Lessn Plan Lessn Title Eclgy f Msquites Grade Level 5 th grade Tpic Msquites Lessn time 45-55 minutes Materials Required Digital micrscpe Eclgy f Msquites PwerPint (available here) Msquit Life Cycle Kit Observatin jurnal (available here) Standards addressed 5-LS2-1 Develp a mdel t describe the mvement f matter amng plants, animals, decmpsers, and the envirnment 5-LS2-1 Develp a mdel t describe the mvement f matter amng plants, animals, decmpsers, and the envirnment Step 1: Intrductin and Expectatins Step 2: Micrscpe Study We have prvided ntes at the end f this dcument abut bserving msquit larvae with a digital micrscpe. Allw the students t bserve and share bservatins. Step 3: PwerPint Presentatin Eclgy f Msquites Slide 1: See if the students can define eclgy. An ecsystem cnsists f the interactins amng rganisms (plants, animals, etc.) and the nnliving envirnment (sil, water, etc.) Slide 2: Msquit Life Cycle Click/tap thrugh the life cycle. In rder t understand the eclgy f msquites, students will need t knw that there are aquatic stages f the life cycle as well as the adult msquites that they are prbably familiar with. Slide 3: Energy and Ecsystem This is a lengthy slide, and each click (r tap) will reveal mre abut the ecsystem and the rles that msquites and ther rganisms play. It is imprtant that students understand that the sun cnstantly prvides ecsystems with a surce f energy (thus the cnstant wiggly lines emanating frm the sun). What rganisms have the ability t trap this energy? Click 1: (Answer) Plants, algae, and certain bacteria are able t trap this energy and change it t anther kind f energy called chemical energy. This energy is stred in their tissues. Since these rganisms prduce fd fr ther rganisms, we call them prducers. What rganisms use the energy that is stred in plants and algae as fd? Answers: Animals, herbivres, cnsumers, etc. Click 2: Many different rganisms eat plants r algae. These animals cnsume the chemical energy stred in plants and stre it r change it t mechanical energy s that they can
mve. We call these animals cnsumers. Msquit larvae, aquatic snails, and many ther small aquatic creatures ften cnsume aquatic plants r algae, s they are string energy frm algae, and the algae riginally captured the energy frm the sun. What eats msquit larvae? Click 3: (Answer) There are many aquatic predatrs f msquites. These include ther insects like backswimmers r dragnfly nymphs, and especially fish. These predatrs are gaining nutritin frm ther rganisms that trapped energy frm the sun. Are there larger predatrs that might prey upn these smaller predatrs? Click 4: (Answer) Yes! Larger predatrs such as egrets may prey upn the fish r insects that were feeding n smaller animals. Msquites are members f a fd chain r fd web. Click 5: In mst cases, nt all f the msquites are eaten by predatrs. In fact, ften times far mre msquites grw than the predatrs can cnsume. These msquites leave the water, and sme are cnsumed by ther predatrs. Can yu think f any predatrs that might eat adult msquites? Click 6: (Answer) Adult dragnflies are ne example f a predatr that may cnsume adult msquites. Other predatrs include certain bats, birds, and spiders. Unfrtunately, nce the msquites leave the water, many are nt eaten by predatrs. After feeding n nectar, female msquites will search fr a hst. What is a hst? (Answer) A hst is an animal r plant frm which a parasite gains nutritin. And yes, msquites are parasites, even thugh they dn t live inside r n peple. Other than peple, what kinds f animals d msquites bite? Click 7: (Answer) Different kinds f msquites bite many different kinds f animals, and sme kinds f msquites prefer t bite birds. The prtein in the bld the msquit btains frm the hst nurishes msquit eggs, but remember that the bld is essentially a frm f stred energy that yu culd trace back t the sun! Unfrtunately, female msquites will take mre than ne bld meal in their lifetime, and if a msquit bites an animal and becmes infected with a disease, they culd ptentially pass the disease t a persn. Click 8: An animal that can spread a disease t a persn is called a vectr. Wrldwide, msquites pass many different diseases such as malaria, dengue fever and yellw fever t peple. Lcally, msquites smetimes pass West Nile virus t peple and birds, and pass dg heartwrm t dgs and cytes. Msquites are nt just a nuisance; they can actually be very dangerus t peple, pets, and wild animals! Slide 4: Bld-feeding Unfrtunately, msquites share their saliva when they bite. This is unfrtunate, because smetimes they carry pathgens that can mve frm the msquit int the hst, with the transfer f saliva. In many cases, the pathgen is a virus (example: west Nile virus), but smetimes a parasite (example: malaria). Slide 5: West Nile virus
