The hook
Lesson 1: Construct mosquito Rearing containers to explore their life cycles and what effects them
Overview: Students will study the mosquito life cycle and what environmental factors effect it including temperature, amount of water, and amount of food. Students will construct and monitor a mosquito-rearing container, and observe mosquito eggs grow and develop. Lastly, students will analyze data collected from each lab group (Suggested 3 students each) to determine what environmental factors have the greatest impact on mosquito growth and development.
Timeline: Two 50-minute class periods one week apart, and 5-10 minute daily observation for one week
Materials: (for each student) OPTIONAL materials to make feeding pouch:
1. Two water bottles 8. Glue gun
2. Scissors 9. Organza or tulle
3. Tape 10. Cotton balls
4. Pet food 11. Sugar
5. Mosquito eggs (Mosquito eggs can be provided by request from the Reiskind lab at NC State University kahopper@ncsu.edu)
6. Lab Worksheet (Linked below)
7. Lab Oath (optional) (Linked below)
Engage:
1. Play the YouTube video linked below for 15-30 seconds. Ask you students about what they think they are observing (video of mosquito larvae growing and developing). Continue the video and ask students to discuss and summarize the stages of the mosquito life cycle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrzF57R6kas
Timeline: Two 50-minute class periods one week apart, and 5-10 minute daily observation for one week
Materials: (for each student) OPTIONAL materials to make feeding pouch:
1. Two water bottles 8. Glue gun
2. Scissors 9. Organza or tulle
3. Tape 10. Cotton balls
4. Pet food 11. Sugar
5. Mosquito eggs (Mosquito eggs can be provided by request from the Reiskind lab at NC State University kahopper@ncsu.edu)
6. Lab Worksheet (Linked below)
7. Lab Oath (optional) (Linked below)
Engage:
1. Play the YouTube video linked below for 15-30 seconds. Ask you students about what they think they are observing (video of mosquito larvae growing and developing). Continue the video and ask students to discuss and summarize the stages of the mosquito life cycle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrzF57R6kas
2. Ask your students the following questions:
a. What do mosquito larvae eat? Bacteria, algae, small organic particles, and other microorganisms.
b. What environmental factors do you think affect the growth and development of mosquito larvae? The answer to this question will get students to really think about how we can control mosquito populations. Guide their thinking during the discussion to discover some or all of the following factors:
A. Water type (amount of sediment) and amount
B. Food type and amount (more food available= more mosquitoes)
C. Temperature (higher temperatures=faster mosquito development)
D. Mosquito species (different species prefer different environments)
3. Students will then choose 2-3 of the variables (amount of water, amount of food, and temperature) to test in their lab groups (suggested size: 3 students). The number of variables being tested within a class depends on how large the class is and how large you want the lab groups to be. For example, if you have 6 groups of 3 and you want to test water level and temperature the experimental setup could look like the picture below. Each student in a group will make a container in order for their to be multiple trials of each aspect of each variable, and to increase the validity of experimentation.
a. What do mosquito larvae eat? Bacteria, algae, small organic particles, and other microorganisms.
b. What environmental factors do you think affect the growth and development of mosquito larvae? The answer to this question will get students to really think about how we can control mosquito populations. Guide their thinking during the discussion to discover some or all of the following factors:
A. Water type (amount of sediment) and amount
B. Food type and amount (more food available= more mosquitoes)
C. Temperature (higher temperatures=faster mosquito development)
D. Mosquito species (different species prefer different environments)
3. Students will then choose 2-3 of the variables (amount of water, amount of food, and temperature) to test in their lab groups (suggested size: 3 students). The number of variables being tested within a class depends on how large the class is and how large you want the lab groups to be. For example, if you have 6 groups of 3 and you want to test water level and temperature the experimental setup could look like the picture below. Each student in a group will make a container in order for their to be multiple trials of each aspect of each variable, and to increase the validity of experimentation.
4. Assign lab groups and which variables each group will test
5. Distribute Lab Worksheet and Lab Oath (linked below)
6. Have students complete page 1 of Lab Worksheet and sign the Lab Oath (optional). Be sure to have students complete their hypotheses prior to building their mosquito-rearing containers.
5. Distribute Lab Worksheet and Lab Oath (linked below)
6. Have students complete page 1 of Lab Worksheet and sign the Lab Oath (optional). Be sure to have students complete their hypotheses prior to building their mosquito-rearing containers.
Explore:
7. Watch video on how to build mosquito rearing container <click link>
8. Have students construct their containers
9. Students then count eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults in mosquito rearing containers, and record their observations (qualitative) on their lab sheet.
