Both arthropods stations have essentially the same layout. There is a big open space in the middle of the station with bunks around the edges. Encourage the students to sit on the floor along with you. Students sitting on beds have a harder time staying focused.

The introduction to the basic types of arthropods can be done in the station, and the arthropod hunt should be done outside. If it is too rainy to be reasonably comfortable outside, then collect some bugs and bring them back into the station to view them.

Pass out each arthropod card to a different student (or two cards each to pairs of students if you have some that don't read so well), and have them read the cards to themselves.

They will be sharing the information with the rest of the group, so have them pick out their favorite fact from the paragraph at the bottom of the page. The students should share all of the bulleted part.

As each student or pair of students shares the information, have the students do some sort of motion to represent what they are saying. This can be in the form of building a bug out of students, interpretive dance, etc. Be creative.

Please keep the nets in good condition. Demonstrate how to use the sweep nets BEFORE handing them out to the students.

The sweep nets are designed to knock arthropods off the bottoms of leaves. Hold the net open side up and shake it gently in a mass of sword ferns or other vegetation. It usually will not look like you have caught anything, but bring the net over to the white viewing sheet anyway. To empty the net, hold it open side down and turn the net completely inside out. The arthropods should fall to the viewing sheet where they can be seen easily. Some are very small, look carefully.

After you have demonstrated the nets, you can hand them out. There are only three nets per station, and you will most likely have more than three students. As each student comes to the white viewing sheet to empty their net, hand their net to a student who currently does not have a net. While students do not have nets, they can look at what they found and try to identify them.

When returning the nets to the station, place them on a top bunk in such a way that the fabric of the net hangs down so it can dry.

Point out the arthropods on the white viewing sheet - especially the small ones that are hard to see so the students can find them.

Ask the students which of the five types of arthropods a particular bug falls into. If they don't know, help them get to a conclusion through counting legs and body segments. If they know instantly, "It's a spider!" ask them how they know. They should be able to tell you characteristics learned in the station, like number of legs, etc.

The quick and easy guide is as follows: Insects = six legs, arachnids = eight legs, millipedes = lots of legs and curls up when frightened, centipedes = lots of legs and moves backward and forward with equivalent ease, crustaceans = you probably will not find any, but if you do they will be pill bugs/potato bugs.

Bring the quick reference sheet and some field guides out with you for more specific identifications.

Spend some time on learning the different types of arthropods, at least enough time that you are confident your students can distinguish between some of them from memory and all of them with the use of the cards.

For the arthropod hunt, make sure every student gets a chance with the net, and continue as long as they are focused on the task at hand and are still interested in arthropods, but not more than a half hour for the total station.