In Califrnia, certain msquites can spread West Nile virus. Click/tap thrugh slide t see the cycle f this disease. Here are a few things fr students t understand: This is primarily a bird disease An infected msquit can spread the virus t a bird An uninfected msquit can acquire the virus frm an infected bird Certain lcal birds (especially crws, scrub-jays, and rbins) ften die frm the virus Humans smetimes are infected with the virus and can becme very sick, but nt everyne wh is infected experiences symptms Slide 6: Life Cycle Review This is a cnvenient slide t have up fr questins. Step 4: Demnstrate hw t use the life cycle kit and talk abut the varius tasks they will be respnsible fr (bserving, activity sheets, feeding fish, making nectar, etc.) Visit the Msquit Schl website fr mre infrmatin r email erice@msmsquit.cm
Ntes abut Using a Digital Micrscpe in the Classrm Digital micrscpes are a prfundly pwerful tl fr enhancing classrm presentatins. There are a wide variety f relatively inexpensive digital micrscpes available, and we currently use a PrScpe Micr Mbile made by Bdelin technlgies. This particular micrscpe attaches directly t an ipad (n crds) and uses the camera applicatin that cmes preinstalled n ipads. The ipad is either wirelessly cnnected t an Apple TV (if the classrm is equipped with ne) r cnnected t a prjectr. Either way enables the entire classrm t study live msquit larvae at the same time. This can be used t a quick intrductin t the main lessn, as a means f generating interest and discussin during a questin/answer prtin f a lessn, r even as the fcus f the lessn (as in ur 4 th grade Adaptatins f Msquites lessn). Here are a few suggestins if yu plan t utilize this technlgy: D nt attempt t place the micrscpe directly ver a dish f water. Even if there are large numbers f larvae present, they will tend t swim away frm the light prduced by the micrscpe. Instead, use a pipette t capture a small number f early-instar larvae in a drp f water, and place the drp n a flat, white surface (we use a plastic lid). If the bubble f water remains intact, yu can place the micrscpe ver the drp withut displacing it, fcus n the larvae, and they will nt be able t wiggle away (see pht). It is imperative that yu prepare students fr this exercise prir t shwing them a live magnified msquit larvae. If yu suddenly turn n the micrscpe and students see large, strange-lking creatures wiggling abut, yu will have an instant classrm management nightmare. Students will giggle, blurt ut cmments, and yu will have t spend valuable and uncmfrtable time regaining their fcus. Preparing the students fr this activity simply invlves gaining their attentin, infrming them what is ging t happen, and hw they are expected t behave. Hld up the jar with the tiny wiggling larvae, and explain that a micrscpe will be used t magnify a few f them. Be very clear that when the micrscpe is turned n, everyne needs t bserve silently. If students frget the expectatins and are disruptive as sn as yu turn it n, simply turn it back ff and re-explain the expectatins. After a shrt time f silent bservatin (30 secnds is mre than enugh), invite the students t raise their hand if they have a questin r bservatin abut what they see n the screen. This exercise can be an extremely valuable tl fr generating interest and stimulating cnversatin abut the tpic. Prir t leading this activity in a classrm, spend a little time bserving the msquites n yur wn, s that yu are prepared t help students understand what they are bserving. The fllwing list includes sme f the behavirs that yu are likely t bserve: Feeding: usually, after the larvae have been under the micrscpe fr a few minutes, they will begin feeding. If small particles f fd are present, they will be sucked in.
Sme larger particles will get sucked in and then spit ut the side f the head. Yu can ask if anyne knws f anther animal that feeds in a similar manner (many students are familiar with ther filter-feeding animals, especially baleen whales). Thrashing mvements: typically, when the micrscpe is first turned n, the msquites respnd with a flurry f mvement. They bump int ne anther, and students ften describe this as fighting r dancing. Yu can mentin that msquit larvae have very thin, flexible exskeletns, and they mve by flexing their entire bdies. Yu can als pint ut that they have sensry hairs that help them sense what is arund them. Breathing: When the msquites mve, their breathing tubes are ften visible frm the side. Once they calm dwn, they tend t begin breathing, and the tip f the tube breaks the surface f the water. Yu can explain hw msquites d nt have gills, and instead breathe at the surface. Fr lder students yu can ask/explre this adaptatin and see if they can figure ut why it is s imprtant (they can survive in xygen pr cnditins where predatrs that depend n gills, especially fis, cannt survive). Grming: smetimes students will bserve msquites bending arund, s that their head is tuching their tail. Yu can infrm the students that this is hw msquites clean their muthparts. Mlting: Occasinally, students will bserve a msquit larva that is in the prcess f splitting pen and escaping frm its lder exskeletn. This is a great time t talk abut metamrphsis. Defecating: Frtunately, the msquit larvae usually d nt defecate n camera, but it des ccasinally happen, and there is prbably nthing much yu can d t prevent a heightened and intense student respnse. Gd luck swiftly regaining the cllective fcus f the classrm if this happens.