Development and Implementation of a Bed Bug IPM Enrichment Curriculum, Part I

Abstract

As concerns about bed bug sightings began to increase and schools began to report bed bug introductions, an expert group convened by the Environmental Protection Agency recommended development of curricula to teach young students about bed bug biology and management. The Bed Bugs and Book Bags curriculum is our response to this recommendation. This third- through fifth-grade curriculum was developed using a six-step process, and has been implemented by health educators, teachers, and the pest management industry within and outside of the United States. The curriculum consists of 10 lessons correlated with state health educational standards and is specifically designed to educate teachers and students about bed bugs. In pilot testing of various groups including teachers, students, custodial staff at rescue missions, and pest management professionals, teacher and student groups had the highest increase in knowledge gain after being introduced to the curriculum. The curriculum is available online at http://duval.ifas.uf.edu/Bed_Bugs.shtml. Based on self-reporting, it has a potential impact of reaching approximately 40,000 people across the United States, Canada, and Saudi Arabia. The Bed Bugs and Book Bags curriculum placed first as a learning module with the Florida Association for …