And an interested child is a teachable child. This is a great place to start. Kids don't get exposed to a lot of hands-on science in many elementary schools. The Insect Zoo isn't just a quick flash of thorax and antennae. It's a comprehensive presentation.
Grant gives a quick introduction to the subject of insects.
He establishes a rapport, lays out the ground rules, then sends the students in small groups to visit one of four stations set up and staffed by graduate students in entomology. One station has scientific microscopes - a real drawing card for kids whose schools can afford only the most basic models, if any. There they inspect microscopic insects that, under the glass, look just like their larger counterparts. A second station has small animals that might look like insects but aren't. Spiders, scorpions, millipedes and hermit crabs may look little and creepy but they don't have the requisite six legs, wings, and three main body parts.