Who needs to do *the insect collection* this year?

[ckay87]

And who hates it? This is my second and LAST. And yes, I did say MY! Youngest DS is in 4th grade and needs to collect, mount, and identify 15 insects. Well, guess what I did this weekend? I mean, I made sure the kid was present for the capture/killings, but I got to do the hands on stuff. It takes some coordination, after all, to get a struggling butterfly into the fatal pickle jar of death AND get the lid on. Gag.

And as much as I despise insects, I hate to watch anything suffer and die. Oh some of it was just awful (like the katydid that bled - blech) And this is what kind of person I am...on Sat night I had this awful nightmare that I was killing these bugs, but they were screeming.

On the way out this morning, DS spots a 3 inch (I kid you not) praying mantis on the garage. DS yells "Mom!" and I say "take a picture and just lose the 2 points." He did.

I draw the line at mounting the suckers. The kid is on his own.

 

[Karel]

You mean the school actually makes you kill insects for a school project?

That's sick. I would totally be all over the school board. We would take the F.

Isn't it illegal to kill a praying mantis?

 

[DVCLiz]

You mean the school actually makes you kill insects for a school project?

That's sick. I would totally be all over the school board. We would take the F.

Isn't it illegal to kill a praying mantis?

I don't think the school board would ban insect-killing. Maybe if it was a small rodent project...

I remember having to do this as a kid, and chasing a particular butterfly all over the neighborhood. Thankfully, neither DD had to do it, but we had the dreaded leaf identification project instead. 30 leaves, all picked from random trees around town. If the teacher found out you went to the Arboreteum (sp?) where all the trees were labeled for you, you got an F (some of DD's friends cheated, but she didn't!!) I can't tell you how much I am NOT looking forward to doing it again with DD12 when her turn comes!!! She had to take a picture of the tree, identify it, then press it and mount it, and put it together in a creative way. DD made a dedication page and had a joke - Why did everyone like the Tulip Tree? Because it was Poplar!!! (Tulip Poplar tree was one of her leaves - get it??!!))

Hope you survive!!!!

 

[ckay87]

You mean the school actually makes you kill insects for a school project?

That's sick. I would totally be all over the school board. We would take the F.

Isn't it illegal to kill a praying mantis?

Yea, actually it's a big deal. They then hold an "insect fair" where all the collections are put on display.

I know a lot of people who did this as elem.-age students, myself included. Maybe that's why it doesn't seem strange, though it is disturbing.

To their credit, the school has modified the requirements since my older DS did it. The kids now have an alternative to capturing the bugs. They can either capture, mount, and identify, OR draw pictures of 15 different bugs and research and write a paragraph on each. (No research is required for the killed bugs, which I don't get.) But, not many kids prefer the drawing/researching option. At this point, however, I'm thinking I should have insisted on it.

 

[ckay87]

I don't think the school board would ban insect-killing. Maybe if it was a small rodent project...

I remember having to do this as a kid, and chasing a particular butterfly all over the neighborhood. Thankfully, neither DD had to do it, but we had the dreaded leaf identification project instead. 30 leaves, all picked from random trees around town. If the teacher found out you went to the Arboreteum (sp?) where all the trees were labeled for you, you got an F (some of DD's friends cheated, but she didn't!!) I can't tell you how much I am NOT looking forward to doing it again with DD12 when her turn comes!!! She had to take a picture of the tree, identify it, then press it and mount it, and put it together in a creative way. DD made a dedication page and had a joke - Why did everyone like the Tulip Tree? Because it was Poplar!!! (Tulip Poplar tree was one of her leaves - get it??!!))

Hope you survive!!!!

I know it's wrong to use "hand-me-down" projects, and I wouldn't do it, but....isn't it SO tempting? That leaf project was no fun either. I had my sis bring some cools ones up from Florida on her visit. So he got to impress his teacher with the 3-foot banana tree leaf.

In 7th, DS had to do a huge ancestor report. Teacher told him "this is good, save it for your kids."

His grandmother told him "B.S., save it for your brother!" (That's my mom)

 

[DVCLiz]

I know it's wrong to use "hand-me-down" projects, and I wouldn't do it, but....isn't it SO tempting? That leaf project was no fun either. I had my sis bring some cools ones up from Florida on her visit. So he got to impress his teacher with the 3-foot banana tree leaf.

In 7th, DS had to do a huge ancestor report. Teacher told him "this is good, save it for your kids."

His grandmother told him "B.S., save it for your brother!" (That's my mom)

Yes, it is VERY tempting!!!!! We won't, of course, but still...


We could only use leaves from trees found in NC, so no banana leaves for us!!!!! I do chuckle every time I drive down one particular street, because it's where we found the persimmon tree, and I know a great pecan tree around the back at DD12's current school.

They both also did the REALLY dreaded "NC Notebook" project in 4th grade and the "All About Me' autobiography in 3rd grade. I hope my project days are almost over!!!!!

 

[chasbos]

Do our kids go to the same school and we do not know it!!

I thought only us crazy Canadians did stupid bug and leaf projects!

I am all done with the leaf project - 4 to be exact and we are 3 for 4 on the bug project! But I get one more year before we have to hunt for insects again.

Oh no, this year we get to do a New France Project - make a colony and a Hobbitt project - make a Hobbitt home.

I thought I finished grade school 20 years ago!

 

[SC Minnie]

If DD had to do a bug project where they had to capture, mount, etc - sorry but she would just get an F. Thankd goodness they don't have to do that here.

This Mom is NOT touching any such insect nor am I having them in my house. They give me the willies. I'm creeped out just thinking about it.