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Funded Project

Funding Program: Regional IPM Grants (S-RIPM)

Project Title: Teaching Kids About IPM: A Curriculum for K-5 Education in Urban and Landscape IPM

Project Director (PD): Geoffrey Zehnder [1]

Lead State: SC Lead Organization: Clemson University

Extension Funding: $43,430

Start Date: Jan-01-2004 End Date: Jan-01-2006

Summary: The rate of conversion of rural acres for urban development is rapidly increasing in South Carolina and in other states in the Southern Region, and the current rate is expected to double over the next decade. Because homeowners in urban and suburban areas may use up to 10 times more pesticide active ingredients on a per acre basis than farmers, increasing rates of urban development pose a significant threat to the environment. Improperly used or stored pesticides also pose a risk to children's health from direct exposure. An integrated pest management (IPM) approach can be used to reduce the need for household pesticides, and homeowners with knowledge of IPM will use pesticides only when necessary or may in fact use preventative practices which obviate the need for pesticides. Unfortunately, most adults will not learn about IPM unless they enroll in special classes or courses. Even if adults receive information, they may not feel comfortable implementing IPM because of preconceived, negative attitudes about pests, and the need for prophylactic, chemical control. Alternatively, children are more likely to be receptive to information on IPM, and if they are educated about pests and IPM, as adults they will be more likely to tolerate low level pest infestations and will be less likely to apply pesticides unnecessarily or unsafely. Because IPM is based on pest identification, biology and ecology combined with the needs of society, IPM is an ideal subject matter topic for the classroom. An IPM activity can touch on many disciplines and can be adapted to many areas in pre-existing curriculum. South Carolina elementary school teachers and principals have indicated a strong interest in adopting IPM topics for teaching life sciences and other disciplines, including mathematics, art and music. IPM topics can be easily adapted for the study areas listed in the K-5 life science curriculum standards established for South Carolina. Objectives: The overall goal of the project will be to plan, develop, implement and evaluate a discovery-based learning curriculum for children in grades K-5 to introduce them to the basic concepts of IPM. The project will build upon a recently developed IPM curriculum implemented at 4-H youth camps in South Carolina. The K-5 curriculum will be developed and used in two elementary schools in the South Carolina upstate region, and will serve as a pilot program for the incorporation of IPM into K-5 science curriculum on a statewide basis.

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