This book is a complete guide to keeping arthropods in the middle school classroom, along with 26 NGSS aligned inquiry lessons. The lessons cover anatomy, growth, behavior, and environmental needs of insects, spiders, and pillbugs. There are fantastic suggestions for making low-cost homes for these animals out of every-day plastic waste. Detailed information on selecting species appropriate for classroom study and culture is also provided, as well as humane euthanasia if needed. This is an invaluable reference to engaging your students with living arthropods.
Because many of the lessons are quantitative, they could also be adapted for High School use. Extensions for each lesson are included, as well as assessment rubrics.
Adventures With Arthropods: Eco-Friendly Lessons for Middle School
Author:Ron Wagler
Publisher: National Science Teaching Association
LessonHiveAdmin –
We can’t say enough good things about this comprehensive resource to using live Arthropods in the classroom. It provides thorough information on acquiring living animals , caring for them, and how to ethically and safely use them for inquiry lessons. It’s designed specifically for teachers with a tiny budget with ingenious solutions for making experimental arenas and homes out of everyday objects like soda bottles and food trays.
The lesson plans are designed to engage students’ curiosity and help them practice data collection and analysis. There is also a lot of room for just plain fun and discovery.
Ron Wagler was sadly taken from us too soon. The Invertebrates in Education and Conservation Conference has established a scholarship in his honor for Southern Arizona and Texas teachers.