Don t Bug Me I m Exploring! Arlene Manville Chapel Trail Elementary (754) 323-5000 Arlene.h.manville@browardschools.com For information concerning IMPACT II opportunities, such as, interschool visits, staff development, workshops, and Adapter and Disseminator grants, Please contact: Broward Education Foundation st 600 SE Third Avenue, 1 Floor Ft. Lauderdale, FL. 33301 754-321-2030 www.browardedfoundation.net IMPACT II is a program of the Broward Education Foundation
Objectives..1 It s Alive: Observing Life Cycles..2-4 It s Camouflage..5-7 Butterfly Patterns..8 Prey/ Predator Signs...9 The Very Hungry Activities...10 Butterfly Measurement Page..11 Butterfly Life Cycle Poster...12 The Hungry Caterpillar Blank Book 13-14 The Ants Go Marching.15-17 Lovely Lady Symmetry.18 Lady Bug Pattern 19 Butterfly Pattern.20 A Spider is not an Insect...21-22 Insect Book....23-25 References & Resources 26-27 1
The Broward County Elementary Benchmark Plan is the framework for science instruction in the district. Under the specifics of this plan, Strand F: Processes of Life is introduced in several grade levels. Also addressed in the primary grades is Strand G: How Living Things Interact with Their Environment. This unit can be used to address several specific benchmarks under these strands: Objective: Living things change and grow over time. Life cycles and metamorphosis is also address in this strand. SC.F.1.1.1; SC.F.1.1.3; SC.F.1.1.4; SC.F.2.1.1 Objective: Animals adapt to their environment in order to survive. SC.G.1.1.3; SC.G.1.1.4 2
There are several different species of insects that can be observed in the classroom: an Ant Farm, Butterflies, Lady Bugs, and Grasshoppers to name a few. The easiest and the most enjoyable for young children to observe are Ants and Butterflies. Some words of caution for each of these though. Make sure the ant farm you select is sturdy and placed in a location that makes it easy for students to observe without any risk of moving the farm. Ants tend to get aggressive if their nest is disturbed, and the last thing you want is mad ants on the loose! Another warning when observing Butterflies in the classroom, young students often think that the Melanin left behind when the butterfly emerges from its pupa or chrysalis is blood. You will need to explain that before the butterfly emerges to avoid confusion. You also want to make sure that you release the butterflies in the afternoon instead of the morning. Sometimes there is a problem with birds eating the butterflies if released earlier in the day, all part of the life cycle, but it is probably not something you want your young students to observe. 3
Today is: Did you feed the Ants today? What behaviors did you observe today? Draw a picture of what you observed today: 4
Today is day of our Butterfly s Life Cycle. What stage is the insect in: (Circle One) Caterpillar Pupa Butterfly What is the insect doing today? How has the insect changed from yesterday? Draw a picture of what you see: 5
Some animals use camouflage as a defense mechanism. When an animal s shape, color, or pattern helps it blend in with its surroundings, it can avoid being captured by a predator. Related Vocabulary: Predator-An animal that hunts, captures, and eats another animal. Prey- An animal that is hunted and eaten by another animal. Activity: 1. Run off and laminate the butterfly patterns (see separate page) on several colors of paper. The students will try to hind (camouflage) these butterflies in your classroom, so make sure to select colors that will blend in to things that you have in your room. You may want to cut the butterflies out on a die cut machine if you have one; that way the butterflies will be solid colors and will blend in better. 2. Run off and laminate enough copies of the predator and prey signs so that each student can have one. You will want to laminate the signs and put a string on them so that the students can wear them. 6
PREY 3. To play the game, distribute the prey and predators signs to students giving out an equal number of each type of sign. Give the students with the prey signs a butterfly cut out. (Put a piece of sticky tack or tape on the back of each butterfly.) 4. Students with the predator signs hide their eyes (putting their heads down). Then the students with the prey signs have one minute to camouflage their butterflies by hiding them somewhere in the classroom. They will want to stick their butterfly on something the same color so that it blends in with its surroundings. 5. Once they hide their butterfly, they return to their seats. When all the prey has hidden their butterfly, the predators have one minute to hunt for prey. The prey watches to see if their butterfly is discovered. After one minute, discuss how many of the butterflies were captured by the predators and how many survived. Introduce the concept of survival of the fittest, explaining how the better the prey is at camouflaging itself; the better its chances are for survival. Retrieve any butterflies not found by the predators. The students switch signs, the predators become the prey and the prey becomes the predators; and then the students repeat the process. 6. Follow-Up Activity: Introduce various animals that use camouflage as a defense mechanism. Have students learn about the animal, draw pictures of the animal, and the habitat in which it lives. 7
Animals that use camouflage to hunt or to avoid being hunted: a. Zebras b. Tree Frogs c. Snakes d. Spiders e. Beetles f. Octopus g. Chameleons h. Polar Bear i. Praying Mantis j. Walking Stick Insect k. Giraffe l. Leopards m. Artic Owls n. Artic Hare o. Beluga Whale p. Camel q. Snowy Owl 8
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A favorite classic by Eric Carle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, is an excellent addition to a unit on insects and a wonderful activity starter. After reading the book, students can discuss how on Monday through Friday the caterpillar ate different kinds of fruits, but how on Saturday it ate all kinds of junky snacks that give it a stomachache. Then the Caterpillar ate what it was suppose to eat, leaves. Activity Suggestions: 1. Have students make their own Hungry Caterpillar Book using the blank page in the packet. 2. Have students create a Circle of Life poster showing the various stages of a butterfly s life cycle. 3. Explain the old saying, You are what you eat have students use the colors of the foods that the Hungry Caterpillar ate, to paint a large cut out butterfly. 4. Using the paper with butterflies of various sizes, have students practice measuring in metric units, by measuring the butterflies. 5. Have students write about a time when they ate things that gave them a stomachache. Does this help them understand how the caterpillar feels? 11
cm. cm. cm. cm. cm. cm. 12
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On Monday, he ate one On Tuesday, he ate two On Wednesday, he ate three 14
On Thursday, he ate four On Friday, he ate five On Saturday, he ate 15 On Sunday, he ate one nice green leaf and felt much better, and he was not hungry anymore.
