Exploring Insects with Discover Nature Schools

Insects are over 90% of all life on earth! Join us to learn more about the fascinating lives of these wee beasties! In this workshop, you will learn about common insects of Missouri and be able to ask all your burning questions about insects and their kin!

You will learn how to collect and preserve insects and will make and take home some basic insect collecting equipment. Insects are ubiquitous and provide many teachable moments – indoors and outdoors. They are a fantastic way to provide hands-on, inquiry based learning opportunities for students!

Insects play a vital role in food webs and ecosystems! We will focus on insect exercises from each grade level of our Discover Nature Schools curriculum - beginning with our pre-K activity of "What's an Insect?" and moving up to our 9th-12th grade mark-and-recapture exercise. Come ready to roll up your sleeves and explore and learn both indoors and outdoors throughout the day.

Dress to go outside tennis shoes or sturdy shoes, sunscreen, water bottle, lunch. Scout, 4H leaders and other youth leaders bring badge and project requirements so we can help you meet them. We will be making insect collection equipment, so bring a used clean glass jar with an opening large enough to easily put your hand in and a metal lid.