Recommended Grade Level: 6th Grade

Description: In this lesson, students will explore how research biologists monitor mosquito populations and identify species that pose health risks to the Florida Keys. Students will learn about the biology of mosquitoes, their role as disease vectors, and the importance of mosquito surveillance. Following the lesson, students will be challenged to apply their knowledge by engineering their own mosquito trap to better understand mosquito behavior and control strategies.

Sunshine State Education Standards:

• SC.6.L.14.6 Compare and contrast types of infectious agents that may infect the human body (viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, etc.). 
• SC.6.L.15.1 Analyze and describe how and why organisms are classified according to shared characteristics with emphasis on the Linnaean system combined with the concept of Domains.
• SC.6.P.11.1 Explore the Law of Conservation of Energy by differentiating between potential and kinetic energy. Identify situations where kinetic energy is transformed into potential energy and vice versa.
• SC.6.E.6.2 Recognize that there are a variety of different landforms on Earth's surface such as coastlines, dunes, rivers, mountains, glaciers, deltas, and lakes and relate these landforms as they apply to Florida.
• SC.6.N.1.5 Recognize that science involves creativity, not just in designing experiments, but also in creating explanations that fit evidence.