#1223. Bugs - Going Buggy!

Science, level: all
Posted Mon Aug 2 10:00:04 PDT 1999 by Colleen:)/k-6 ().
VISIT ME AT Teaching is a Work of Heart
Silver Ridege Elem, Silverdale, WA

Going Buggy - Stuff I have collected all over dealing with bugs!!

BOOKS
Spiders --- Gail Gibbons
Spiders in the Fruit Cellar --- Barbara Joose
Be Nice to Spiders --- Graham
Good Night, Mr. Beetle --- Jacobs
Miss Spider's Tea Party --- Kirk
Miss Spider's Wedding --- Kirk
The Roly-Poly Spider --- Sardegna
POEMS
Spiders
Clever spider spins a thread
To make a trap we call a web.
Clever spider knows that she
Will have some insects with her tea.
The Spider Poem
Spiders are not insects
Spiders have eight legs.
Spiders have four pairs of eyes
Spiders hatch from eggs!
Spider webs are stick
Spiders weave them tight
Spiders spin that silky string
Spiders weave webs right!
Spider, Spider
Spider hurrying,
Spider scurrying,
See her silken thread.
Spider hurrying,
Spider scurrying,
See her little web.

Actions
1&2. Run fingers back and forth
3. Stretch imaginary thread between forefingers and thumbs.
4&5. Run fingers back and forth.
6. Make spiral with forefingers.
This poem is a good tie in with the insect unit, I hope you like it.

Every Insect
by Dorothy Aldis

Every insect (ant, fly, bee)
is divided into three:
One head, one chest, one stomach part.

Some have brains.
All have a heart.

Insects have no bones.
No noses.

ACTIVITIES
Spiders and their parts (we do this for insects too). We read spider books. One cute
project was with the Itsy Bitsy Spider. We sing and act it out. Then, we individually make
a large house on paper. We tape a bendy straw on the side of the house to make a
water spout. Then, you put a spider ring on the straw and slide the spider up and down
the straw while singing the song.
Notch small cuts all the way around a Styrofoam plate. Give the children a rather large
piece of yarn. I usually do white plates and black yarn. The children begin weaving the
yarn through the cuts, chris crossing and going back and forth on the plate -- this makes
the spider's
web. When there is about 8" yarn remaining you can help the children tie on a spider
ring. It will look like the spider is spinning the web.
Hand print Spiders. Fold a half piece of black construction paper in half (it will look like
1/4 size). Help the children trace their hand and four fingers -- not the thumb-along the
fold. When cut out and opened, you will see the four fingers have now made 8 legs. Add
reinforcement sticker eyes and you are all set.
a snack idea -- take two ritz crackers and spread one half with peanut butter. Place stick
pretzels on for legs. Put the other Ritz on top to make a sandwich. Dip two raisins in
peanut butter and stick on top for eyes.
Create web books by emphasizing sequencing skills. Cut 12X18 black construction
paper into 3X18 strips. Fold in half and in half again to create four sections on the strip
of paper and fold accordian style. Using white glue... "build" a web on the four 'pages'.
Make the first the beginning stages and the end a completed web. When this dries it
becomes a tactile
story.
Use the song "The Itsy Bitsy Spider". Use a hot glue gun to attach a bendable drinking
straw onto a piece of tagboard. Attach only at the top and bottom of the straw. Add a
spider ring before attaching one end. Let students create houses to attach to this vertical
drainpipe. The spider can then be moved up and down with the song. Change the song
to the great big spider, the very sleepy spider, etc. Change the handmotions, too.
Read _Miss Spider's Tea Party_ and _The Roly-Poly Spider_. Create a Venn diagragm
of the two.
A neat idea I have tried with my group is watching a spider weave his web by making a
wooden frame and setting the frame in water with the majority of it above water( of
course). All you need next is a spider...I seem to have lots here ...I'm sure
there's no shortage of them where you are either : ) Anyhow, we place the spider on our
square frame and watch him weave wonders. It amazing the learning that takes place as
they watch this little critter each day.The children even found the bugs to feed to it!!!!!
Can't hurt to give it a try...if you need any further explaination just give me a SHOUT and
I'll do my best to clarify.
Get 4 strawberry baskets,a spinner, plastic spiders, and a piece of poster board. Section
the board into 4 pieces. Cut out 4 circles . . . glue 1 into each section of the board, and
put the spinner in the middle. On two of the sections write "in" and glue a plastic spider
in the middle of the circle. On the other two sections write "out" and glue the spider next
to the circle. KIds spin the spinner --- if it lands on "in", they can put one spider in their
basket...if it lands on "out" they must take one out. Whoever gets 5 spiders in their
basket first wins!!
* Notch small cuts all the way around a Styrofoam plate. Give the children a rather large
piece of yarn. I usually do white plates and black yarn. The children begin weaving the
yarn through the cuts, criss crossing and going back and forth on the plate--this makes
the spider's
web. When there is about 8" yarn remaining you can help the children tie on a spider
ring. It will look like the spider is spinning the web.

