Close-up image of a fly
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Debate,

Would You Squash This?

Houseflies and other insects can be harmful—but most are not. Is it OK to smoosh bugs, or should we leave them alone?

By Talia Cowen
From the May/June 2024 Issue
Complexity Factors
  • Purpose
    The debate presents arguments for and against whether it’s OK to squash bugs.
  • Structure
    The debate is structured as an article with two main sections, each providing reasons and evidence to support each side of the debate.
  • Language
    The language is conversational and mostly straightforward. The author’s use of italics may need to be explained, such as the onomatopoeia “Bzzzzzz,” the internal thought “I don’t think so,” and the emphasis in the sentence “Could one kid squishing one insect really matter?”
  • Knowledge Demands
    No prior knowledge is required.
Lexile: 700L-800L, 900L-1000L
Featured Skill: Main Idea and Supporting Details,
Topic: Animals,
Standards
  • Common Core
    Anchor Standards: R.1, R.2, R.3, R.5, R.8, W.1, SL.1 Grade 4: RI.4.1, RI.4.2, RI.4.3, RI.4.5, RI.4.8, W.4.1, SL.4.1 Grade 5: RI.5.1, RI.5.2, RI.5.3, RI.5.5, RI.5.8, W.5.1, SL.5.1 Grade 6: RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI6.3, RI.6.5, RI.6.8, W.6.1, SL.6.1
  • TEKS
    Grade 4: 4.1a, c, d; 4.4, 4.6; 4.7; 4.9e, f; 4.11; 4.12c Grade 5: 5.1a, c, d; 5.4, 5.6; 5.7; 5.9e, f; 5.11; 5.12c Grade 6: 6.1a, c, d; 6.3; 6.5; 6.6; 6.8e, f; 6.10; 6.11c

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Reading Level

  • 900L-1000L (same as magazine)
  • 700L-800L
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Reading Level (700L-800L)

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It’s a hot summer day and you’re by the pool, slurping up a refreshing cherry Popsicle. Then . . . 

Bzzzzzz. 

A fly hovers nearby, trying to steal a taste of your frozen treat. I don’t think so! 

You raise a hand to squash it . . . But wait, is that OK? Or should you let that pesky bug fly free?

It’s a hot summer day. You’re by the pool, slurping up a cherry Popsicle. Then . . .

Bzzzzzz.

A fly tries to taste your frozen treat. I don’t think so! You raise a hand to squash it . . . But wait, is that OK? Or should you let the bug fly free?

Dangerous Critters

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A spotted lantern fly

Some people think it’s totally fine to kill that fly—or any bug for that matter! According to one study, there are about 10 quintillion insects wriggling, fluttering, and creeping around our planet right now. (That’s 10 followed by 18 zeros by the way!) Could one kid squishing one insect really matter?

Also, squashing bugs is a natural reaction—and a way to protect ourselves. Nearly a quarter of Americans are afraid of insects and arachnids (the group of animals that includes spiders and scorpions). Scientists say that one reason humans have developed a fear of bugs over time is that they can make us sick.

That fly trying to snack on your Popsicle isn’t just annoying. It could be dangerous. Houseflies feed on and lay eggs on rotting garbage and roadkill, where they can pick up harmful germs. When a fly lands on our food, it can pass those germs on to us. 

“Flies in our kitchen can spread diseases, so I would argue it is OK to kill houseflies,” says Matan Shelomi, a scientist who studies insects. Shelomi also says the same goes for mosquitoes, which suck our blood and can make us sick. 

Then there are other bugs that can harm our environment. Take the spotted lantern fly, for example. These black-dotted insects from abroad have been spreading across the U.S., devouring everything from walnut trees to backyard rosebushes—and causing millions of dollars in damage. Scientists and government leaders have actually urged people to stomp on these bugs wherever they see them! 

Some people think it’s fine to kill that fly—or any bug! According to one study, there are about 10 quintillion insects crawling, fluttering, and creeping around our planet right now. (That’s 10 followed by 18 zeros!) Could squishing one insect really matter? 

Squashing bugs is a natural reaction, and it’s a way to protect ourselves. Almost a quarter of Americans are afraid of insects and arachnids (the group of animals that includes spiders and scorpions). Scientists say humans fear bugs because they can make us sick.

That fly trying to snack on your Popsicle isn’t just annoying. It could be dangerous. Houseflies feed and lay eggs on rotting garbage and roadkill. That’s where they can pick up harmful germs. When a fly lands on our food, it can pass those germs on to us. 

“Flies in our kitchen can spread diseases, so I would argue it is OK to kill houseflies,” says Matan Shelomi, a scientist who studies insects. Shelomi says the same about mosquitoes, which suck our blood and can make us sick.