Teaching young students about the parts of an insect can be done easily by doing this fun art activity. Thumb Print Ants Using ink pads and thumbs; have students print three thumb prints side by side, each touching one another. As they print, have them say, head, thorax, abdomen. Then add 6 legs and two antennae. You can add wings to some and make them queen ants. By the time that they fill the page with ants, they will learn the parts of an insect! 16
Insects have three body parts: Head, Thorax, Abdomen They have six legs and two antennae. Some insects also have wings. Use your fingerprints to make some insects of your own in the space below: 17
Use fingerprints to make stationery for gifts for the holidays or for Mother s Day. Note Cards with sayings like: I ve been carried away with fingerprint ants carrying fruits, presents, and so on. Don t want to bug you, just want to say Hi! Ants printed with legs that look like they are waving. You re more special than a Picnic! Ants on a red-checkered tablecloth carrying food. Buzzing By to Say Hi! Make insects into bees. Other Insect Print Projects: Use prints on construction paper to use as wrapping paper. Use fabric paint and print insects on a hand towel, T-shirt, or apron. 18
Using Lady Bugs is an ideal way to introduce the concept of symmetry to young students. Explain that symmetry is where size, shape, and relative position of parts on opposites sides of a dividing line or median plane (Line of Symmetry) are balanced. Explain that there are many different things in nature that are Symmetric. Have students use the pattern for the Lady Bug on the following page to create a symmetric pattern. They can cut out circles, use dot stickers, or even fingerprints to make the Lady Bug s spots. Make sure that the design that they create is symmetric. Students can also color the butterfly in symmetrical patterns. 19
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Insects and Spiders are not the same. Use this Venn to compare the two kinds of creatures. Insect Spider In words, describe how insects and spiders are the same and how they are different: 22
Students can make insect books in a variety of ways. Using the blank booklet on the following page, students can use rubbing plates to make insects. They can draw the insects; they can use the pictures below; or they can cut pictures from magazines. 23
Ant Bee 24 Lady Bug
Dragonfly Butterfly Insects Insects have three body parts: Head, Thorax, Abdomen. Butterfly 25 They have six legs, two antennae, and some have wings.
Books: $62.87 Buggin with Ruud, Edited by Carrie E. Holcomb Animal Planet.com ($5.99) The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle ($4.99) Zoom in on Bugs Tangerine Press ($8.99) What is an Insect? By Lola Schaefer ($4.99) Butterflies & Caterpillars by Melvin and Gilda Berger ($4.99) Bug Out! The World s Creepiest, Crawliest Critters by Ginjer Clarke ($3.99) Stinkbugs & Other Bugs by Mary Packard ($8.99) DK Eye Wonder: Bugs Scholastic Press ($9.99) Super-Size Bugs by Andrew Davies ($9.95) Fisher Scientific (1-800-955-1177) $192.90 5 Giant Inflatable Insects #S94247 ($39.45) Books Plus Life Cycle Models Butterfly #94336; Lady Bug #94334; Ant #94373 ($24.50 each) Insect Specimens Living Ant Habitat #S79119 $15.90 Lady Bug Land #79118 $15.80 Butterfly Pavilion #S65044 $37.50 Buggy Bingo #S79005 $10.75 26
SK Elementary (1-800-828-7777) $148.44 Big Bug Magnifier #HF68101-00 $13.25 each Butterfly Life Cycle Stamps #HF47228-03 $19.95 Story of the Butterfly DVD #HF75210-05 $21.50 Bug Stamps #HF4786-01 $18.95 Bug Eye Glasses #HF46224-00 $9.99 EACH Bug Rubbing Plates Set of 6 #HF66183-00 $9.95 What is an Insect? BioBlocks #HF46816-17 $43.95 Mini Bug Boxes (Set of 6) #HF64805-02 $6.95 Big Bug Boxes #HF4745-00 $3.95 each Delta Education (1-800-442-5444) $189.15 Science Vocabulary Reader Set: Life Cycles (36 Books- 6 titles with 6 of each title) #1015107-585 $79.00 Life Cycle Learning Chart #1015120-585 $8.95 Butterfly Bingo #025-5365-585 $14.95 Bug Books Library (12 titles) #1015067-585 $86.25 You could request one of every item on this list under the current Adapter Grant limit. Think about how much your students would enjoy all these items! 27