The Launch of "Habitat Classroom," an Exploration of the Secret Insect Kingdom

Recently, a special natural science class named "Exploration of the Secret Insect Kingdom" was held in the activity room of Liusan Community, Xinjing Town, Changning District. Hang Huan, a teacher from the Exhibition and Education Center of Shanghai Natural History Museum, led 30 groups of parent-child families in Xinjing Town into the world of insect kingdom step by step. This course is one of the "Museum-Locality Cooperation — Xinjing Town Biodiversity Science Popularization Activities" jointly launched by the Shanghai Natural History Museum and the Science Association of Changning District.

"Insects are an ancient species that has lived on the earth for about 300 million years, and they were born even before most dinosaurs. While dinosaurs died out over a long time, insects thrived in every corner of the earth with their tenacious vitality." Mr. Hang Huan introduced "insects," which usually receive little attention, to children in simple and vivid language, and unveiled the mystery of insect taxonomy. "All insects have three 'passwords' - two antennae, six legs, and three body sections: head, thorax and abdomen." Through Hang Huan's explanation, the children easily mastered insect classification and learned butterfly specimen making.

In the future, Shanghai Natural History Museum and Xinjing Town will gather professional resources from different parties to carry out interactive science popularization exchange activities of "Habitat Alliance" regularly, and covey profound biodiversity conservation concepts through immersion workshops, interactive classes, habitat exploration, Citywalk, etc. "Habitat Classroom" will carried out in communities successively. Through colorful science popularization activities, the seeds of science can take root in the hearts of children.