Tag Archives: biodiversity

Forest Avenue Sets Up the Trap

Today our grade fours set up the trap at the front of the school.  We set it in front of our garden so that the bugs still had a flyway across and into it.  We’re excited.   Many of our co-participants have such varied landscapes ~ fields, ponds, etc.  It will be so interesting to compare the results!  Many thanks to Evergreen for sharing their creative barcoding art activity.  What a great way to bring the DNA concepts to one’s initial learning of it!

Malaise Trap in Mississauga, Ontario!
Malaise Trap in Mississauga, Ontario!

DNA Barcode Art

Grade Five students at Evergreen Elementary School in Drayton Valley have begun their study of biodiversity within Canadian ecosystems.

DNA bar code art (2)

On September 18, as an art project before deploying the trap, we made DNA barcodes of ourselves! Students made a list of their personal and physical qualities, such as strength, kindness, courage, flexibility, and gave each of their characteristics a colour. Using their chosen colours, they created a barcode to show their unique self.

The art project helped us to gain a better understanding of DNA barcoding, and it was a fun way to show who were are.

Westside Secondary goes buggy!

Westside Secondary School students in Mrs. Kelly’s SBI 3U class set up their Malaise trap today on our school property in Orangeville, Ontario.

We chose a spot on grass right next to a marsh area that is adjacent to our school property hoping that the vegetation of the comparatively undisturbed natural habitat might lead a  larger number of insects being captured.

The weather was windy, posing a some challenges when it came to pegging it to the ground. We are going to have to go back out tomorrow to make sure that it is still in place and catching insects.

We took advantage of being outside and gave back to the environment by collecting garbage on our way back in from setting the trap up.

Pictures will follow!

Trap Set Up

7Marr set up our Malaise Trap this morning. We struggled a little with the guy ropes, but got the trap set! Jack used a hammer. He was pumped! We are anxious to see what insects we collect and are looking forward to being a part of this project. Today’s temperature is 19 degrees, but it feels like 25. The skies are overcast and there was a lot of rain last night. #hammer #buglife

Forest Avenue Public School

We are also very excited about our first experience  with the BIO Malaise Trap Program.  Our grade four class intends to set up our trap in the butterfly garden at the front of the school.  What an amazing opportunity to learn how real world science works to inform us about the world around us!  We look forward to sharing how the experience unfolds for us.