils observe different insects and the different kinds of foods they like to eat. In this insects lesson plan, the teacher collects insects and different plants and roots. Then the students learn about those insects and have to be able...
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Chemistry and the Food System
In this chemistry worksheet, students review how chemistry has helped grow and preserve different foods. This worksheet has 11 fill in the blank, 3 multiple choice, and 6 short answer questions.
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Africanized Honey Bees And Society
Young scholars investigate how information is disseminated about honey bees and other insects. They make a list of key words and phrases, or even write a brief summary of their impressions of insects and their relatives after viewing the...
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LD50 of NaCl to Gammarus spp.
Students learn the meaning of LD50 through lecture and discussion. Through experiment, students graph and calculate the LD50 of salt on fresh water amphipods. Students compare results of the experiment with pesticides and pollutants.
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WHAT'S ORGANIC?
Learners explore how certain foods come to be certified "organic." They write the words "organic" and "synthetic" and given the definitions of each. Students are given dictionaries. They are asked: "What is organic food?" Learners grow...
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WHO CARES FOR THE LAND?
Students explore the importance of natural resources. They are given copies of the story, "Who Cares For The Land," and students follow
along as the teacher reads it. Students identify the key points in the story. (Soil, water and air...
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Chemicals in Your Life
In this chemicals worksheet, high schoolers fill in 61 blanks of statements comparing the chemicals used in farming and the chemicals found in medicines and food.
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Be A Bug Scout
Students perform outside activities to determine the amount of insects, flowers, or common weeds within an area. They predict the number of insects they will find within their square area. Using calculators, students organize the data...
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Little Me in a Big World: Ants
First graders predict, observe and record strategies to overcome them using discussions, role play, and charts. Over a three or four day period, they examine obstacles that humans and insects encounter.