Making Inquiry Something to Hiss About

This article stresses the importance of teacher-guided scientific inquiry activities for middle school students. Madagascar hissing cockroaches (MHCs) are ideal for observing because they d... See More

This article stresses the importance of teacher-guided scientific inquiry activities for middle school students. Madagascar hissing cockroaches (MHCs) are ideal for observing because they do not bite or fly, are slow moving, easy to handle, do not transmit diseases, omit no odor, and teach students about arthropod characteristics. Besides helping to reduce fears and misconceptions about insects in both students and teachers, they are inexpensive to care for. The author touts that MHCs can actually tell one human from another making them suitable as pets. Several worksheets/handouts are included to help teachers organize their animal behavior lesson observations. Detailed instructions for establishing colonies of MHCs in the classroom are provided as well. Finally, a rubric is included for assessing written, schematic, and oral MHC behavioral data. For this not so lover of insects, I developed a new sense of awe for the MHC. I think I could actually envision raising these endearing critters, observing their births, courtship and mating behaviors, molting, etc. The affection for MHCs is clearly conveyed in this article. Read for yourself to see if you might give them a chance - to engage your middle school students in meaningful inquiry.