GAINESVILLE, Fla. — New educational resources on mosquito-related issues are now available for teachers to download. The UF IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources has developed educational materials as part of the Prevent & Protect mosquito communication campaign. These resources include lesson plans, content outlines, worksheets and presentations appropriate for elementary, middle and high school levels.
Prevent & Protect educational resources were developed with the intentions of increasing mosquito awareness in youth and fostering conversations about mosquito-related issues.
University of Florida Ph.D. student Casey Parker led the development of the elementary school resources for fourth and fifth grade students. The elementary school lesson focuses on mosquito biology and includes a content outline, worksheet and homework assignment.
“We created lesson plans that address multiple state standards in Florida. With this curriculum, students will learn about mosquito biology, disease transmission and control methods,” Parker said. “Armed with this information, students can make choices that reduce the mosquito population in their area and better protect themselves from mosquitoes.”
The middle and high school lesson plans were developed by assistant professor of agricultural education and communication J.C. Bunch and a team of students. The lesson plans were pilot-tested in classrooms around Florida then edited accordingly.
It is always beneficial when you have the chance to pilot test new curriculum,” said Bunch, “The ability to pilot gives designers an opportunity to enhance the curriculum for positive student impact.”
The middle and high school curriculum includes four lessons: mosquito biology, source reduction, mosquito-borne illnesses and control practices. Teachers can utilize a content outline, worksheets, PowerPoint presentations and a unit exam.
“The lesson plans were designed with the help of experts in mosquito biology and curriculum development,” said Heather Yoder, undergraduate student who helped design the educational resources. “This ensures that teachers and students with varying experiences can gain a greater knowledge of mosquitoes and learn how to do their part in mosquito control.”
In addition to lesson plans and curriculum, interactive educational experiences have been developed as part of the Prevent & Protect project. UF assistant professor of agricultural education and communication Jamie Loizzo led the development of an electronic field trip program entitled “Scientist Online: The Science of Mosquitoes.” This electronic field trip allowed students around the world to connect with entomologists at the University of Florida.
“We connected with classrooms in Canada, Pennsylvania, Florida and Pakistan,” Loizzo said. “The entire program is a great example of how science communicators, educators and scientists can work together to improve awareness of mosquito research and prevention.”
All educational resources are free and available for download at www.preventmosquitoes.org
