Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Station
![Three people by a stream with nets, image is upside down.](https://streamline.imgix.net/d43158c3-8264-417a-8025-bc86b97fecc1/e20de6a2-f059-417b-a75e-e48533dffa4e/20231109_104816.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&w=2000&h=2000&fit=max&or=180&s=9bb5454a66f6f4ebc406a1d5a3027230)
OVERVIEW
Students will collect and identify insects and other macroinvertebrates from the stream and learn how these species can help indicate the health of a stream and the larger watershed.
LEARNING GOALS
- Learn how to collect macroinvertebrate samples from a stream
- Practice scientific methods, species identification, and inquiry
- Explore how the presence or absence of living things can indicate the well-being of an ecosystem
VOCABULARY
- Macroinvertebrate
- Aquatic
- D-net
- Tolerance
- Sensitivity
- Pollutants
WAYS TO PREPARE YOUR STUDENTS
- Print out these info and coloring sheets for a number of common aquatic macroinvertebrates
- Do the Build-A-Bug activity: ask students to invent their own aquatic invertebrate species based on what adaptations and features they would need to survive in a stream.
- View this slideshow and review the aquatic invertebrate facts
MORE LEARNING RESOURCES
- Macroinvertebrate page at Encyclopedia Britannica
- How macroinvertebrates are used in scientific research
- Suggestions for teaching about aquatic invertebrates
Download the printable station guide here:
Aquatic Macroinvertebrates.pdf
![Educational chart displaying illustrations of various stream macroinvertebrates, categorized by physical characteristics like number of tails and legs.](https://streamline.imgix.net/d43158c3-8264-417a-8025-bc86b97fecc1/04d7685c-bf2d-4a06-8b75-5f9bb08d67a7/Picture5.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&w=2000&h=2000&fit=max&or=0&s=b91e08e46f1e170741ba45ce7e6e06e7)