Incredible, Edible Insects: Sustainable Food for the Future!
My students need the insect viewers and food to continue their research on entomophagy. We are learning about the environment, specifically Madagascar, and the challenges inhabitants have with food sources. Entomophagy is a sustainable food source.
We are a five/six grade ELA classroom. My students are an energized bunch of kids, ready to learn, ready to create, and ready to give back to their community. They come to school every day with enthusiasm and ideas about how to make the world a better place.
Each year our class is focused around a year-long theme that incorporates a high-interest area, many service-learning projects, and character development.
Last year our theme was Dog Nation: Cultivating Character through Canines. Our classroom mantra was Positive Attitude With a Smile, or P.A.W.S. We spent the year learning about dogs, most specifically about service dogs. Students organized and facilitated many service learning projects. My students truly PAWed it Forward by helping dogs, but also by creating a community-wide awareness about service dogs and their daily contributions.
This year students will be learning about Lemurs to Lorax: Encouraging Environmental and Ecological Awareness. We are ready to leap into learning and spreading the word about the importance of our environment and all that live in it. We have connected with Duke Lemur Center, Lemur Love, and Lemur Conservation Network. Lemur Up! We Speak for the Trees!
My Project
Bug viewers and a variety of insect food sources- cricket flour, cricket snack bars, and roasted crickets will be helpful for my students to better understand entomophagy. My classes are spending the year learning about environmental and ecological issues. We began the year learning about the importance of lemurs and the island of Madagascar. Learners have made the connection that much of Madagascar's biodiversity is being lost to habitat destruction: slash and burn agriculture and cattle ranching. They have also made the connection, that if the Malagasy people had a more sustainable way to provide food for their families, they may not have to use destructive practices.
Entomophagy is an up-and-coming practice, that may offer impoverished nations sustainable food sources.
Students will be able to use the bug viewers to learn through an outdoor classroom adventure, the anatomy, and characteristics of bugs and insects. It is important for them to have an understanding of insects, as to not be biased to their usability for food.
Next, after researching the science behind the nutritional value of insects and logistics that go into insect farming, they will be able to try, first-hand, products created from insects: cricket flour for pancakes, roasted crickets, insect bars and chips- all nutritional and sustainable. With this information, they can create evidence-based argumentative and action plans regarding sustainable food sources. Incredible, Edible Insects!
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