All About Insects

Contributer Information
Name: Pantelia Zervos
e-mail address: Pantelia_Zervos@Places.pcsb.org
School: Tarpon Springs Elementary

Sunshine State Standards

NET Standards

Technology Resource Requirements

• Computer with Internet and television connection
• printer
• Inspiration software
• Presentation software such as Hyperstudio, Powerpoint or Kid Pix
• Word Processing and Draw Program such as Appleworks or Microsoft Word

Subject Areas: Science, Math, Language Arts

Grade Level: Kindergarten

Purpose: The purpose of this unit of practice is to introduce Kindergarten children to the world of insects through language arts, literature, mathematics, and technology based activities.

Approximate Time Required: 2-3 weeks

Gain Attention

Tasks and Interactions

Additional Resources

Assessments

Gain Attention: Take the students for a walk outside to an area that contains grass, trees and flowers. Have the students talk about what they observed. Come back into class, and as a total group, fill in a K-W-H-L chart about insects created by the program Inspiration. Click here to view example of chart.

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Tasks and Interactions

Word of the Day: (Total group activity)

Materials needed: pencil, word of the day activity paper, Powerpoint presentation

Procedure: Tell students that the "word for the day" is ant. Students sound out the word, then write each sound they hear on the word of the day activity paper. After all the students have completed writing their word, begin the Powerpoint presentation. Students check their spelling by following the presentation and filling in the correct sounds. Use the word of the day in a sentence for a guided writing lesson.

Repeat procedure for the word, bug.

Insect Memory Game

Materials needed: insect cards (Partner activity)

Procedure: Choose a partner. Cut out insect cards. Mix the cards up and place them face down. Take turns finding the matching pictures.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Activities:

(Total group activity) Materials needed: Copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, computer with television connection, "Inspiration" software.

Before reading the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, take a picture walk. Allow students to discuss what is happening on each of the pages. After the first reading, discuss what the caterpillar ate each day. Create a story map using the software "Inspiration." Click here to view example of story map.

(Activity for Reading Center) Materials needed: Copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, crayons, scissors, sequencing activity sheet, envelope. Procedure: Students use crayons to color sequencing activity sheet. Students cut out pictures depicting the events in the story and place them in the correct sequence. Students place cards in their envelopes for storage.

(Activity for Reading Center) Materials needed: Crayons, The Very Hungry Caterpillar activity sheet. Procedure: Read the story The Very Hungry Caterpillar, afterwards, students fill in the activity sheet by drawing in the food eaten by the caterpillar on Saturday. Click here for activity sheet.

The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle

(Total group activity) Materials needed: Copy of The Grouchy Ladybug, computer with television connection, "Inspiration" software, large Judy clock or individual clocks for each student. Procedure: Read the story The Grouchy Ladybug. Create a story map by having students recall what the grouchy ladybug saw. Students use mini clocks to help them retell the story.

(Total group activity) Materials needed: Teacher's choice book on ladybugs, chart paper, markers. Procedure: Compare the grouchy ladybug to a real ladybug. Have students brainstorm what they have learned about ladybugs. Fill in a chart, or complete an "Inspiration" brainstorming chart. Click here to see example of chart.

Insect Book

(Total group activity or center time activity) Materials needed: insect booklet, crayons, scissors, glue. Procedure: Students create an insect book by cutting out sentences, and gluing them onto each page of the book. Students draw an insect picture to match their sentence or they may cut out pictures from magazines. Click here to see booklet cover and sentences.

Butterflies and symmetry (Kagan)

(Pairs activity) Materials needed: Butterfly pattern, crayons or markers, scissors. Procedure: Students are paired with a buddy. Explain to students that they must work with their partner to create a symmetrical butterfly. The first student colors one section on his half of the butterfly and the second student creates the same color design on his side of the butterfly. The next time around, the second student goes first. Repeat procedure until the butterfly is complete. Students cut out butterfly and display in room. Click here for example of butterfly pattern.

Webquest

Materials needed: Computer, internet access, printer, webquest journal, scissors, glue, crayons or markers.

Procedure: Introduce the students to their five day webquest journal. Explain that each day they will be searching for the answer to a different question, and that the answer will be the name of an insect they have been learning about. Also, explain that once they find the answer to their question, they are to print out the answer, color the insect, and finally glue it into their journal.

Click on the to begin your Webquest.

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Additional Resources

Kagan Cooperative Learning Strategies
Enature.com
Children's Butterfly Site
To see the life cycle of a Monarch Butterfly
Insects on the Web
Iowa State University Entomology Image Gallery

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Assessments

Materials needed: Computer, Hyperstudio presentation. Procedure: Students choose one of the insects displayed, then work through the Hyperstudio stack to answer each question. Click here to view presentation. You will need a Plug-In to view the stack.

Click here to download the Windows Plug-In.

Click here to download the Macintosh Plug-In.

RUBRIC

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