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Wednesday, February 3, 2021

Insect Presentation and Notes for 2nd grade show and tell on our real insect collection

In the last post we added the VIDEO of Mommy presenting Insect All Around 2nd Grade Presentation Chicago Public Schools Spring 2015 YouTube Video.

If you want to know more about what kind of insects we talked about - mommy's notes are here:

It's fun being an amateur entomologist. 

Insect Presentation and Notes for 2nd grade show and tell on our real insect collection


2nd grade insect presentation, here are the notes:

  • Lady bugs.
  • A clear cup w one inch of soil - beach box bugs.
  • Rattle - Cicada sound
  • Nets
  • Jars
  • Piece of styrofoam
  • Bark
  • Wasp nest
  • Bug tool box
  • Insects collection



We are here to talk about insects.
Who has ever tried to catch a grasshopper?

Whos been stung by a bee?

Who has never ever seen a bug? Thats silly right?

Because Bugs are everywhere! Right?

Cicada display

This bug emerges from under trees and makes a loud rattling sound... What insect is this?

And do you know its natural predator? Cicada Killer Display.

Make a burrow
Capture
Stun & paralyze the cicada
Burrow (habitat)
Lay larvae on it (baby bugs)
Larvae emerge and eat the alive paralyzed cicada!!


Some wasps do this zombie stun to ladybugs, who carry wasp larvae and then the larvae eat the lady bug.




LIFE IS STILL EXCITING AT OUR HOUSE! 
With more insects. . . 



It's mostly baby girls videos and here slime making, she spends time with friends on coloring activities and make good choices while having fun. During the covid stay at home orders - she had many many many facetime pandemic playdates - we made time work for us and not be bored.





What is the name of a scientist who studies bugs? An entomologist

I am an amateur entomologist- which means I don't work with insects or get paid any money for my bugs collecting. Its my hobby. I think its fun. And i am like a citizen scientist.

My name is Mrs. Joanne

Do you know - Scientists estimate - for every person on earth there are 1 million bugs. Thats a total of 10 quintillion insects.

Today I am going to show you all the tools you need to start your own bug collection.

I already told you my gross Cicada Killer story.
I'm going to tell you one sad story. (Emerald Ash Borer)
And one crazy story about an inch of dirt (beach bugs)
And a boy who was stung by a wasp (taos paper wasps and nest)


Insect All Around 2nd Grade Presentation

Chicago Public Schools

Spring 2015

Are You Sure About That Blog Youtube Videos



Why would you want to collect bugs, or study bugs?

Here is one example: the Sad Story of Ash Trees.

Has anyone recently had a lot of trees cut down on there street or in your neighborhood?

If yes, it could be because of a little Emerald Green bug called the emerald ash borer.

This bug came to North America from Asia. And it loves eating Ash Trees.

Im going to pass this PIECE of BARK around. Looks like regular bark right?

Well this poor bark is from An ash tree, and you can see the tracks the bugs and there larvae (baby bugs) make when they are eating the tree.

So scientist are trying different ways to control this bug so we don't have to cut down the trees.

- bug sprays
- introducing predators
- and tree cutting

So - citizen scientists - were asked by Entomologists to report (on the internet) when and where they spotted these bugs. Its one way scientists gather the data about bugs to see if there pest control methods are working.

And there are alot of projects about reporting different bugs like Bees, Milkweed Bugs, and Robber Flies.



Does anyone have an insect collection?  

Would you like to start an insect collection?

We are going to see the tools you need to be an entomologist.

And most of you will be able to easily get these things.


Collecting bugs is a big responsibility.
- You always want to have an adults permission.

- You have to decide if you will catch and release the insect or if you are keeping it.

- if you want to keep the bug, you will need an air tight box to keep other pests out. Because bugs that live in your house will try to eat your
Collection!

- we never catch insects to kill them and just leave them in the collection jar.


How would you try to catch a bug?
- please dont use you hands. I know its really fun, but You can injure the insects Very delicate wings, antennea or other parts of there body.

- We find bugs that are dead or injured. At the park, on our walk home from school. At the beach too.
All the lady bugs in this box we found at the beach...

I hears your growing Pink Spotted Ladies, and in this box we have a bunch!

- we also catch live bugs on the plants in our yard, or sitting on leaves.

- or we use a bug net.

- sometimes we just sit and watch the bugs, and we don't catch them.

- my son, he is in Kindergarten- he likes to draw the bugs we see in his journal.

Does anyone have a bug net at home?

Heres one you might have seen before - kids kit. See the short handle.

Heres a professional bug net - see the super long handle.

Demonstration:
I would like a volunteer to help me show the difference between these bugs nets.

Volunteer stand here: i am going to try and sneak up on you, and you can turn around when you here me
Coming.

When you walk on grass its VERY LOUd to a bug. The earth vibrates. So you usually cant get close.

Lets try this other net.

But with a long handle net. Stand far away and just use the long handle net- no steps.

Thank you volunteer.

Insects are smart, so to catch them sometimes you have to be smarter.

You can make you own bug nets. With an old tennis or badminton racket.

An embroidery hoop too, this is good for slow moths, or insects in the grass.

What is this?
Clear umbrella - demonstration.
Shake a tree and bugs fall out. (Lantern tree)

Transfer Insects to a Jar.

Professionals Use a Kill Jar. Its a special poison that kills the insect quickly.

My kids are NOT allowed to use these jars, so we use something in our kitchen, its cold... Real cold...
A Freezer.

Will you mom, dad, or adult in the house let you put bugs in the freezer?

No? Probably not. Another reason why you need to get permission to collect and keep bugs.

We freeze bugs for at least 20 minutes.

Even bugs you find dead or injured, freezing them is a really good idea.
1. You kill any other bugs living inside.
2. The bug doesn't suffer in the jar.

Here are a few more tools from my bug collection tool box:
  

- special rust proof Pins
- Pin Block
- Paper
- Pencil
- Styrofoam
- a storage box with a tight fitting lid.

If you collect bugs, you should get an adults help to make a 2 little notes.

Label your Insect with a Location Label and a Species Label.

Where you found the bug
The Date
Who caught it

A species label, what kind of bug is it

And if you want to be Very Fancy, a 3rd Label, a habitat label.

Whats a habitat?

Yes, where bugs live, or you would make a note where you found the insect. On a milkweed plant. In the grass, or dead on the sidewalk.

To Pin an Insect:
So you caught and froze the insect...
Remove your insect from the freezer. Wait a few minutes until it thaws.
Pin It
Add your labels on the same pin where the insect is.
Add it to your box.


Show insect Spreading Board.
  

Some bugs need to have there wings spread and allowed to cure - or dry into position - on a spreading board. Show moth & Butterfly.


Gross Story

Who knows what insect this is?
Cicada Box. Cicadas come out once a year. Breed and die.
Theres a wasp whos larvae, baby insects, eat the civada.

Show Dragon Flys Box - is this a cell phone box?

Story: This looks Like alot of nothing. Cup of soil.
Show indiana beach box.

Go to a different state and see different bugs. Wisconsin box.

How old is the kid who made this bug box? Inez is my 3 year old daughter.

Wasp Nest in Taos box.


Learn more?

In your yard
At the park
Or the (5) Nature Centers in N. Illinois!
Field Museum has free days and insects in the childrens center and lower level


Make mistakes, breathe, reflect and Laugh.Out.Loud.

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