Ladybugs at School: Cross-cutting Concepts

“Patterns. Observed patterns of forms and events guide organization and classification, and they prompt questions about relationships and the factors that influence them.”

Source: NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States, Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

School-Based Participatory Science Progression

Throughout the year, students are focused on answering, “How does the presence of ladybugs change across the school year? What might explain those changes?” Building routines at the start of the year will facilitate consistent data collection, which will be essential for students to later see patterns in ladybug sightings on their school grounds (e.g., by location, as the weather changes). In October, the class creates a School Grounds Map as a visual representation of the data they have collected. The map continues to be a reference throughout the year as students make predictions and use their data as evidence to support explanations. In November, students use the Map to look for similarities and differences on their school grounds to distinguish the variety of microhabitats and consider what they have in common and how they may aid in ladybug survival. In December, students are introduced to the concept of overwintering, which may be supported by their own experiences noticing ladybugs indoors, either at school or home. Starting in January, students will also export data from iNaturalist for an opportunity to look for patterns in a context beyond the School Grounds Map. These explorations of patterns with regard to seasonal changes and location will continue into February and March. In April, students draw on the patterns they have identified to begin speculating on ways to improve habitat features for ladybugs in their schoolyard. 

“Systems and system models. Defining the system under study—specifying its boundaries and making explicit a model of that system—provides tools for understanding and testing ideas that are applicable throughout science and engineering.”

Source: NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States, Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

School-Based Participatory Science Progression

After setting up routines for consistent data collection and recording in the first several weeks of the school year, students create the first iteration of their model, the School Grounds Map during the October engagement. Over the course of the year, students add to and revise the model, both in terms of additional ladybug sightings and features of the schoolyard. In addition, students use the map to document what they observe in terms of microhabitats and  predator/prey relationships (November) within their schoolyard system. Students also explore using ordered pairs (January) and have access to mapping features through iNaturalist (February) that may help them revise and use their model. As part of their culminating presentation, students present a revised model of School Grounds Map with specific suggestions to improve habitat features of their schoolyard based on what they have learned from their year-long exploration.