For this lesson, you will be participating in citizen science project started by Dr. Mary Gardiner at Ohio State University. Mary is a former graduate student in Entomology at Michigan State under the direction of Dr. Doug Landis. In 2009, approximately 100 Ohio gardeners will be collecting lady beetles on sticky traps and assessing populations of native and exotic species. All of the data will be compiled by Dr. Gardiner to assess the status of lady beetle populations across the state (http://ale.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/outreach/buckeye-lady-beetle-blitz-blbb).
We are excited at KBS to expand this study into curriculum material that can be used in area K-12 classrooms to improve biodiversity literacy and provide an opportunity for cross district collaborations and partnerships between KBS teachers and other teachers nationally and/or internationally.
Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
- Identify lady beetles to the species level by using handout materials
- Use the three constraining principles from the MSP Strand to explain changes in biodiversity:
- Dispersal Constraints
- Environmental Constraints
- Community Dynamics
Resources:
- Lesson plan (.doc)
- “Natural Enemies Guide:” http://www.ipm.msu.edu/uploads/files/Biocontrol/NatEnemiesForm.pdf ($10 per copy)
- Additional natural enemies guide: http://nativeplants.msu.edu/about/biological_control/natural_enemies
- Lady Beetle Blitz Website: http://ale.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/outreach/buckeye-lady-beetle-blitz-blbb
- Sampling instruction sheet (.pdf)
- June Data sheet (.pdf)
- Lady beetle ID sheet (.pdf)
- Lady Beetle Blitz Worksheet (.doc)
Lesson Plan created by GK-12 Fellow Brook Wilke, 2009