Phasmid: Saving the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect by Rohan Cleave & Coral Tulloch

Phasmid: Saving the Lord Howe Island Stick Insect is not only a remarkable read but it is also an extraordinary tale of survival and the efforts of Australian scientists to save a small insect. Jane Goodall gives a forward in this book also.

Believed to be extinct, these intriguing insects were found on a rocky crevice offshore from Lord Howe Island.

Children will love this book for it’s an easy to read story , detailed images and excellent facts.

This book will shed light on the destruction introduced species can cause and how even little insects play a major role in our ecosystems.

How can we adapt this book for our younger readers?

SUSTAINABILITY

• Research another insect that is critically endangered in Australia.
• Draw another endangered animal or better still enter this great competition
• If the Phasmid became extinct how would our world change?
• Have there been other instances where rats have caused problems or extinctions?
• How can we raise awareness of endangered animals? Create an anthology of different types of writing so that anyone who reads the anthology will be brought in to the importance of the issue through at least one piece of writing.

• CREATIVE THINKING

  • What if there were no insects? What would the world look like?
  • List some reasons why we need insects.
  • If you could be an insect – what would you be?
  • What are some differences and similarities between a Phasmid and a water?
  • Are bugs the food of the future? If they are how can we ensure that we don’t make insects extinct due to our eating habits?

LITERACY

• As the primary reader you can read through the book, stopping to explain and question the words and images. Here are some focus words.

• camouflage	Nocturnal
  Exoskeleton	Mottled
  adulthood	Predators
  Melaleuca leaves	Banyan Leaves
  Phasmid	Lord Howe Island
  Extinct	Balls Pyramid
  Scientist	dedicated
  breed	captivity
  Invertebrates	Critically endangered

• Map: Find a map of Australia and also Lord Howe Island. Look at where LHI is and the location of Balls Pyramid.
• Phasmid: What is Phasmid? Create a diagram which children can label. What sort of creature is it? How do we know it is an insect?
• Create a story – Children can create their own story about the Phasmid and it’s amazing tale of survival. Encourage children to take on a different perspective – perhaps we could learn about how it got to Balls Pyramid? How it felt when the scientist took it to the lab?

SCIENCE

• Life cycle – create a life cycle of the LHI Phasmid using the book for inspiration.
• Learn about how scientists look after animals who are critically endangered. Look at zoo programs.

Useful weblinks

From desolation to illustration: children’s book reveals how Phasmids escaped extinction

http://www.zoo.org.au/melbourne/animals/lord-howe-island-stick-insect

http://www.lordhoweisland.info/library/species.pdf