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Frass in the class brings the story of insect transformation and scientific inquiry to life through collaboration among scientists, students, and teachers, and can be incorporated into nearly any classroom. Children today are less engaged with the natural world than ever before (Kellert 2002). Insects and insect rearing are an ideal means for introducing scientific inquiry and fostering an appreciation of nature in classrooms (Laurent 2000). The premise of our program, Frass in the Class, was to harness kids’ attention and encourage an appreciation for nature by facilitating live insect rearing in the classroom. Frass in the Class brings the story of insect transformation and scientific inquiry to life through collaboration among scientists, students, and teachers, and can be incorporated into nearly any classroom. We also sought to create a program that could be easily adapted to a teacher’s pre-existing curriculum by relating insects to lessons on metamorphosis, scientific observation, and the scientific method. Frass in the Class began by recruiting scientists from our museum community at the Florida Museum (Gainesville, FL). We collaborated with instructors from elementary-school, middle-school, and high-school levels to develop a flexible and reproducible rearing activity. By partnering with the Thompson Earth Systems Institute (TESI) at the University of Florida, which provides outreach grants to support Earth systems education, we were able to fund our low-cost program. We created a flexible series of activities that could be integrated into teachers’ current lesson plans on topics such as adaptation, classification, and the scientific process. The program included an introductory classroom visit during which we distributed insects, rearing guides, and curated data collection tool kits (subsequently called “DIY museum scientist kits”). This was followed by virtual check-ins and a final classroom visit. For this pilot program, we chose the painted lady butterfly, Vanessa cardui, as our model because it’s easy to rear and its charisma, cosmopolitan distribution, and versatility made it ideal for integrating lessons on life history strategies, adaptations (such as camouflage and mimicry), and taxonomy. This pilot program, launched in early spring 2020 in three Florida public school classrooms at grade levels five, seven, and nine, reached approximately 70 students. During initial classroom visits, we introduced ourselves as museum scientists and led an interactive presentation on insects. We also brought pinned Lepidoptera and preserved specimens for students to examine (Fig. 1a, b). During the presentation, we discussed moth and butterfly traits and their roles in nature, specifically for V. cardui. Students were shown examples of scientific observations, specimen care, and data collection, and were introduced to living caterpillars as we demonstrated care techniques. We supplied teachers with educational material on the V. cardui life cycle and insect care, as well as observation sheets for guiding students through their study (see supplementary materials available at https://doi.org/10.1093/ae/tmab042). 9th grade students at P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School in Gainesville, Florida, engage with museum specimens from FLMNH. Photos by Jeff Gage. Overview of the Frass in the Class program and key takeaways for building a similar program in classrooms near you. Our team made bi-weekly virtual class- room visits via video conferencing software. During these visits, students discussed progress, shared discoveries, and talked about any challenges they had encountered. Because the V. cardui life cycle takes approximately one month, we encouraged teachers to take on post-rearing activities such as pinning workshops, creating collection label data and wing vouchers, and scheduling a field trip to release their butterflies in the Florida Museum’s Butterfly Rainforest living exhibit. During the final classroom visit, we evaluated students’ experience by asking for informal feedback. We discussed what they learned, how their perception of insects had changed, and why they think insects are important, and we celebrated their successful completion of the project. Eight students were interviewed to help gauge the success of the program. One student revealed that she had disliked insects before this project but then shared, “I have a better perspective as to why they’re important” since participating. Students were able to connect insects to grander ecological processes: “They are really good pollinators, and not just butterflies, bees as well. They also support the food chain.” Each student in the group interview gave anecdotal evidence of increased understanding of insects’ importance. Students also expressed interest in participating in museum volunteer activities. One student wanted to participate in the Florida Museum’s LepCamp, one of many natural-history-themed summer camps that encourage environmental stewardship (https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/mcguire/outreach/lepcamp/). In addition, the teachers expressed interest in implementing this program in semesters to come. We focused on an under-emphasized element of insect life cycles: their excrement. While insect poop, also known as frass, is not the sole focal point of the program, it provides the perfect opportunity to fascinate students and facilitate scientific inquiry. We learned that topics such as the way insects use frass for protection and mobility were particularly effective in engaging students. We enhanced the learning experience by showing children real frass of various sizes, while discussing what scientists can learn from frass and its uses. The most effective form of retention and participation in STEM learning involves the use of hands-on activities, particularly those that utilize authentic scientific tools (Jones and Stapleton 2017). While providing a window to the insect world and access to insect experts are integral in the students’ learning experience, the use of our DIY museum scientist kits (Fig. 2) is a reliable way to ensure students’ enthusiastic participation. These items provide students with the means for kinesthetic learning and an authentic connection to the tools of science, and they absolve teachers of the financial responsibility to provide these tools. When distributing the DIY museum scientist kits during initial classroom visits, we observed students as they fixated on their new tools and watched as they engaged with the materials (Fig. 3a, b). They used magnifying glasses on examples of frass, wrote their names in their field notebooks with accompanying sketches, and used rulers to measure specimens from our lab colony. Research assistant Hailey Dansby distributes “DIY museum scientist kits.” Photo by Jeff Gage. Frass in the Class students with V. cardui larvae and adults. Photos by