Then there are other bugs that can harm our environment, such as the spotted lantern fly. These black-dotted insects have spread across the U.S. They eat everything from walnut trees to rosebushes—and cause millions of dollars in damage. Scientists and government leaders have told people to stomp on these bugs wherever they see them!

Plain Wrong

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A honeybee

Of course, not all bugs cause harm. In fact, most do exactly the opposite. (Scientists say that less than 1 percent of insect species can damage people or the environment.) Bugs play important roles in nature—and in our lives.

Without pollinators like honeybees, about 150 kinds of fruits and veggies—from watermelon to squash—wouldn’t be able to grow. Even cockroaches are key for turning our trash into rich soil. And flies? Many are also pollinators, and their babies help keep our environment clean by eating human and animal waste.

Besides, all insects and arachnids are animals—just like us. Some people believe it’s wrong to harm any living thing, no matter how small. “It’s important to have a respect for life,” says Michelle Trautwein, another scientist who studies insects.  

There are plenty of ways to get rid of bugs that don’t involve killing them. We can drive insects like mosquitoes away with special smells they don’t like. Cleaning our homes regularly helps keep them free of bugs like ants and cockroaches. And if you do come across say, a spider, try putting it under a glass and sliding a piece of paper underneath. Then you can carry it outside and release it. 

 So what about that fly going for your Popsicle? If you’re worried it could make you sick, go ahead and squash it—if you can catch it! Or maybe just swat it away so it can go bother someone else. 

But not all bugs cause harm. Scientists say that less than 1 percent of insect species can cause damage to people or the environment. Most help us and the natural world. 

Without honeybees, about 150 kinds of fruits and veggies—from watermelon to squash—wouldn’t be able to grow. Even cockroaches help to turn our trash into rich soil. And flies? They also help plants grow. Plus, their babies keep our environment clean by eating human and animal waste.

Besides, insects and arachnids are animals, just like us. Some people believe it’s wrong to harm any living thing, no matter how small. “It’s important to have a respect for life,” says Michelle Trautwein, another scientist who studies insects. 

There are a lot of ways to get rid of bugs without killing them. We can chase away insects like mosquitoes with special smells they don’t like. Cleaning our homes often keeps away bugs like ants and cockroaches. And if you find a spider, try putting a glass over it and sliding a piece of paper underneath. Then you can carry it outside and release it.

So what about that fly going for your Popsicle? If you’re worried it could make you sick, squash it—if you can catch it! Or maybe just swat it away so it can bother someone else. 

What Do You Think?

 Is it OK to squash bugs? Go back to the article and write down reasons to support different sides of the debate. State your opinion in one sentence, which can be the topic sentence for an opinion essay on this subject.

What Do You Think?

 Is it OK to squash bugs? Go back to the article and write down reasons to support different sides of the debate. State your opinion in one sentence, which can be the topic sentence for an opinion essay on this subject.

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This article was originally published in the May/June 2024 issue.

This article was originally published in the May/June 2024 issue.

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Step-by-Step Lesson Plan
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Table of Contents

1. Preparing to Read

2. Reading the Debate

3. Discussing

4. Writing

5. Can't Miss Teaching Extras

1. Preparing to Read

Have students preview the text features. Ask:

  • What is the topic of the debate? (Prompt students to use the debate title and the heading on the chart as clues.)
  • What do you think are the two sides of the issue?

2. Reading the Debate 

Read the debate as a class or in small groups.  A lower-Lexile version is available on Storyworks Digital. 

Have students read the debate a second time. Prompt them to mark the types of support the author presents to back up each side, including:

  • Facts and statistics (F/S)
  • Quotes from experts (Q)
  • Stories or examples (EX)

3. Discussing

As a class or in groups, have students discuss:

  • Which evidence is most effective in supporting each side?
  • Is one side stronger than the other? Why?
  • What is your opinion? What evidence do you find the most convincing?
  • For more-advanced students: Do you think the author has a preferred point of view on this issue? What is your evidence?

4. Writing

Distribute the activity “Write an Opinion Essay.” The lower-level version guides students to write a three-paragraph essay on the debate topic. The higher-level version prompts them to bring in additional evidence and write six paragraphs, including a rebuttal of the other side. With either version, hand out our Opinion Essay Tool Kit, which offers writing tips and transition words.

Can't-Miss Teaching Extras
From the Storyworks Archives

To learn more about the harm insects can cause, read “The Deadliest Animal on Earth,” our January 2016 paired text feature. And find out why thieves stole 7,000 bugs from a Philadelphia museum in “The Mystery of the Stolen Bugs,” our March/April 2019 mini read selection.

Take a Deep Dive

The website of the Amateur Entomologists' Society is a treasure trove of information on insects, including the ways in which they can be helpful or harmful to humans. To learn more about pollination, visit the Smithsonian Gardens’ to check out “The Why, What, When, Where, Who, How of Pollination.”

Text-to-Speech