Over 800 schoolchildren will take the Minibeast challenge touching beetles and locusts from the rain forest and the Florida swamps at the University of Dundee this week to learn more about the science of insects.
Dr Keith Skene from the School of Life Sciences has devised a programme for primary four school children to learn to identify insects by introducing them to basic scientific procedure -constructing an identity key. The pupils will study the insects' behaviour by observing which choice chamber they prefer to be in to decide whether minibeasts have preferences.
Scientists at the University have big containers of locusts so the children can time how long they spend eating, jumping, flying and resting. Pupils will draw and handle the locusts which have come to Dundee from Borneo, the rain forests and swamps in Florida. The children will finally observe carnivorous plants in action - how some plants can trap and eat small insects.
Dr Keith Skene said: "It is great to have the local schools here at the University of Dundee to learn how exciting and interesting science is. In our experience, children love to see and touch the subjects they are studying. The University welcomes all the schools this week."
Secondary school pupils from St Saviour's and Harris will extract DNA from household items such as washing up liquid, lemon juice and salt in a DNA kitchen workshop on Friday. The pupils will learn about the gene, genetic engineering and DNA, isolating the DNA so they have a piece in their hands at the end of the experiment.
Contact Keith Skene 01382 344257
By Jenny Marra, Press Officer 01382 344910 j.m.marra@dundee.ac.uk