In this Issue – Insects
Nature in the News and Feature Articles
1. Insects in Winter
2. Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow: A Policy Framework for Environmental Education in Ontario Schools
3. Student Symposium: Exploring Evolution — From Darwin to the Barcode of Life
4. Crispy Critters: Entomophagy and you

Classroom Activities and Resources
1. Winter Insect Detectives
2. RBG Staff Picks — recommended books, websites and resources
Ask the Naturalist (send your questions to nature@rbg.ca)
How do insect eggs survive extreme cold winter temperatures?

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It’s amazing to see what discoveries students can make when they go outdoors, even if it’s just around your school. No matter what the season, nature’s classroom is filled to the brim with living lessons. You might think that insects and other invertebrates are just about the last thing that you’d be able to find outdoors in the kind of winter weather that we’ve been having here in southern Ontario. Think again — much of that summer six- and eight-legged life is here, but dormant in eggs, cocoons or as overwintering adults. It’s just a matter of reading the signs and looking in the right places.

Read on to discover this world of insects on ice, search for them in your neighbourhood and then come and visit our Backyard Monsters. We’re thrilled to be hosting this international exhibition that celebrates the world of insects, spiders and other invertebrates. From giant animatronic bugs, to touchable real tarantulas, students have a great opportunity to get a bug’s-eye view of the world. Our school programs are receiving rave reviews and we hope you’ll be able to buzz over and bee a part of these fantastic learning experiences this winter!

The RBG Education Team

Nature in the News and Feature Articles
1. Insects in winter
Many people think one of the best things about winter is that there are no “bugs” around to annoy us. No mosquitoes, gnats, flies, or bees buzzing around our head. No ants to raid our picnics or other "creepy crawlies" to scare us. But where have they gone? While it is true that a few, like the monarch butterfly, migrate to warmer climates, most are still here. You just need to know where to look. The amazing diversity of life-styles and survival strategies among insects is evident in their approaches to getting through winter. More ...

2. Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow: A Policy Framework for Environmental Education in Ontario Schools
Building on the recommendations of the 2007, Shaping Our Schools, Shaping Our Future report (a.k.a. the Bondar Report), the Ministry of Education released its new policy framework for environmental education at a symposium in Toronto on February 25. The long-awaited document defines environmental education as follows: More ...

3. Student Symposium
Exploring Evolution: From Darwin to the Barcode of Life
In honour of Darwin Year, Royal Botanical Gardens is pleased to host two one-day journeys through the world of evolutionary biology for senior high school students. Students will have the opportunity to interact with local and international researchers and take in presentations ranging from the life and times of Charles Darwin and his work on evolution and natural selection, to present-day research on DNA bar-coding. The program has been assembled by RBG education and science departments with the help of local biology teachers. More ...

4. Crispy Critters: Entomophagy and you
Insects — the perfect food. While westerners might be a little squeamish at the thought, in truth, insects are tasty and nutritious. They are a normal part of the diet for many cultures around the world. Insects are abundant and prolific, easy to raise, and very efficient at turning plant biomass into animal protein. More ...