Background: Students should already have an understanding of how social insects are different from many other insects. They should also have a general understanding of phermones and how they are used.

Objectives: By the time students finish this activity, they will be more experienced with social insects and will have a better understanding of phermones and how insects use them.

Materials: Paper, Various types and colors of pens/pencils, including Bic pens (one per group), and termites.
Procedure: 1. Place students into groups of four or five.
2. Distribute several pieces of paper to each student and several pens/pencils to each group.
3. Have students draw a shape, connected line, or letter on their paper
4. Ask students to hypothesize what will happen when the termites are placed on their paper. After students have offered suggestions, drop eight to ten termites on the paper of one child in each group and after watching the termites response, have this child drop the termites on the paper of another child in his group. In this way, the students will have the opportunity to determine whether it is the color, thickness, or type of writing instrument that the termite will follow.
5. Discuss findings with students.
Assessment: Students should come to the conclusion that phermones have an effect on the behavior of the termites. This should be demonstrated throughout the discussion. Ask students to write about how this characteristic might be used in a natural setting.

Going Further: Ask students to think of other ways in which insects communicate and how are these similar and different from the ways in which humans communicate.