WORKSHOPS - Forensic Entomology
- David Faulkner, San Diego Natural History Museum, and Carl Olson, University of Arizona, are forensic entomologists who will be presenting a workshop covering and uncovering the techniques of forensic entomology. A discussion of the decomposition process of vertebrates will be given along with the numerous invertebrates, especially insects that are associated with decay. The class will review some of the basics of insect biology and behavior, followed by their application to death investigations. This includes the excavation, collection and interpretation of insects retained from animal remains.
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- Taking It To The Streets: Creating A Mobile Invertebrate Education Program
- Michael J. Weissmann, Ph.D. of Kallima Consultants, Inc. will lead this workshop. Insects are a hot topic of study, with most school districts including insect studies in at least one grade level of their curriculum. The demand is extremely high across the country for insect programs that can come directly into the classroom. This workshop is based on 13 years of experience in developing and "performing" highly successful mobile invertebrate education programs in Colorado. Issues to be covered will include: how to get started, getting the word out, suggested animals that are durable enough for mobile exhibits, animal care on the road, required paperwork, revenues and expenses, recommended topics for age-appropriate programs and horror stories about what can and will go wrong.
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- Using Science Demonstrations to Portray Insect Behavior
- Franco Mariotti of Science North will introduce a variety of scientific instruments and chemical reactions that show insect behavior in fascinating ways. Learn and demonstrate how insects avoid bats, how fireflies produce cold light and how insects see things that we don't.
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- Teach 'em a Lesson - With Bugs!
- Mark Berman of BUGMAN Educational Entoprises will be presenting a workshop on using live arthropods as a tool to teach a variety of lessons to children in a memorable way. The workshop will focus on the structure and effective delivery of a "formal" lesson plan. A planned lesson will be reviewed and discussion will focus on the relationship between the lesson and the plan. Participants will then gather in smaller groups to create their own lesson plans and review them amongst themselves. Handouts will be available.
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- Interactive Arthropod Exhibits - On a Shoestring and Beyond
- Michael R. Jeffords of Illinois Natural History Museum will detail how to build a variety of interactive arthropod exhibits for special events and for short and long term use. The emphasis will be on turning easily obtained items into dynamic activities. How to use readily available educational items in exhibits and a practical "how to" for creating signage and other exhibit related materials such as insect models. Workshop participants will receive extensive written and illustrated materials for creating everything from Build a Bug to Bug Gait, Tattoos to Taxonomy for Tots, and Insect Rubbings to Insect Theatre.
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- Designing and Maintaining a Portable Insect Kiosk
- David B. Richman of the Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Weed Science and Carol A. Sutherland of the New Mexico State Department of Agriculture and New Mexico Cooperative Extension, New Mexico State University, will discuss a six-sided kiosk designed and constructed for the 4-H Insect Zoo at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Kiosk was self-contained and could hold 40 cages of arthropods, which could be viewed from outside even when volunteers were not in attendance. The kiosk has been successful for two years and has drawn at least 12,000 visitors each year. The uses of this
- design for insect displays at fairs, zoos and public exhibitions are discussed.
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- The Nature Exchange: A natural way to attract and capture the interest of collectors
- Julie Moskalyk of Science North, a hands-on Science Center, will discuss the successful operation of The Nature Exchange, a trading center for the past 15 years. This area is a constant hub of activity, which attracts close to 40,000 visitors annually. Traders are both young and old, expert collectors and novices. By bringing items from nature and trading for others from our collection, people of all ages are encouraged to appreciate nature and to learn about their environment through observation, background research, education and responsible collecting. This session will introduce the concept of The Nature Exchange, its education programs and how they can work for you. Make sure to bring some natural items (shed snakeskins, pine cones, some of your invertebrate collections etc.) for trading during this dynamic and fun session!
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- Woodland Park Zoo's Bug Club
- Erin Sullivan and Katie Remine of Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, WA will be discussing the experience of creating and running a local bug club for children ages 6 and up. The Bug Club was created for children to come together and share their interest and enthusiasm about arthropods while learning about the arthropods importance in our environment. Participants will be encouraged to join in the activities, arts and crafts, circle time and working at the science table. Come and be a Bug Club member for a few hours and relive some of your childhood.
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- Getting Insect Sponsorships in the Corporate World
- John H. Good, Director of Corporate Sponsorship, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, will address fundamental skills like: What is sponsorship and how does it differ from development? How do you find prospective sponsors? How do you develop proposals and make presentations that bring in funds and create awareness for your Insect Zoo or insect related programs?
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- "The Whole Enchilada"
- Three cheers for Antz and A Bugs Life for bringing insects and arthropods out of the closet and into the living room! Join Mike Koslosky of Sulphur Creek Nature Center and see how the Nature Center capitalized on the marketing strategy of the movie moguls to launch a series of programs on invertebrates. Overnight "buggin" trips, in-class presentations, live exhibits, insect I.D. labs, arthropod arts and crafts, a Kids In Creeks program and a community Bug Fair are all pieces of the puzzle to inundate the public with bug stuff!
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- Invertebrates Up Close: Put the Bugs in Your Photography
- Joe Warfel, Eighth-Eye Photography, will cover special techniques, equipment options and all of the unique problems which are encountered in trying to photograph the small subjects of interest to invertebrate specialists. The common photographic concerns of focus, depth of field and lighting are evermore problematic in macro photography and this workshop will address these in detail. There will be a dynamic slide presentation with live narration during the first half of the workshop, with the second half of the workshop being a hands on equipment practice and question answering time. Participants are asked to bring their own cameras.
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- Termite Symbionts
- Michael Dolan of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst will teach participants about preparing, identifying, and displaying termite symbionts, those wonderful invertebrates living in the gut of termites - the ones really eating wood.
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