Teenagers will never complain about cleaning their rooms after this activity. In the first lesson of a four-part series, budding scientists collect samples of dust, chalk, and other particulates from various areas of the classroom. They use microscopes to observe dust mites and other critters that may be lurking in these samples.

Concepts

pest management, allergies, arachnids, microscopes

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Invite a pest control expert to make a presentation

Classroom Considerations

• Be sure to consider any allergies pupils may have before conducting the activity
• It is helpful if learners have previous experience with microscopes

Pros

• Teacher guide contains several suggestions for assessing student learning
• Resource includes suggested reading and Internet websites for additional information

Cons

• None