Mealworm Exploration

When we got back from track break we had some mealworms waiting for us.  Why?  Well, mealworms are interesting because they go through a metamorphasis sort of like a butterfly.  The students get to watch a mealworm (larva) eat oatmeal and apples until they are so fat that they form into a shell-like cacoon (pupa), sleep for a few days and emerge a beetle (adult).  Here are some pictures of the students taking the mealworm in the larva stage and exploring them.  We tried to have a competition to see who could keep the mealworm on their pencil the longest.  It didn't go too well because they were to wiggly.  I know you all must be wondering what we do with them when we are done??? Unfortunately we can't release them into the wild because it disturbs the balance of nature if 9 second grade teachers allow hundreds of beetles out in the field and plants.  So we have to put them in a ziploc bag and freeze them.  It kills them and we can safely put them in the trash.

Check out the link below to the FOSS science website to learn more:

http://www.fossweb.com/modulesK-2/Insects/index.html

Mrs. Ferreiro's Class Mealworms

You can see all 3 stages the larva, pupa, and adult. The black things that look like worms (larva) are the ones that didn't make it. The white things that look like they are hugging themselves are pupa, they will emerge a beetle.

My 2nd graders exploring the mealworms at their desks.

D.H. was able to hold his mealworm on his pencil the longest.

The girliest of girls wasn't afraid to hold the mealworm, so why was I so afraid?

Trying to get an up close picture of the mealworm.

S.M. liked the mealworms so much that he wanted to take it home...your welcome, mom!

W.Z. was my volunteer to hand out the mealworms and collect them since I refused to touch them...Thanks W.Z.!