Objective:

Students will be able to set up a habitat for their milkweed bugs and raise them to adulthood from an egg. They will be able to care for their insect colony for the duration of the project and observe the impact that temperature change has on the organisms. They will keep track of failure points and difficulties throughout the duration of the experiment and think of ways to improve upon them.

Note to teachers:

Since this is an introductory lesson, it is the shortest of the 8 lessons. If you would like to combine lesson 1.1 and 1.2 feel free to since combined these lessons take approximately 50-60 minutes to complete.

Materials

Per Class:

• 2 Insulated Coolers
• 2 LED lightbulbs
• 2 Hanging Lantern Cords
• 1 Extension Cord
• Large pack of Cotton Balls
• Large Bag of Sunflower Seeds
• 24 Hour Plug-In Timer

Per Student:

• Milkweed Bug Journal

(This journal will be used in every proceeding lesson.)

Link to print:

5th Grade Journal

Per Instructor

• Plastic Deli Container with Breathable Lid
• 2 Plastic Portion Cups
• 1 Plastic Pipette
• Paper Towel
• 40 Milkweed Bug Eggs

Per Table Group:

• Plastic Deli Container with Breathable Lid
• 2 Tin Lasagna Pans
• 2 Plastic Portion Cups
• 1 Plastic Pipette
• Paper Towel
• 40 Milkweed Bug Eggs
• 4 Small Paintbrushes

Prep

1. Set out 2 plastic deli containers per table group.
2. Place one container of sunflower seeds and water in each plastic cup
3. Place a little ball of cotton in each container
4. Place 15-20 eggs on each of the cotton balls
5. Label the containers by table group "warm" and "cool"
6. Find a clear corner for the two coolers near an electrical outlet
7. Label one container "cool" and the other box "warm"
8. Place half of the plastic deli containers in the "cool" box and the other half in the warm box"
9. For the cool box, leave the lid off of the cooler. For the warm box keep the lid partially on the insulated coolers.
10. Set up the instructor cups of bugs to raise at cool and warm temperatures. Used to replace students bugs as needed.
11. Fill a couple large cups with tap water and a few large cups with sunflower seeds. Set aside to be used by the students when they need to fill up their food and water cups.

*We recommend testing the temperatures of the coolers before trying with your students. You want at least a 10 degree difference between the coolers. Do not let the warm container reach temperatures over 95.

Procedure:

Introduction:

10-15 Minutes: What is a Scientist?

1. Ask students what they think a scientist is. Have them talk to a partner and then ask them to share out

• As students share out, write down ideas on the board, so that students can begin to visualize what a scientist is.

2. Use the slides to show students the NGSS Science and Engineering Practices. Have students refer back to their brainstorming on the board, and connect it to what they see.

• What from their brainstorm connects to the practices on the board?
•  Have they ever been scientists in the past? What practices have they done?

3. Let students know that for the next four week they will be scientists conducting an experiment to figure out whether Milkweed Bugs grow faster in warmer or cooler temperatures. Ask them to keep these practices in mind throughout the unit.

4. Show the short video of Milkweed Bugs (below and on the slides).

• Use this video to introduce Milkweed Bugs and then share the next few following slides with students about the insect's migration and eating patterns.

Explanation:

2-3 Minutes: Question and Prediction

1.  Have students write down the question being asked in this experiment in their journal (link to print under references). 

•  "Will the Milkweed Bugs grow faster in warm or cool temperatures".

2. Have students write their predictions in their journal. 

• " I think the Milkweed Bugs will grow faster in the ______ environment".

3.  Explain to the students that they will be testing their predictions by observing their insects and filling in a table of data.

• Tell the students that with their table group, they will have 2 containers of bugs that they raise in different temperatures.

Activity:

Students will be set up with the materials and will be given their eggs to begin setting up their habitat with their table group.

10 Minutes: Set Up

1. Using the slides, explain the roles to the students. If you are using the "role tags" (link to print under "References") then let the students know that they will receive a new role each time they take care of their insects. The first day the Escape Watch will be responsible for writing the teams name on the lid of the bug container. The roles are listed below:

• The Waterer : Refill the water cups with a pipette.
• The Feeder: Fill the food cups with 10 seeds each.
• The Supplier: Grab the supplies from the front and return at the end of bug care.
• The Escape Watch: Use the paintbrush to gently keep insects in the containers or return insects to their container if they escape.

2. (Optional) Pass out "role tags" to each group.

3. Have the "Supplier" from each table group grab their containers from the insulated coolers and bring them carefully to their table.

4. Have students carefully change and remove the plastic portion cups from the containers.

5. Have the "Waterer" and "Feeder" change the water and sunflower seeds.

5. Remind the "Escape Watch" students to use the paintbrushes to keep the insect in their containers.

6. Have students place the clean food and water cups back into the containers.

7. Ask them to clean up their space and have their "Supplier" return trays to the coolers according to labeled temperature.

This is what the Milkweed Bug's habitats should look like

Closing:

5 Minutes: Clean-Up

1. Have students place their containers inside each of the insulated coolers according to the labeled temperature.

2. Have students clean up their space, throwing away any trash and/or cleaning up any spills.

3. Before ending the lesson, let students know that for the next 4 weeks they will be working with these bugs, maintaining their habitat and learning about life and earth science. They will learn more about this the following week.