Macroinvertebrates: a hands-on aquatic ecology unit!

Description

Why Choose Wild Earth Lab?

Drawing on my environmental science background, I create accurate, engaging resources that make teaching easier. Original, thoughtfully designed visuals and hands-on activities help bring the real experience of being a scientist into your classroom.

Age Range

This unit is designed to be adaptable for a range of ages, with activities and materials that can be adjusted to meet different learners’ needs.  It includes suggestions for ways to make lab activities simpler or more challenging, based on your students’ needs. It is suitable for learners from upper elementary school through high school and works well with mixed-age groups.

What’s Included?

(69 PDF pages total)

• PART 1: INTRO TO MACROINVERTEBRATES:
  • • What is an aquatic macroinvertebrate? reading
    • What is an aquatic macroinvertebrate? worksheet
    • Key vocabulary list
    • Macroinvertebrates poster
    • Emergent insects poster
    • Three-part cards of common macroinvertebrates
    • Information cards for common macroinvertebrates
    • Flashcard sorting activities (compare/contrast and advanced taxonomy activity)
• PART 2: INTRO TO TAXONOMY:
  • • “It’s a bug… Right?” reading
    • “It’s a bug… Right?” sorting and taxonomy activity
    • Taxonomic classification handout and prompt
    • Mnemonic device activity (create your own mnemonic device for kingdom, phylum, order, class, family, genus, and species)
• PART 3: AQUATIC INSECTS:
  • • Aquatic insects & ecosystems reading
    • Mayfly nymph anatomy diagram
    • Mayfly adult anatomy diagram
    • Unlabeled anatomy diagram copies for student practice
    • Word bank/reusable cut-out label tiles
    • Mayfly anatomy models activity (directions & printable model parts)
    • Mayfly life cycle diagram
    • Stone fly life cycle diagram
    • Caddisfly life cycle diagram
    • Blank life cycle diagrams and cut-out word/picture tiles for practice
• PART 4a: AQUATIC COMMUNITIES:
  • • Aquatic communities & bioindicators reading
    • Aquatic community activity (modeling species richness and evenness)
    • Aquatic ecosystem health – comparison activity with 2 ecosystems
    • Healthy aquatic ecosystem poster
    • Impacted aquatic ecosystem poster
• PART 4b: HANDS-ON FIELD TRIP ACTIVITIES:
  • • Instructor guide
    • Student lab activity directions:
      • • 3 methods for catching aquatic macroinvertebrates
        • Compare the macroinvertebrate communities of two different locations
    • Student lab activity worksheets for recording data, sketches, etc.
    • Reflection questions – synthesize concepts from throughout the unit
• Instructor materials: Includes directions and an instructor lab activity guide
• Access to additional online materials: background information & suggested ways to expand on this topic.

Good to Know

• Single-classroom use: Materials are for personal and single-classroom use only and may not be shared or distributed. Contact me about multiple licenses for schools or organizations.
• Digital product: This is an instant PDF download, designed for printing on standard 8.5 × 11-inch paper. Due to the nature of digital products, purchases are non-refundable.
• Adult supervision: Activities should be completed with appropriate adult supervision.
• Terms & Conditions: See the full terms & conditions.