Jeff Gage and Diana Fye. Contents of the DIY museum scientist kits based on materials we use for fieldwork, costing approximately $150 per classroom. This program can be implemented using common classroom tools like notebooks, writing utensils, etc.; however, by providing students with the same tools we use every day as museum scientists, we see increased initial interest, and we are able to show students they have the means to perform scientific investigation. If you decide to implement this program, you’ll have to consider many factors, especially flexibility in choosing a species and fitting activities into existing classroom curricula. When considering an insect, one must note the seasonality and availability of said species, host plants, and generation time. In this study, V. cardui (Fig. 4a, b) served as an ideal test species for our circumstances, due to year-round availability, commercialized breeding efforts, access to artificial diet in lieu of host plants, and generation time. When working with teachers to incorporate this program into existing lesson plans, V. cardui generation time aligned with mandatory teaching standards and did not interfere with standardized testing periods. Vanessa cardui also served as a vessel for teachers to reinforce concepts such as life systems, metamorphosis, and the scientific method. Depending on where this project is implemented, various model organisms can be incorporated. (a) Freshly emerged adult V. cardui. Photo by Brooke Hinton. (b) Late instar V. cardui larva on host plant, thistle. Photo by Becky Messcher. Model organism adaptation suggestions. Building community is essential to this program and requires collaboration among scientists, teachers, schools, and institutions such as TESI and FLMNH. Through the TESI Scientist in Every Florida Classroom (SEFS) moonshot initiative (https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/earth-systems/scientist-in-every-florida-school/), a professional development program that connects scientists to educators, we built our relationship with Florida public school teachers. With funding through TESI, we were able to provide classroom material at no cost to the teachers. As entomologists at a natural history museum, we have access to resources like collecting equipment, identification guides, and support from insect experts. Although we are able to take advantage of these resources daily, many people do not have this privilege. Collaborating with museums allows teachers and their students to have access to these resources. By having museum scientists in the classroom, this program creates a unique experience that connects academia with the public by opening a dialogue among scientists, teachers, and students. This approach emphasizes the critical role of collaboration in the sciences while increasing general access to natural history resources (Fig. 5). Illustration showing the collaborative workflow between Frass in the Class and program participants. (Figure made in BioRender.com) In 2020, changes brought on by COVID-19 interfered with the Frass in the Class timeline. Fortunately, by this time, students had already reared their V. cardui specimens to adulthood. The virtual components we designed for the program proved to be especially adaptable during this time. Unplanned events such as these can greatly interfere with live animal rearing in a classroom context. We recommend establishing digital aids as part of this program in order to help surmount unexpected setbacks. Purchasing our insects from vendors like Carolina Biological Supply ensured that students could obtain specimens and rearing materials to perform the project from home. Using video conferencing software, digitizing museum specimens, creating digital deliverables in addition to printed material, and planning digital presentations are all proactive measures that will ensure accessibility as well as help the program reach a larger audience, pandemic or not. The Frass in the Class program (Fig. 6) stands apart from other entomological outreach ventures through introducing insects as a stepping stone for a wider appreciation of the natural world. This project highlights the importance of insects not only in the abstract conception of scientific research, but in the context of museums, conservation, and the environment. Unlike the unaccompanied butterfly rearing kit, Frass in the Class contextualizes butterfly rearing in a larger conversation about adaptation, taxonomy, and life history strategy. The program facilitates this conversation, addressing underutilization of insects for education, their prominent stigmatization, and their need for protection in the environment. Diana Fye’s 7th grade science class with Frass in the Class museum team. Photo by Diana Fye. Amanda Markee is a graduate student at University of Florida’s School of Natural Resources and Environment. She studies genomic and morphological variation in lepidopteran silks and is passionate about inclusivity in science. 3215 Hull Rd., Gainesville FL 32611; e-mail: [email protected]; Twitter: @kkbugtime. Hailey Dansby is a research assistant at the Florida Museum’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity. She currently works with molecular identification methods and is passionate about insect education. 3215 Hull Rd., Gainesville FL 32611; e-mail: [email protected]; Twitter: @DansbyHailey. Rebeccah Messcher is a biological scientist at the University of Florida’s Emerging Pathogens Institute. She uses molecular biology and genetics to study various organisms while participating in science outreach projects. 2055 Mowry Road, Gainesville FL 32610; e-mail: [email protected]; Twitter: @bio__beck. Emily Hernandez is a student at University of Florida’s Engineering School of Sustainable Infrastructure and Environment, set to graduate May 2022. E-mail: [email protected]. Akito Kawahara is an associate curator at the Florida Museum’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity. His research is focused on evolution of Lepidoptera and moth anti-predator defenses. E-mail: [email protected]; Twitter: @Dr_Akito. Caroline Storer is a faculty member at the Florida Museum’s McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity. Her research is focused on genomic innovation in insects. She is passionate about mentoring future scientists. E-mail: [email protected]; Twitter: @cgstorer. We thank Brian Abramowitz, Holly Brennan, Sarah Steele Cabrera, Elizabeth Davis, Diana Fye, Jeffrey Gage, Stephanie Killingsworth, Kristen Rosetti, and Matt Standridge from the Florida Museum of Natural History, Alachua County Public Schools, and Marion County Public Schools. The UF FLMNH Thompson Earth Systems Institute Scientists in Every Florida Classroom (SEFS) provided financial support that made this project possible. Members of the Daniels and Kawahara labs provided guidance and rearing recommendations.
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