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Insects found in stems are pointed out to students

What One Group of Students Accomplished

Judy Allen, working with local experts and Cornell University Researcher Dr. Bernd Blossey, engaged her students in authentic field research regarding Phragmites. Students gathered and analyzed data, submitted results, and published a report.

Judy Allen says her primary purpose was to provide students with an authentic investigation of a current, local and open-ended ecological problem. Her secondary purpose was to stimulate the innate curiosity of students to ask questions and seek answers supported with data.

Student uses hand-held GPS unit to determine latitude and longitude of site

These questions included:
What is Phragmites?
Where does it grow?
What is it displacing?
What is biological control?
What insects are found in Phragmites?
What can be observed about insect life cycles? Where in a stand are more insects found?

Judy Allen’s classes contributed important information to Cornell’s on-going study of Phragmites australis and its herbivores.

Some general results are list below:

Students observe Phragmites in the field

19 sites studied
183 stems dissected
1201 insects found
45 stems with insects
24.59% stems had insects

"Partnering with Cornell University provided our seventh graders an opportunity to participate in important, relevant, and authentic field work. As students became immersed in the research process, their learning was reinforced by the depth of the experience. It was an exciting addition to our life science curriculum and served as an excellent opportunity to integrate technology and science process skills. Dr. Blossey's biocontrol of Phragmites project and the protocol that he provided for teachers is ability appropriate, practical, and easy to implement in a middle school life science lab."

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