Beetles

1. Beetles

2. Beetles • There are more species of beetles than there are species of plants! • There are about 350,000 named species of beetles in the world. • Beetles are found in many land and freshwater habitats. they can also be found in logs, fungi, decaying plant matter, and in stored food! • Adult beetles range in size from 0.01 to almost 8 inches in length. • Most species of beetles feed on dead plants and animals.

3. Asian Long-horned Beetles • The Asian long-horned beetle is widely distributed in China, Japan, and Korea. • They feed on plant shoots for a few days and then mate. • The females lay eggs in the bark of trees. As a result, people unintentionally spread the beetle by cutting an infested tree and moving the wood elsewhere. • Asian long-horned beetles have been found in 14 states around the U.S. • Females live for 14-66 days • Males live for 3-50 days

4. Bugscope • The picture below is from Bugscope. It is a magnified picture of the ventral side of a beetle’s face. The magnification is 654X.

5. NSES • Content Standard C: • Grades 5-8 • All students should develop the understanding of : - Structure and function in living ecosystems - Reproduction and heredity - Regulation and behavior - Populations and ecosystems - Diversity and adaptations of organisms • Standard C relates to the Bugscope project because it involves the study of ecosystems and their populations, as well as, various organisms. For example, students could choose a specific bug off of Bugscope, study its habitat, and learn how the bug adapts to its environments.

6. Authenticity • The use of microscopes allows for authenticity in the classroom. It is one thing to look at pictures and text on a computer screen, but it is a completely different world when looking through a microscope and being able to magnify an object more than 1000x. • Microscopes in the classroom provide students with the opportunity to have a hands-on experience while looking at things like cheek cells, plant cells, pond water, fibers, or bugs up close. • The use of microscopes enhances the learning of students in the classroom as they are able to magnify and observe contents from real life. • ESEM is such a wonderful advancement in technology! It allows Students to observe real slides from a professional lab and have their questions answered by the scientists themselves!

7. Lit Sources • The following are three literature sources that can be connected to the Bugscope activity: • Class textbook • Trade books on bugs • Magazines, such as National Geographic, that discuss bugs around the world and in different environments

8. Application • One way that Bugscope could also be used would be in a creative writing activity. For example, a slide from Bugscope would be on display. The students would write about what they think the slide could be. Also, students could look at a Bugscope slide and develop a creative story based on the slide. • Art is another area that Bugscope could be used. For instance, some art includes focusing on one specific area of an object and drawing that small area once it is magnified. It would be fun for students to observe Bugscope slides and draw the images.

9. Sources • http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/asianlhbeetle.html • http://www.ivyhall.district96.k12.il.us/4th/kkhp/1insects/beetles.html • http://www.nap.edu/readingroom/books/nses/html/6d.html#csc58