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Fire Ants May Ignite Interest in Science
on June 26, 2009
Getting students interested in science is no picnic. But in Mississippi, teachers believe the study of fire ants could give students the spark they need to go into careers in science-based fields, the Clarion Ledger reports.
The project, called Muse of Fire, is in its second year, sponsored by University of Mississippi Medical Center. Last year, science teachers across the state and scientists developed curriculum on fire ants, where students would learn basic biology concepts. The teachers tested one part of the curriculum in their classrooms this past school year, according to Jackson Public Schools.
In the hands-on curriculum, students gathered fire ants and extracted their DNA to test for a bacteria called wolbachia. (Around the world, scientists are researching the bacteria as a possible cancer treatment, said Rob Rockhold, assistant vice chancellor for academic affairs at UMC.)
Recently, teachers went to JPS' Environmental Learning Center to map fire ant beds. They collected specimens of other bugs near the mounds and analyzed the soil. Teachers can also incorporate information on the fire ants into other lessons, said Karen Evans, who teaches biomedical research and Advanced Placement molecular biology at Madison Central High School. For example, she said, students can learn about fire ant hybrids when they discuss genetics.
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