D3334: Buzzing for blood: A cartographic exploration of mosquito ecology

The use of art to navigate complex scientific systems is an area of increasing interest within the field of science education. Successful STEAMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics, and Medicine) programs allow students to engage with science in a familiar and accessible way via the creation of art. Entomology, the study of insects, provides an additional framework for young students to be introduced to science. The principal focus of our study, the importance of insects to human and animal health (and vice versa), is a key component of a functional entomological education. In collaboration with visual artists and rural-agricultural Washington communities, we designed and implemented a 6-day, 30-hour curriculum to increase entomology-focused STEAMM elementary education. The curriculum, Buzzing for Blood (B4B), covered aspects of mosquito ecology and vector control through cartographic art. Cartography can provide contextual, impactful connections to spatial biological phenomena, while developing student visual literacy skills. Before and after curriculum implementation, students completed assessments including a mosquito ecology image selection survey. Upon program completion, students demonstrated increased understanding of interactions between mosquitoes and people in the context of landscape (paired t-test, P = 0.01). Community-wide conversation and learning emerged from students talking about their artwork and through an end-of-program art show. The construction of intentional, impactful entomology education is foundational for the future of science education, and additional work on the subject should explore long-term student engagement and science retention.