Dmmetler Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I had a chance for a long talk with DD's two main mentors, and they feel that she would really benefit from just being able to get into nature and explore, to go back to the "fun" part of science for her, and in a way that gives her more control. And it just so haooens that the 4000 level elective bio class offered this semester is entomology. Her field bio mentor has suggested that she do the lab component (some on campus, some via borrowing the specimen kits from the school and doing them at home), and do the assignments, many of which are "go out, find, net, photograph, and identify X number of insects of a given type", and which are very amenable to an 11 yr old getting on her bike with a cell phone, a water bottle, and basic tools, going to a park, and spending a day exploring bugs. Insects will be active far earlier than herps are, and by the time she really needs to seriously start setting up replicate ponds and tracking them for her frog work, the semester will be close to over (and she can always scale back on the bugs then). I like the idea a lot. She's mostly finished with history and literature for the year, so we can scale those back. And this would be something relatively new. Honestly, at this point, if we ended up just doing bugs until the snakes wake up, I wouldn't object-and if it gets a happy, confident kid back, it would be so worth it! The big concern we both have is that whike we have the syllabus, there is not an official textbook that lays it out-and this isn't the school that video records all their classes, so she can't watch the lecture. Does anyone know of a good entomology textbook, MOOC (not finding anything except some continuing Ed classes on invasive insects) or other resource that is more than a field guide, and would be amenable to matching up with the syllabus topics (and the journal readings that are connected to the syllabus?). She's done the "study at home and do the labs" for other classes (general bio, microbio and vertebrate anatomy/physiology), but all of those had good textbooks that she could do on her own, and often pretty extensive online materials as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SunshineMom Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 My dd12 studied entomology last year and we used free materials from NC State General Entomology course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa B Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 I don't know anything about the book myself, but this is the book used in a similar class at our local university. http://www.amazon.com/Borror-DeLongs-Introduction-Study-Insects/dp/0030968356/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1451924048&sr=8-1&keywords=9780030968358#customerReviews Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted January 4, 2016 Author Share Posted January 4, 2016 (edited) The NC state site looks perfect. That's almost an exact match to the class that DD will be doing the labs for, only set up for distance learning. I suggested it to DD this morning, and her first response was "I don't need to wait-we have crickets and mealworms/grain beetles, and X has silkworms, and y has superworms, and I think T breeds Dubia for her lizards. I can get waxworms and probably Catawba worms from the bait shop....if I leave out Orange cube, I'll bet I'll attract a lot. What about other invertebrates? We have lots of Isopods under the ramps-the earth snakes like them.... I think this may be a hit. Edited January 4, 2016 by dmmetler 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocolate-chip chooky Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 That all sounds so fabulous. I love your daughter's passion. I wish we lived in your neighbourhood. Or country. Or continent. I can imagine my daughter finally having a friend; finding someone who loves science and nature and wants to get their hands dirty in it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bakpak Posted January 4, 2016 Share Posted January 4, 2016 Love it! It's good to be well-rounded, and entomologists are always finding cool new stuff. It's easier to find a new species, or find a new invasive species, when you're an entomologist. Plus, it opens you up to having a wider breadth of knowledge about the food web that your favorite critters are influenced by. I got my PhD at NCState, so let me know if you want me to put out feelers for other avenues of interest there. The entomologists are highly engaged there. By the way, this guy on FB is always finding awesome herps (mostly in Honduras at an EcoLodge where he works)...it might be inspiring for your DD to follow his page: https://www.facebook.com/Jamesadams360?fref=tsHe found an ocelot cub the other day!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted January 5, 2016 Share Posted January 5, 2016 My dd12 studied entomology last year and we used free materials from NC State General Entomology course. Thanks. DS10 has a love hate relationship with bugs :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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