11: Enriching elementary science curriculum by combining NGSS and live cockroaches

Science is not always the easiest subject to teach, and elementary science teachers often have trouble finding inexpensive and engaging methods that meet state science standards.  One possible method is to combine the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) with live insects, including cockroaches, butterflies, and praying mantids. Arthropods can be found on every continent, yet few schools teach about these important animals.  Even fewer instructors use live arthropods as a way to engage students in hands-on activities and enhance interactive science instruction.  Using a multi-day workshop design, local elementary teachers focused on increasing their understanding of the Next Generation Science Standards by working with live insects and using them in a variety of science lessons.  Teachers then developed and taught interactive science lessons with live arthropods in their own schools.  Over four years, this workshop was found to consistently increase teacher understanding of entomology, their comfort with live arthropods, their understanding of how to incorporate NGSS into the classroom, and decreased perceived barriers teachers had about using live animals with their students.