10. Students will be observing these containers for 5-10 minutes daily for one week prior to the final data analysis. All observations should be recorded on their lab sheets.
7. Watch video on how to build mosquito rearing container <click link>
8. Have students construct their containers
9. Students then count eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults in mosquito rearing containers, and record their observations (qualitative) on their lab sheet.
10. Students will be observing these containers for 5-10 minutes daily for one week prior to the final data analysis. All observations should be recorded on their lab sheets.
Lesson 6: Data Analysis of mosquito rearing containers
Overview: Within this lesson, students will be analyzing the data in which they and their classmates have collected over a one week period to determine what environmental factors (amount of water, amount of food, and temperature) and to what degree these factors affect the mosquito life cycle. Students will focus specifically on the number of adults that their containers reared and determine how their groups numbers differ from other groups.
Materials:
1. Graph Paper (optional)
2. Lab Worksheets (that have been used to record observations throughout the week)
3. Calculators (optional)
4. Class Data Sheet (See Document below)
5. Lab Analysis Sheet (See Document below)
Engage:
1. Students record final larvae, pupae, and adult count of their container (they can also record the initial number of eggs to have for comparison throughout the week long observations)
2. Each group will find an average of their larvae, pupae, and adult mosquito numbers
3. One representative from each lab group records the group's averages on a class data sheet
Materials:
1. Graph Paper (optional)
2. Lab Worksheets (that have been used to record observations throughout the week)
3. Calculators (optional)
4. Class Data Sheet (See Document below)
5. Lab Analysis Sheet (See Document below)
Engage:
1. Students record final larvae, pupae, and adult count of their container (they can also record the initial number of eggs to have for comparison throughout the week long observations)
2. Each group will find an average of their larvae, pupae, and adult mosquito numbers
3. One representative from each lab group records the group's averages on a class data sheet
Explore:
4. Plot student data on 2-3 graphs on the lab sheet or on graph paper (depending on how many varaibles your class tested)
5. Student groups will then discuss similarities, differences, and any trends observed within the data
6. Once trends are identified, student groups should formulate reasons for these trends and record them in their Lab Analysis sheets (see document below)
4. Plot student data on 2-3 graphs on the lab sheet or on graph paper (depending on how many varaibles your class tested)
5. Student groups will then discuss similarities, differences, and any trends observed within the data
6. Once trends are identified, student groups should formulate reasons for these trends and record them in their Lab Analysis sheets (see document below)
Explain:
7. Discuss results as a class
8. Remind students that their experiment served as a small scale model for environmental conditions on a global scale. Large scale conditions like climate and gene mutations can grately influence the growth and development of mosquitoes and therefore mosquito-borne diseases.
9. Introduce pandemic/epidemic
Epidemic: an illness or health-related issue that is showing up in more cases than
would normally be expected
Pandemic: widespread area rather than being confined to a particular location or
region, even more of the population is affected by a pandemic than an epidemic.
10. Watch the video on Epidemics, Outbreaks, and Pandemics <click link>
7. Discuss results as a class
8. Remind students that their experiment served as a small scale model for environmental conditions on a global scale. Large scale conditions like climate and gene mutations can grately influence the growth and development of mosquitoes and therefore mosquito-borne diseases.
9. Introduce pandemic/epidemic
Epidemic: an illness or health-related issue that is showing up in more cases than
would normally be expected
Pandemic: widespread area rather than being confined to a particular location or
region, even more of the population is affected by a pandemic than an epidemic.
10. Watch the video on Epidemics, Outbreaks, and Pandemics <click link>
11. Relate epidemics and pandemics to the Zika outbreak in a class discussion. Ask questions including:
A. Is Zika an epidemic or pandemic? Why?
B. Using what we have learned, how can we control mosquito populations and reduce or
prevent outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases?
A. Is Zika an epidemic or pandemic? Why?
B. Using what we have learned, how can we control mosquito populations and reduce or
prevent outbreaks of mosquito-borne diseases?
Elaborate: (optional)
12. Read the following 2 articles, and discuss how can we control the Zika outbreak
Read Article "Advice for people living in or traveling to South Florida" -CDC <click link>
Read Article "Zika is in your area: what to do" -CDC <click link>
Evaluate: Lab Report (All worksheets)
12. Read the following 2 articles, and discuss how can we control the Zika outbreak
Read Article "Advice for people living in or traveling to South Florida" -CDC <click link>
Read Article "Zika is in your area: what to do" -CDC <click link>
Evaluate: Lab Report (All worksheets)
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