General Information
About Outreach
Our outreach program is designed to increase awareness and enthusiasm for insects and other "bugs." Shows are given to groups of all sizes and ages (We prefer first grade and older and groups of 10-25.) and are tailored to meet the individual needs of the group. We try to make each show fun as well as informative, with lots of live critters and as many hands-on activities as time, size, and age permit.
Shows
We can cater shows to meet the needs of almost any group or curriculum but here are some ideas:
- Introduction to Insects:
What is an insect? How can I tell an insect from other "bugs?" Learn about some of the most unusual insects in the world as well as some that you can find right around your house. - Insects and their Habitats:
Find out about where different insects live, and how they are adapted to their environments. Also learn about the vital role insects play in their environments. - Collecting and Preserving insects:
Learn techniques to collect a wide variety of insects. We can also teach how to curate (pin) insects for collections, or if you would prefer, how to make terrariums them to keep them for pets. (A fee may be charged for materials. Typically this fee is $8 per student, and they get to keep a collection box and insect pins.) - Good Bugs/ Bad Bugs:
Whether they help us or hurt us, no one can deny the tremendous impact many insects and bugs have in our lives. Unfortunately some of the bugs we tend to be the most afraid of are actually some of the most beneficial, and others that seem harmless cause many problems. - Teacher/ Leader training:
We can train you to be your own entomologist! If you need someone to do the same bug show for different children on multiple days (such as at a summer camp), consider asking us to train leaders in your own organization how to do the shows. It will be more efficient for you, to have your own "bug expert" on hand, and it is better for us since it enables us to honor more requests for outreaches. We will also travel farther distances to do leader training than we would otherwise go for normal outreach events.
The possibilities for topics are endless! It is our hope that each child (or adult as the case may be) will come away from these programs with a greater respect and appreciation for the natural world around them.
Scheduling
Outreaches are scheduled through the outreach coordinator. For more information or to schedule a show contact the outreach coordinator by phone at (352) 273-3942, by fax at (352) 392-0190, or by email at ufbugs@ifas.ufl.edu.
