Identify the roles that beneficial insects and pests play in the garden
THEME: The Living Soil–The Living Plant: We are all Interconnected and Related
STRAND: Biodiversity and Interdependent Relationships
GRADE LEVEL: MS
Key Concepts
Know the basic tenets of Integrated Pest Management and the importance of pollinators.
Recognize the role fungus, bacteria, and insects play in the decomposition process.
Lesson
Practice Integrated Pest Management to maintain maximum biodiversity in the garden ecosystem.
Identify evidence of pests in the garden (ex: holes in leaves, egg, etc.), and determine which organisms are responsible. Using a field guide, investigate the life cycle of the pest, and use this information to experiment with methods of control (e.g. — cabbage moth, little fire ant).
\* See Appendix for Field Guide
Identify garden pollinators and beneficial insects and their host plants. Propagate, plant and maintain these ʻhostʻ plants in the garden.
Use a quadrat, measure and record abundance and diversity of insects on ʻhostʻ plants vs. grass or path.
Build and apply healthy compost to garden beds.