Developing K-12 educational curricula based on insect vectors of disease: biodiversity, disease cycles, climate change

Teaching curriculum units were devised using as themes insect vectors of disease.  The vectors included Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Culex pipiens and Ixodes scapularis; the diseases included dengue, West Nile virus, eastern equine encephalitis, Lyme disease and chikungunya virus  The purpose was to translate current developments in research into directly usable units at middle school, high school biology and advanced (AP) high school biology courses. Research discovery information was provided by partners at the school of medicine and agricultural research institutions; educational participants were drawn from the Yale Peabody Museum and area middle and area high schools.  Curricula were designed to meet several levels required by state and national science education standards. Dissemination of tested curricula was undertaken at the US national level via workshops at the Peabody Museum, national science teachers meetings, and regional education program centers--as well as being publically available through the museum website.