Teaching Biocontrol of Invasive Species
In October, the North Central School IPM Working Group successfully piloted two invasive species curricula in classrooms, generating a rich and impactful learning environment for students who might otherwise not have access to this opportunity. Todd Breitenfeldt, biological weed control expert and retired science teacher, travelled from Montana to teach students about phragmites, spotted knapweed and Asian jumping worms. The sessions engaged 78 high school students in AP biology and environmental classes at Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep and 110 students in grades one to four at the Avery Coonley School, both located in the Chicago area. The curricula were tailored to meet the varying learning abilities of the students according to their age group, with the presenter actively monitoring comprehension throughout the sessions. Student learning was measured by asking questions at the beginning and the end of the workshops.
At Gwendolyn Brooks, students learned about phragmites, a noxious weed, as well as spotted knapweed, which is managed using biocontrol methods involving seedhead weevils. Students learned what classifies a plant as a weed and about environmental and economic damage caused by noxious weeds. When dissecting spotted knapweed flowers, the first person to find a weevil got a prize! One student commented that dissecting the dried spotted knapweed flowers to look for weevils wasn’t as bad as she thought it would be and she liked the activity. 
Will Reed, STEM teacher at Gwendolyn Brooks, noted the importance of the students being exposed to a topic they may not have considered before and said he had observed repeated evidence in the following weeks of the students recalling concepts from the lesson, saying “it’s clear that my students got a lot out of it.” At the end of class, the high schoolers demonstrated interest in removing the weeds from their pond. Reed thinks these students would act as ambassadors if the school decided to drain the pond to remove phragmites.
The workshops at Avery Coonley highlighted the differences between Asian jumping worms (Amynthas agrestis) and European worms. These students learned about how the worms affected the ecosystems they were introduced to, and night crawlers were purchased for students to inspect using hand lenses to identify their attributes (e.g., setae that help worms move). Children who had not held a worm before were less afraid after seeing us demonstrate how to handle one. School staff said that the children loved the workshops and that they themselves had learned new things. The children asked many questions and demonstrated a strong interest in the topics.
Students developed a deeper understanding of noxious weeds, invasive species and the natural world, fostering enthusiasm for change. The application of ecological knowledge in urban settings is essential to creating more sustainable communities. Successful IPM programs in schools increase awareness for all stakeholders to be part of prevention strategies and recognize signs of common pests.
If you are interested in these lessons, the full jumping worm and phragmites curricula will be available on Pest Defense in the coming months.
