the grade

Writing Assignment 2: Insect Zoos and Proper Care and Maintenance of Insects

Do Insects have the same rights as other animals? There are many ways to approach this question but

most people don’t even consider insects to be animals! At the University, insects are not protected by

the same rules as vertebrates and indeed insects do not have the same ability to feel pain and

remember like vertebrates do. Oklahoma State University maintains a living insect zoo and uses it for

outreach and teaching kids about insects and related arthropods. The insects are maintained in

enclosures and provided food and water. The insect cages are much simpler than the exhibits for zoo

animals.

For this assignment, read the People for the ethical Treatment of Animals statement about insects:

https://www.peta.org/blog/drop-flyswatter-insects-conscious/ and read the counter statement that

insects do not feel pain: https://www.thoughtco.com/do-insects-feel-pain-1968409. Finally, check out

the website from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Insects: http://insectrights.org/.

Compose a 1.5 to 2 page double-spaced essay where you summarize in one paragraph each of the

websites you read. In the fourth paragraph, tell us whether or not insects feel discomfort in your

opinion. Based on your argument, should insects be housed in “zoos” and used to teach people about

them? In the fifth and last paragraph, tell us about whether you have ever thought about insects as

being animals or thought twice about using a fly swatter? Do these articles change your opinions at all?

Grading rubric

Assignment 2 Grading Rubric

Paragraph summary Points

All websites 4

Two websites 3

One website 2

No website summarized 0

Opinion and reasons: Points

Do insects fee discomfort or not and why 3

Student uses complete sentences and references the website that they agree with the most

3

Student discusses their thoughts about insects and killing them 3

Structure: Points

No or few grammatical mistakes 2

Proper sentence structure 1

11- or 12-point font, double spaced, 1-inch margins & 1.5-2 pages in length

1

Thoroughness Student reviews all websites adequately, including strengths and weaknesses

3

DUE: Friday, June 18th by 5:00 PM