Handprint Spiders. Fold a half piece of black construction paper in half (it will look like
1/4 size). Help the children trace their hand and four fingers--not the thumb-along the
fold. When cut out and opened, you will see the four fingers have now made 8 legs. Add
reinforcement
sticker eyes and you are all set.
The Spider Poem
Spiders are not insects
Spiders have eight legs.
Spiders have four pairs of eyes
Spiders hatch from eggs!
Spider webs are stick
Spiders weave them tight
Spiders spin that silky string
Spiders weave webs right!
a snack idea--take two ritz crackers and spread one half with peanut butter. Place stick
pretzels on for legs. Put the other Ritz on top to make a sandwich. Dip two raisins in
peanut butter and stick on top for eyes.
Another cooking idea that is not very healthy, but lots of fun and reinforces facts about
spiders:
Attach two large marshmallows with a toothpick (two body parts) Cut string licorice in
small pieces - about 1 1/2 inch. for legs (It help to let the licorice sit out and get hard).
Use a toothpick to make the holes, and stick licorice in (remember which body part has
the legs). Pour some chocolate syrup to make it black and then put mini m&ms for eyes.
A neat idea I have tried with my group is watching a spider weave his web by making a
wooden frame and setting the frame in water with the majority of it above water( of
course). All you need next is a spider.

Hi everyone,
I am preparing to incorporate spiders in our Egg unit next week. I
have two poems to share. Any cute and simple spider activities or
websites? Thanks!
Spiders
Spiderlings hatch from eggs.
Each one has eight tiny legs.
A spider has more eyes than you.
Most have eight, and you have two.
A spider has two body parts.
Across its web it quickly darts.
From a spider's spinnerets
Sticky spider silk jets.
Spiders feel the frantic tugs,
Of their favorite food; it's bugs!
by Janet Bruno
Spider Webs
The spider weaves a sticky web
To capture bugs to eat.
What keeps the spider's sticky web
From sticking to her feet?
Spider webs are very tricky
Because not all the strands are sticky.
Unlike the passing hapless fly,
The spider knows which strands are dry.
But if she accidentally stands
Upon one of the sticky strands,
She still would not get stuck, you see--
Her oily body slides off free.
by Amy Goldman Koss
April in TN

Do You Like To Buzz?

(tune: Do Your Ears hang Low?)

Do you like to buzz,
Are you covered all in fuzz?
Do you call a hive a home
In the Garden where you roam?
Do you know how to make honey,
Are your stripes a little funny?
Do you like to buzz?
********
Bees

Here is the beehive. Where are the bees?
Hidden away where nobody sees.
Soon they will come, creeping out from the hive;
One, two , three, four, five.
*******

Five Busy Bees

Five busy bees on a lovely spring day. (Hold up the gloved fingers)
This one said, "Let's fly away.' (indicate each bee in turn)
This one said "We'll drink some nectar sweet."
This one said, "Let's get pollen on our feet."
This one said "And then we'll make some honey."
This one said "Good thing it's warm and sunny."
So the five busy bees went flying along (Fly hand around while wiggling
fingers)
Singing a happy honeybee song.
Bzzzzzzzzzz! (Fly your hand behind your back)
********
The Swarm of Bees

One little honeybee by my window flew;
Soon came another - then there were two.
Two happy honeybees in the appletree;
One more bee came buzzing up - then there were three.
Three busy honeybees starting to explore
Another bee came to help - then there were four.
Four laden honeybees flying to the hive;
They were joined by one more bee - then there were five.
Five tired honeybees with the others mix;
Now there's a swarm of them - a hundred times six.
(Elsa Gorham Baker)

