Everyone knows that termites are bad news for the wooden parts of a home. How do they do it, and how can we stop them? Go inside a termite (literally) to discover the scores of bacteria and protists that help make wood taste good. The narrator also describes the research scientists are conducting to introduce some less-helpful bacteria into the termite's gut to make it unable to digest wood.

Concepts

insects, termites, wood, fermentation, protists, bacteria, symbiotic relationships, animal adaptations

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Follow the video with additional information about termite damage in homes to show an example of scientific research solving real-world problems
• Teachers can use the video as a part of lessons involving insects, bacteria, and protists

Classroom Considerations

• Be sure pupils are familiar with protists and their physical structures; this will help them get the most out of the video

• This video is hosted on YouTube

Pros

• The grossness of the subject matter is sure to keep the class' attention!
• Live shots inside a termite colony help show how they live, reproduce, and—especially—eat
  

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.6.2 SL.7.2 SL.9-10.2