Termites in your house? Bad. Termites in your garden ... good? Discover the good side of an insect that often gets a bad rap with an interesting animation. The narrator discusses how termites break down plant material, what the soil receives in return, and how termite mounds affect groundwater.

Concepts

termites, groundwater, nitrogen, phosphorus, the water cycle, plants, cellulose, insects, the nitrogen cycle, soil

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Place the animation in an insects unit or ecology lesson
• Print and distribute a poster that tells more about the termites of the African savanna
  

Classroom Considerations

• It might be helpful to show a short video that describes how termites break down plant matter that other organisms can't stomach
  

Pros

• Clear, concise explanations make the video perfect for mid-lesson redirection
• The animation has simple graphics to help viewers focus on the cycling of matter
  

Cons

• None

Common Core

SL.9-10.2