Pest Investigation Curriculum

Pest PI

The Case of the School Suspect: A Play About Pests:
In this insect "Whodunit" play, students help Inspector Leppie discover who ate the crumbs in the kitchen! Before staging the play, you may wish to teach a unit about common pests such as cockroaches, flies, accidental invaders, etc. and the types of conditions that these pests like.

IPM (Integrated Pest Management) in Schools Modules: These modules developed by the UNL Pesticide Safety Education Program covers IPM concepts, including information about biology and control of specific pests that you may encounter in a school setting. Ways in which you can apply Integrated Pest Management strategies to control pest related problems are also included.

Pest Private Eye: Developed by University of Nebraska—Lincoln Extension, Pest Private Eye is a video game detective who teaches about pests and how to manage them through Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM uses a variety of tactics (identification and monitoring, cultural, biological, mechanical, chemical) to achieve pest control while using the lowest toxic methods available. This unit contains a variety of activities to do with students, including ones related to the Pest PI video game as well as stand-alone.

  • Pest PI Video Game : Take on the role of Pest Private Eye in this point-and-click video game where you learn about pests and how to manage them using IPM.
  • Play free web version, or purchase CDs
  • Pest PI Teacher’s Guide: Includes curriculum to enhance the Pest Private Eye Video game. Some can be done as stand-alone activities without having played the game.
  • Teach IPM: Includes a short Powerpoint you can adapt for your needs to teach about IPM using Pest Private Eye.
  • Pest Private Eye Comic Book: Comic book version of Pest PI’s adventures
  • Pest Private Eye, Where Am I?: In this “Flat Stanley” type project, available as a mission on "Project Noah," students help Pest Private Eye, the pest detective, find insects outdoors and indoors! They can print, color, and cut out their own Pest PI paper doll, then visit some locations where they might find pest insects. Students photograph Pest PI in those locations, then upload them as "Spottings" to Project Noah, explaining in the description what they saw and how they might help reduce pests in that area!

Pest Scene Investigation: forensic unit for youth

Pest Scene Investigation (PSI) is a unit designed to teach children about pests and IPM by using forensic techniques similar to those seen on popular shows such as “CSI.”

Note: The Department of Entomology has a physical kit that can be checked out that has all of the materials you need to do this unit. You may also reproduce the whole kit for your location or choose individual activities to supplement your curriculum.