Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to your most frequently asked questions.
What does a typical classroom visit look like?
Our NGSS-aligned curriculum has been gamified. Students will play grade-appropriate thematic games and participate in hands-on activities to learn about mosquitoes and vector-borne disease prevention.
What is needed from the school/teacher for a classroom visit?
We’ll need a dedicated room with a wall or projection screen. Tables are needed for the displays. Students need a place to sit for the presentation, away from the displays. Students can sit on the floor for the initial presentation.
Our education specialists will bring the activities, projector, and speakers (if needed). Setting up the room takes time. We cannot rotate between rooms throughout the day.
What is the difference between a classroom visit and the community science programs?
Classroom visits are a one-time visit to the classroom during spring semester. Education specialists from our district facilitate activities for 30 - 60 minutes to teach about vectors and vector-borne disease prevention.
Community science are hands-on projects students primarily conduct at home during the fall. A short presentation may be provided by an education specialist, but instructional videos are available for both the Vector Inspector Program (grades K - 6) and Operation Mosquito G.R.I.D. (grades 6 - 8). Students in grades K - 8 will collect stagnant water samples and submit them for analysis. Middle school students will set a lure to collect Aedes mosquito eggs. Middle school students have the opportunity to analyze their own samples if time and resources are available.
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Programs for high school students are available and highly variable. Please contact us if you are interested in vector-borne disease classroom presentations, or involving your high school science students in after-school community science, and/or if you have science students interesting in pursuing the State Seal of Civic Engagement.
How much time is needed for a presentation?
Classroom programs range from 30 minutes for Kindergarten to 45 - 60 minutes for grades 4 - 6.
Vector Inspector Program presentations range from 20 - 30 minutes.
Operation Mosquito G.R.I.D. visits vary depending on the activity. Block periods of around 1.5 hours are ideal for analyzing samples under the microscope.
Summer and extracurricular programs range from 30 - 60 minutes.
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The layout of the program materials takes up a significant portion of a classroom. Set up takes approximately 1 hour and take down is approximately 30 minutes. Please ensure the room to be used is available 1 hour prior to the start of the first program and 30 minutes following the conclusion of the last program.
What do others teachers say about EcoHealth programs?
Quotes from teacher feedback surveys:
“Very engaging for the students” (Teacher- Classroom Program, 2022)
“I love all the resources you offer for education, thanks a Million!” (Teacher- Classroom Program, 2021)
“[Students] were excited to use the microscope and see the larva swimming in the water. They were shocked on how small the eggs were.” (Teacher- Operation Mosquito G.R.I.D., 2022)
“Students really liked looking at my water sample from under the dog's water bowl. It was CRAWLING with crazy critters!” (Teacher- Operation Mosquito G.R.I.D., 2022)
“I learned that many of the students and families were unaware of the affects of mosquitoes.” (Teacher- Operation Mosquito G.R.I.D., 2022)
