Macroinvertebrates as Indicators of a Healthy Stream

In April, we will be bringing live stream samples into your classroom filled with insects our trout would eat in the wild. We will focus on aquatic invertebrates as indicators to assess stream health. 

We will start by reviewing the life-cycles and adaptive characteristics of these insects. Students will dig though a stream sample, isolating different types of insects they find in ice cube trays with their group. 

Using a dichotomous key, students will identify insect types using the live specimens they have collected. Once they have identified insects in their stream sample, students will "score the stream" using a tool that grants higher points to pollutant intolerant insects than tolerant ones. 

This lesson introduces the idea that we can infer much about the function of a system by making scientific observations of individual components. 

Finally, students will feed a few insect larvae to the trout and see how they react! This lesson is always a student favorite!