B is for Bugs!

We got our bug-tastic day started with a worksheet...

...and were happy to segway into calendar time, where we learned about John the Baptist, who ate wild honey (made by bees...which are insects) and locusts (which are insects!)  The kids were pretty shocked by this! We also read a poem called "The Grasshopper and the Elephant."

Way down south where bananas grow,

A grasshopper stepped on an elephant's toe.

The elephant said, with tears in his eyes,

"Pick on somebody your own size."

For music and movement, we sang a few buggy songs, and did a fun buzzing bee acitivity.  The kids took turns choosing a bee from the hive, and each bee had an action written on it that all 3 kids would have to do.  Max was so busy being a bee that he couldn't even hold still for a picture!

We then read I Love Bugs by Philemon Sturges (what a name!)  and discussed different bugs and interesting facts about each one!

• The fastest insect is the dragonfly, flying about 35 mph!
• The longest bug is a type of walking stick, about 12 inches long!

WOW!

For snacks we made ants on a log by adding sun butter and raisins to a long pretzel rod.

While the kids ate, I read Bugs Galore by Peter Stein and Bob Staake. This book has some good one-liners that drew some big laughs from the peanut gallery.

After our snack, we used plastic bugs to do a sorting/ counting acitivity.  First, the kids counted bugs from one to twelve by putting the correct amount in numbered "jars."  Next, we sorted by color, and lastly, by type of insect.

Sneaky Owen, who wore his insect pajamas for continuity.  Though he looks sweet, he sure made our sorting acitivity a challenge.  I think he was challenging his inner stink bug during this particular lesson!

For our craft we made insect masks, complete with pipe cleaner attenae!  

Here are our little bugs...so cute!