Are Ants Good Organisms to Teach Elementary Students about Invasive Species in Florida?

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Ants are charismatic and easy-to-find organisms that may be good candidates for teaching elementary students about invasive species. Thus, we created an educational program named “The ImportANTs of ANTs”, which includes a set of active-learning stations and activities where students can learn about ant species diversity, native and invasive species, and invasive species’ impact on the environment, a field that is usually not touched upon in a typical classroom setting. To quantify the program’s effectiveness on the students’ perceptions of ants and invasive species, we used pre- and post-surveys and analyzed response changes after the completion of the program. Using active learning approaches, we engaged the children in learning about how ants live and interact with other species, explained the differences between invasive and native species, and demonstrated how native ants benefit the environment. The survey analysis revealed an increase in the students’ positive feelings about ants and a significant increase in their awareness of invasive species’ negative impacts on ecosystems. ABSTRACT: This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of our outreach program “The ImportANTs of ANTs” in communicating scientific topics to elementary school children, using ants as example organisms. In this program’s first phase, we focused on the concepts of native and invasive species and how invasive species affect ecosystems. The program included various active learning approaches, including presentations, handouts, crafts, and live colony viewings. At two schools (one in rural and one in suburban areas), 210 students from 5th grade were assessed using short, anonymous pre- and post-surveys. We analyzed the students’ responses to questions from the following categories: general feelings about ants, ant knowledge, general care for the environment, general impact knowledge, and native/invasive species knowledge. The school populations displayed distinct opinion changes and knowledge gains; however, there was a significant increase in knowledge of native and invasive species in both populations. Our study demonstrates that ants are good models to teach children about the impact of invasive species. The project aims to drive universal responsibility by forging proactive attitudes toward protecting the environment and native species early.