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Database Provider

Authors

The Kid Should See This, TED-Ed

Grades

6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th

Subjects

Science, Social Studies, Biology, History, Health

Resource Types

  • Videos, 4 minutes, 51 seconds, CC, Subtitles
  • Articles and Websites

Regional Focus

Global, North America, Africa, Asia

Should We Eat Bugs?

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Synopsis
  • This video describes the history of entomophagy, the practice of eating bugs. 
  • Students will learn that eating nutrient-dense insects can improve global food security and reduce our reliance on modern agriculture. 
Teaching Tips

Positives

  • This resource presents many sources of evidence that point to the benefits of eating insects, which could have measurable positive impacts on climate change.
  • It may help students be more open-minded about global dietary practices.

Additional Prerequisites

  • It might help for students to be familiar with the environmental impacts of agriculture before exploring this resource.
  • The video description links to the video's TED-Ed page, which includes a multiple-choice assessment, discussion questions, and links to additional resources.

Differentiation

  • History classes could discuss how the shift from foraging to agriculture in the Fertile Crescent shaped Western ideology. Students could then create a list of the benefits and disadvantages of agriculture-based societies.
  • Language arts and writing classes could review the video's claims on the advantages of eating insects and then write persuasive essays about the benefits of entomophagy.
  • Other resources on this topic include this video on fighting climate change with dietary choices and this interactive data tool that shows the environmental impacts of different foods.
Scientist Notes
As this video mentions, lobsters were once considered "not good enough to eat" and were tossed away when they were accidentally caught by fishermen. Today they are an expensive delicacy. If we are going to sustainably produce enough protein for the growing population, we need to rethink our relationship with insects. This resource is recommended for teaching.
Standards

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.

  • Science
    • ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
      • MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
      • HS-ESS3-2. Evaluate competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy and mineral resources based on cost-benefit ratios.
    • LS1: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes
      • MS-LS1-7. Develop a model to describe how food is rearranged through chemical reactions forming new molecules that support growth and/or release energy as this matter moves through an organism.
    • LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
      • HS-LS2-7. Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
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