This document contains summaries of activities from books about insects and reptiles that could be done with elementary school students. The activities focus on having students observe, describe, and learn about different bugs and reptiles. Activities include using pop-up books to learn facts, drawing pictures of bugs, going on a bug-finding field trip, writing bug poems, and creating shadow puppet plays. For reptiles, activities involve learning about different types through charts and songs, completing dot-to-dot drawings, and making shoebox dioramas after research projects on individual reptiles.

1. Ringo Education 356 Spring 2010 Tracie Ambrose

2. Amazing 3-D Bugs Book: Amazing 3-D Bugs, Faulkner,Keith Review: This book includes a pop-up 3-D viewer that the child can use to “investigate” different bugs in the book. The book gives interesting facts about bugs.

3. Amazing 3-D Bugs Activity: Provide several books for groups of students to use. Give each group of students (groups of 2 work best) a book and have them take turns looking at the book and reading the text. This is an instructional book and is not suitable for reading to a whole group. While one child is reading the book have the other student write in his journal the things he knows about bugs. After the student looks at the bugs in the book and reads the facts they switch with their partner. The student then chooses one bug that he or she liked and draws a picture of that bug in the journal. The student writes the name of the bug and a short sentence about the bug. Gardner: Intra-personal, Linguistic, visual-spatial Standard: 2.1.3 Describe, both in writing and verbally, objects as accurately as possible and compare observations with those of other people.

4. Amazing 3-D Bugs Activity: Have students refresh their memory by looking at the book again. Give students heavy drawing paper, paint, and markers. Show students how to fold the paper in half. Have them drop a small amount of paint on one side of the paper. Students fold paper over and rub so that the paint goes on both halves of the paper. They open the paper up and let the paint dry. After paint is dry, students use markers or crayons to add antennae, wings, eyes, etc. They tell what kind of insect they have (roach, beetle, butterfly etc.) Gardner: bodily-kinesthetic, linguistic

5. Amazing 3-D Bugs Activity: Students will take a “field trip” around the school and try to find insects. Provide each students with a small net like the ones found in fish stores, a jar with lid, and a worksheet (Next slide). Students work in pairs. Each pair searches the playground area for insects. When they find an insect they record the information about the insect, and if possible, collect the insect in the jar. After returning to the classroom, each pair shares the information about their bug with the classroom. Gardner: bodily-kinesthetic, logical-mathematical, interpersonal

6. Amazing 3-D Bugs Chart:

7. Amazing 3-D Bugs Activity: Students will create a Bio-Poem about the bugs they collected earlier. They will write the poem, illustrate it using stamps they create out of sponges, (shaped like bugs of course), and frame their poem using colored cardstock. Gardner: interpersonal, musical Standard: Literacy Arts 2.6.4 Grammar:Identify and correctly write various parts of speech, including nouns (words that name people, places, or things) and verbs (words that express action or help make a statement).

8. Bio Poem Outline Bug Poem-First line: Insects ____________ (metaphor)Second: Four adjectives that describe insects.Third: Description of what the insects providesFourth: Description of who insects provide forFifth: List six feelings you may have related to bugs. sixth: Describe what needs bugs may haveSeventh: Describe what fears insects may haveEighth: List three insects you'd like to see Ninth: Three verbs that describe insect activities.Last line: Celebrate insects.Use repetition, alliteration, and rhyme throughout your poem. Be selective of the words you use, try to use sensory images, and be specific. You may also try adding personification.Template:Source: http://www.proteacher.net/discussions/showthread.php?t=240359

9. Amazing 3-D Bugs Activity: Students will reflect on the things they have learned about insects. They will then work in groups of 4 or five students to create a short play about a day in the life of a bug. They will make simple shadow puppet props. Students will perform their play behind a sheet hung from a line in the classroom. Materials needed: sheet, light, cardstock, and straws (to put shadow puppets on) Gardner: intrapersonal, bodily-kinesthetic, linguistic

10. Miles and Miles of Reptiles Use the book, Miles and Miles of Reptiles by TishRabe Review: The Cat in the Hat travels the globe—in his trusty crocodile car—to explore the world of reptiles: lizards, snakes, turtles, and crocodilians. Along the way, young readers learn the characteristics shared by most reptiles; basic information about each group; quirky, fun facts about individual species; and much, much more. Cool creatures featured include komodo dragons, chameleons, geckos, cobras, leatherback turtles, frilled lizards—a virtual Who’s Who of the World’s Most Remarkable Reptiles. Young readers will slither in delight!

11. Miles and Miles of Reptiles Activity: Create a chart of what the students know about reptiles. Read the book Miles and Miles of Reptiles to students. Have them discuss the different types of reptiles they have seen in the book. Provide a spider map on a large easel pad. Write the word “Reptile” in the middle of the pad. Ask students to name the different categories of reptiles they saw in the book. After creating each of the categories, have students tell different characteristics of the animals presented in the book. Write those on the pad. Give students a chart that compares and contrasts three different types of reptiles. Have them complete the chart. After students have completed the charts, ask them to share with a buddy some of their observations. Bring the whole class together and ask students if they need to correct their earlier chart. Allow them to discuss the different things they learned about reptiles. Gardner: logical-mathematical, interpersonal, verbal-linguistic Standard: 2.2.5 Draw pictures and write brief descriptions that correctly portray key features of an object

12. Miles and Miles of Reptiles Activity: Give students Number dot to dot worksheets of snakes or other reptiles and have them complete the pattern. Allow them to color the completed picture. Ask students to recall from memory what they learned about the reptile they have just drawn. Have students “create” their own dot to dot drawing by putting a plain sheet over a drawing of a reptile and drawing numbered dots for someone else to follow. Help students to remember to draw in some details such as eyes or a face. Gardner: Mathematical-logical Standard: 2.2.5 Draw pictures and write brief descriptions that correctly portray key features of an object

13. Miles and Miles of Reptiles Activity: Put students in groups of 3 or 4 students and have them create a song about a certain reptile. Students will perform their song using simple percussion instruments. Gardner: musical-rhythmic, bodily-kinesthetic, interpersonal, verbal-linguistic

14. Miles and Miles of Reptiles Activity: Have students use the computer lab to research a reptile. After they have gathered research on where the reptile lives, what it eats, how it reproduces, etc. Students will make a shoebox diorama/habitat showing these elements. Students will display their dioramas in the classroom. Gardner: naturalistic, visual-spatial, interpersonal, mathematical-logical This also uses technology. Standard: 2.1.6 Use tools to investigate, observe, measure, design, and build things. 2.4.2 Observe that and describe how animals may use plants, or even other animals, for shelter and nesting