Purple Loosestrife Ladybird Beetles Eating Aphids 

Photo Courtesy Minnesota Department of Transportation. 

Photo Courtesy U.S. Department of Agriculture. 

United States 735-F-03-002 

2003 

(7506C) 

Activity Book

Office of Pesticide 

Environmental Protection Programs 

Agency 

A Backyard 

for Kids 

On Integrated Pest 

Management 
Have you ever been bitten by a flea or mosquito? Treated your dog for fleas? Had head lice? Been 

stung by a wasp or bee? Watched weeds overtake your garden? Fought to keep cockroaches 

out of your school building? 

We've all been bugged at one time or another by pests. For many of us, our first reaction is to reach 

for the nearest can of bug spray. But, pesticides and fertilizers that run off from lawns and other 

locations are a significant source of pollution in our environment. There's a better way to solve pest 

problems called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). IPM is an effective and environmentally sensitive 

approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common sense practices. Teaching 

IPM at the grade school level can provide children with important information about pest identity and 

biology, and ecology. It can also help children understand the impact that personal choices—like 

whether or not to use chemicals to control pests—can have on our environment. 

Join Our Pest Patrol: A Backyard Activity Book on Integrated Pest Management, originally developed 

by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, is for educators of children in grades 1–6. Join Our Pest 

Patrol is chock full of fun activities that can easily be incorporated into reading, science, and even 

math and art classes. The activities are written for the 3–5 grade level, but can be easily adapted for 

the lower or upper grades. Each activity includes fun facts in "Did You Know," and "Tips for Grownups." There are also lots of links to interesting web sites that allow educators to expand their students' 

learning. Answers to all quizzes are located at the end of the book inside the back cover. We've also 

included a Web Resources List on pages 26 and 27 of all the web links identified in the activities for 

easier reference. 

We hope you enjoy Join Our Pest Patrol and invite you to tell us about how you've used this resource 

by completing our Customer Feedback Form on page 28. Good luck, and thanks for your interest in 

Integrated Pest Management! 

EPA thanks the following people who contributed to the activity book: 

Acknowledgments 

MDA Project Team 

Jeanne Ciborowski, IPM Coordinator, Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA); Rick Hansen, Unit Supervisor, 

Agronomy and Plant Protection Division; Al Withers, Program Director, Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom 

Cooperators 

Bob Mugaas, Extension Educator, University of Minnesota Extension Service, Hennepin County; Jeff Ledermann, 

Education Specialist, Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance; Julianne Jackels, Grade 3 Teacher, Oak Ridge 

Elementary, Eagan, MN 

Writing/Editing 

Kathy Seikel, Jane Duden and Jan Hoppe 

Design, Illustration, and Production 

Northern Design Group 

U.S. EPA Project Coordinator 

Katherine Seikel, Office of Pesticide Programs, Communication Services Branch 

Adapted for nationwide audience by Abt Associates, Inc., and The CDM Group, Inc., under contract with the U.S. EPA. 

United States Environmental Protection Agency 

Office of Pesticide Programs 

Field and External Affairs Division 

Communication Services Branch 

1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. (7506C) 

Washington, D.C. 20460 

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/ 

(703) 305-5017 
Table of Contents

Introduction and Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside front cover 

Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pages i–ii 

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pages 1–24 

Insects: What's a Pest? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 1 

A fill-in-the-blank activity that will help kids identify common pests. Also provides information about the 

beneficial behaviors of some pests. 

Insect Pests and Pals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 2 

A bug crossword puzzle that will have your students eager to learn more about both the good and bad 

aspects of our insect friends. 

Fighting Pests with the 3 Ps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 3 

Introduces the basics of fighting pests. 

What's a Weed? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 4 

Describes both the good and bad about weeds, such as poison ivy and milkweed. 

Dandy...or Not? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 5 

Presents information about dandelions, including neat ways to use them, and how to control them. 

Green, Green Grass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 6 

Teaches kids when it’s best to fertilize lawns and how to keep weeds from invading. 

The Right Plants in the Right Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 7 

Explains how plants thrive under the right conditions. Includes an outdoor component. 

Purple Plague! America's Most Wanted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pages 8–9 

This two-part activity includes information about Purple Loosestrife, one of America's most persistent and 

aggressive invasive species. 

Outsmart Those Pests! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 10 

This activity helps kids learn cool ways to keep pests from invading their homes and gardens. 

Keep Pests from Pestering You Inside and Outside Your House! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 11 

Teaches kids how to avoid being bitten by ticks and mosquitoes. 

Midnight Raiders: Cockroach Invaders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 12 

This puzzle teaches kids about what roaches love to eat. Kids learn simple steps that they can take to 

eliminate roaches. 

Ticked Off! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 13 

Provides fun facts about ticks, as well as information about where they live, how they feed, and what kids 

can do to avoid tick bites. 

United States Environmental Protection Agency 2003 i 
Table of Contents (continued)

Join the Tree Hole Mosquito Patrol! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 14

Includes cool facts about mosquitoes, as well as information about where they live and what kids can do 

to eliminate their breeding grounds and to avoid getting bitten. 

Mosquito-Eating Machines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 15

Presents information about bats, their role in controlling mosquitoes, and how kids can build bat houses. 

Pests Have Enemies, Too! Aphids and Ladybugs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 16

Explains how aphids damage plants and how ladybugs can be used to eliminate aphids. 

What's All the Buzz? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 17

Shows kids how to tell the difference between bees and wasps and how to avoid being stung. 

Monster Caterpillar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 18

After completing this word scramble, kids will understand the life cycle of the gypsy moth, America's 

number one tree pest, and the various tree species it likes to eat. 

Wise up to Worms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 19

Teaches kids about the importance of earth worms to soil health and the various parts of these fascinating


creatures. 


Crazy about Compost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 20

This activity teaches kids why compost is important, and how to make and use it. 

Don’t Miss Mulch . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 21

Includes a neat outdoor activity on mulch. 

The Web of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 22

Gives instructions to help kids draw one of the creatures they have learned about in this activity book. 

Plan for Pesticide Safety! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 23

Explains the dangers of pesticides and how kids can avoid being exposed to them. 

Are you Qualified for Pest Patrol? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 24

This quiz will test your student's knowledge of the concepts presented in this activity book. 

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 25

Web Resources List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Pages 26–27

Customer Feedback Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Page 29

Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside back cover

ii United States Environmental Protection Agency 2003