Exploring Urban Integrated Pest Management
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Michigan State University Pesticide Education, 2001
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Background
Friend or Foe?
Classroom Activity
Grades K-6
#1
A pest is any living thing (plant or animal) that
bothers or annoys us, our pets or animals, damages
things we value, occurs where we do not want it, or
causes or spreads disease. This is a pretty broad
definition, and in fact people don’t always agree that
something is a pest. A dandelion may be a pest to
one person and a wildflower to another.
We spend a lot of time and money battling pests.
It is important to remember that pests aren’t “trying”
to hurt or bother us. All living things have roles in the
environment. Depending on their roles in food chains
and food webs, living things can be producers,
consumers, predators, prey or decomposers. Each
of these roles is important for food webs to function.
But what happens when decomposers like termites
infest your house? Decomposing old trees in the
forest is important. Decomposing your house is a
problem, and makes them pests.
Step 1: Discussion. Ask: What is a
pest?What are things that pests do that make
them pests to us? Key points include: bothers or
annoys, damages things, occurs where we don’t
want it, makes us sick. Ask: What are some
examples of pests? Write the examples of pests on
the board or overhead as the students suggest them.
The first suggestions are usually brothers or sisters
and insects. Encourage students to give examples of
plants or mammals in addition to insects.
Step 2: Pest or NOT a Pest Game. Hand
out green and red pieces of construction paper to
each student. Have the students write “pest” on the
red piece of paper and “NOT a pest” on the green
sheet. Read examples from the “When is a pest not
a pest” teacher sheet. Instruct the students to hold
up the red sheet when they think it is a pest, and the
Doing the Activity
Overview
Subjects
Objectives
Duratio