[ABCDE] VOLUME 10, IssUE 4 INSECTS THAT BUG US INSIDE Wanted: Field Guide Bugs, Invasion Dead or To Beetles and Of Stink 8 Alive 11 Your Bed 18 Borers 20 Bugs January 10, 2011 © 2011 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY VOLUME 10, IssUE 4 An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program A Word About Insects That Bug Us Lesson: A study of arthropods and Aristotle and medieval writers refer to them. Attempts to recent insect infestations has many eradicate them have failed as they have adapted and formed interdisciplinary expressions. Beginning resistance. As bedbug infestations are making headlines and with obsevation and research, students court appearances and their arthropod relatives have made an may engage in scientific and journalistic writing and the creation of field guides, impressive infiltration into area residences, how do we know wanted posters and display cases. what we are dealing with? How do you recognize bedbugs, stink bugs, dust mites, silverfish, moths, termites, ants, fleas, Level: Mid to High beetles, crickets, and others with which we may cohabit? Subjects: Biology, Ecology, Health Related Activity: Art, Economics, Post writers report on seemingly harmless stink bugs, bedbugs Journalism that iritate, and ant infestations that dazzle some entomologists but prompt others to seek remedies. Another article relates the stories of borers and beetles that are attacking forests in a costly manner. After getting acquainted with the beneficial and harmful sides of this collection, activities encourage students to write about bugs, assemble a field guide, create wanted posters and prepare a public display case. NIE Online Guide Editor — Carol Lange A reminder to Post INSIDE program teachers: If you plan Art Editor — Carol Porter to use articles in this guide in the e-Replica format more Contributing to this guide: Lisa Lyle Wu than three months after their publication date, remember to currently teaches marine biology and is bookmark them. Also, teachers please note we have the lab director for the oceanography/ a new URL to download Washington Post INSIDE geophysical systems lab at the Thomas program online guides: www.nie.washpost.com. Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (Alexandria, Va.). She contributed the wanted poster and field guide activities and provided feedback on resources found in this guide. As a freelance science writer, she has developed curricular materials for Discovery Channel and worked on exhibit development for the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of Natural History. She contributed to previous INSIDE guides Plankton — The Drifters, The Sea and Environmental Disaster. Available Online All Washington Post NIE guides may be downloaded at www.nie.washpost.com. COVER IMAGES: AP/Birmingham News, Iowa State University Entomology Department, U.S. Send comments about this guide to: Department of Agriculture, AFP/Getty Images; collage design by Carol Porter. Margaret Kaplow, Educational Services Manager, [email protected] COVER PHOTO: Petri dishes containing bedbugs in the laboratory of entomologist Mark F. Feldlaufer who researches ways to kill bedbugs with various chemicals. Photo by Ben de la Cruz/ The Washington Post. 2 January 10, 2011 © 2011 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY VOLUME 10, IssUE 4 An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Insects That Bug Us Bugs on the Web Bedbugs, stink bugs, beetles and ants are covered in The Post www.mayoclinic.com/health/bedbugs/ articles reprinted in this guide. They have evolved complex DS00663 adaptations and interact on multiple levels with humans. Bedbugs Teachers are provided with discussion questions, suggested Mayo Clinic provides definition, symptoms, activities and resources to enhance science, health, art, causes, treatments and prevention economics and journalism study. www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef636. asp Use the Vocabulary before a product, such as an Bed Bugs Much of the vocabulary in the insecticide, goes on the market? UK Dept. of Entomology closeup on bed bug articles is related to science. infestations Teachers may wish to review Focus on the Writer’s Craft terms with students and ask them Focusing on the writer’s craft, www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kDcTcQo60M to use the words in sentences or teachers may wish to focus on the D.C. DOH Bed Bugs short, informative paragraphs. following techniques employed Informative video prepared by the D.C. Some of these terms include by Sun in “Biting back when the Department of Health “arthropod,” “bug,” “entomology,” bedbugs bite”: “infestations,” “insect,” “nest • Relates size of bedbug to a http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740 parasite,” and “species.” known object: See the first Bug Guide sentence and the photograph Iowa State Univ. Entomology hosts guide; Don’t Let the Bedbugs Bite that accompanies the article. pictures and text Metro science reporter Lena H. • Provides historic perspective, Sun reports on research being done especially that which relates to www.orkin.com/learningcenter/pest_ in Maryland. Give students “Biting attempts to eradicate the bedbug, library/ back when the bedbugs bite” to the current news peg Pest Library read. Teachers may wish to include • Localizes the issue Orkin entomologists give information to these questions in discussion: • Transitions from an Ohio case identify pests, their diet, habits and habitats; • How big is a bedbug? study into current research be sure to check “Other Pests” • Sun uses such terms as “brown • Provides a human perspective on bug,” “scourge,” “blood-suckers,” science research (entomologist http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/ and “household pest.” Which Feldlaufer) animals/bugs/ are descriptive terms? Do any • Unites lede (description, lab Bugs of the terms carry a negative and leading researcher) and National Geographic collection: pictures, connotation? Do any of these ending (Feldlaufer’s early study, video, geographic locator and more word choices conflict with her description of blistered arm) being an unbiased reporter? • Why do citizens, organizations Write About Science and the federal government want “Abominable holiday to eradicate bedbugs? hitchhikers,” an URBAN JUNGLE • Why is it considered imprudent feature, illustrates the use of to spray insecticides in the main informational graphics to enhance room where bedbugs are found? the text. Discuss the three types of • Categorize the approaches used infographs that are used. Teachers to eradicate bedbugs. should note the sources used • Why is propoxur considered an by Patterson Clark to create the effective insecticide? graphics. • What procedures are required CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 3 January 10, 2011 © 2011 THE WASHINGTON POST COMPANY VOLUME 10, IssUE 4 An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3 educated response of Kass. Online Fun with Bugs Economics teachers will find this Ask students to use approaches article an entry point to discuss www.ex.ac.uk/bugclub/welcome.html discussed in Focus on the Writer’s economic dimensions of property The Bug Club Craft and utilized in the URBAN ownership (maintaining the value of This is the AES Bug Club for young JUNGLE selection when they write a major investment, potential equity entomologists. From insect origami to a about an area of science. This may loss, the influence of law and ethics trade fair and experiments related to bugs. be based on a recent unit of study on one’s investments, impact of Advertised for students between 5-15 years. or a topic presented in one of the supply and demand on disclosure). articles in this guide. www.fortunecity.com/emachines/e11/86/ Create a Wanted Poster rhythm.html Make an Ethical Decision In addition to writing reports, The Chaotic Rhythms of Life “Bedbug Decisions” presents news articles and columns, students Mathematical models and bugs. For the scenarios based on situations could show their knowledge of advanced student who really likes to use reported in Washington Post arthropods by creating a wanted math and computers and think about what articles. The situations found in poster. Give students the “Wanted: keeps cockroaches from taking over the Scenario 1 might be used with Dead or Alive” handout for the world. social studies, economics and introduction to arthropods and ethics students. The Motel 6 assignment guidelines. www.bijlmakers.com/entomology/ne_ example took place in 2002 and is Teachers may wish to use the simulation/ne_simulation_introduction. considered one of the most famous wanted poster template that can htm cases in bedbug litigation. The be downloaded at http://www. Simulate an Insect Population siblings were awarded $5,000 each studentposters.co.uk/templates. This page gives background information on in compensatory damages and html. (Scroll down to the bottom a simulation model that was written to see $186,000 in punitive damages. The of the page for the “Wanted” how insect populations can be regulated by appeals court affirmed the lower poster.) The free wanted poster parasitoids, predators and other mortality court’s decision because of the template is provided in PowerPoint factors. Links to everything from the “unfit for occupancy” statement. and Word format. Students butterfly effect to proverbs and insect In addition to the Federal Bed add their own photographs or quotations. Bug Work Group summit to be illustrations and text to create their held at Georgetown University posters. The information to be www.ifungames.com/gameindex/ Hotel and Conference Center, the included on each poster is provided evolution.htm D.C. health department will hold on the assignment sheet. Evolution a summit on Jan. 20 for residents Teachers should stress that Just for fun. As if students don’t play and organizations interested in information on the poster needs enough games already. Here is a game to prevention and eradication. to be accurate and clearly stated. drive them buggy! Grow, breed and care Layout of the poster should for beetles. Face a Buyer be planned so information and The situation presented in the illustrations do not “clutter” the www.ent.iastate.edu/misc/insectsasfood.