Scientific Illustration
Drawing your specimens is a wonderful way to document what insects you find before releasing them and can sharpen student’s observation skills. Any natural object makes a fine subject for an illustration, such as leaves, pinecones, shells or feathers.

What you need:
- Natural objects or insects in clear containers
- Pencils with erasers (colored pencils work well also)
- Paper (or nature journal, if using)
- Magnifying glasses (one per student or groups of two students)
- Ruler

What to do:
- Set insect specimens in containers or natural objects on plates on tables where groups of students can see them.
- Give each student paper, pencil, ruler and magnifiers
- Ask students to carefully draw the insect or object nearest to them. If using insects, they should count legs, wings or antennae and color and draw larger than life if possible.
- Encourage them to draw what they see, not what they think they see (no smiley faces!)
- Ask them to measure as best as they can (even though an insect may be moving) and label any parts they know. They can include field notes from collecting, or observations of behavior.
- Depending on student’s comfort level, you can collect drawings and hand them out to different people. Then have students find the insects based on the drawings.
- If using insects, release them near where you collected them.