There are 2 ways to do this ( I personally go the long way cuz we have
trouble with ants here) Cut a beehive shape out of constuction paper
and cover it with either honeycomb cereal or you can take light brown
construction paper and cut out comb shapes and punch holes with a hole
puncher. add little bee shapes (I found some of those little novelty
type confetti bees at Dollar Tree/98cent store last Spring)

How about the song I'm bring home a baby bumble bee?(I can't think of
the tune except in the older cartoons with the little buzzard the
music thay would play to show how slow he was ..LOL that's the tune to
me!)

I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee (cup hands togetherand bounce
them)
Won't my momma be so proud of me I'm bringing home a baby bumble bee
OW!!!! It stung me! (slap hands together)
I'm squishing up the baby bumble bee (rub hands together)
Won't my momma be so proud of me? I'm squishing up the baby bumble
bee
YUCK! What a MESS! (look at hands and grimace)
I'm wiping off the baby bumble bee (rub hands down legs)
Won't my momma be so proud of me ? I'm wiping off the baby bumble bee.
OH NO! MOMMA'S MAD!(hands by your cheeks looking surprised.)
OOPS!

I also do the behive rhyme, but I have added a little more onto mine.
........BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ..........
What do you suppose
A bee sat on my nose
What do you think
He gave me a wink
He said "I beg your pardon
I thought you were the garden."

Every Insect

Every insect (ant, fly, bee)
Is divided into three:
One head, one chest, one stomach part.
Some have brains.
All have a heart.
Insects have no bones
No noses.
But with feelers they can smell
Dinner half a mile away.
Can your nose do half as well?
Also you'd be in a fix
With all those legs to manage:
Six.

By Dorothy Aldis

Bugs

Edible Bee Hives:
Squirt some honey onto a paper plate; make sure the inside is sparsely
covered. Using 7 Harvest Crisp crackers or any others in a hexagon shape.
Lay down one cracker and then turn it over and position it in the middle of
the plate, use the remaining six to attach to each side of the middle
cracker, creating a bee hive shape.

Ladybug Cookies:
Make regular, round sugar cookies. Ice with red icing and put on a leaf of
lettuce. Place a rolo for the head and M&M's or raisins for spots.

Live Garden Spider Indoors:
Set up a large shallow tub of water. Place one plastic cup filled with
soil at each end of the tub. Place a stick with a V shape into each cup of
soil. Place a cross stick between the V's. Add the spider. The spider,
which is afraid of water, stays on this frame and builds web after web.
Place live crickets on the spider's web every other day or so and watch her
catch and grab her prey.

Spider Web T-shirts:
Tie Dye T-shirts black and white. Make a bulls eye pattern. Glue on
"jewels" for make the spider. A teardrop for the body and the round shape
for the head. Use glow in the dark fabric paint to trace the web and black
paint to draw the legs.

Spider Webs:
Draw a web on a dark piece of construction paper with a white crayon. Put
a spider sticker in the center.

Ants on a Leaf:
Supply each child with a construction paper leaf and a hole punch. Let
them punch away at their leaves. When they are done punching use the eraser
from a new pencil dipped in black paint to make ants on the leaf. Three
dots next to each other. . .draw on details with the pencil.

Art Ant Farm:
Have children paint one side of a piece on construction paper of small
poster board with glue/water solution. (The paper should be the size to fit
into a large ziploc bag) Children may leave a dry area on one portion of
the page to be the area of grassy ground above the ant farm. Then have each
child cover the paper with sand. Let the child make tunnels by scarping off
a few lines of sand. Paint or draw, or glue on Easter grass above the ant
farm. Place the entire page in a large ziploc bag and seal it. Glue on
little plastic ants if desired.

Ants on a Log:
Fill a piece of celery with peanut butter or cream cheese then put raisins
on top for ants.

Rainbow Dragonflies:
For the wings, fold a sheet of paper in half. Lay the top of a table knife
flat on the paper. Trace around the knife onto the paper. Move the knife
down and trace it again. Cut out the wings, keeping them attached.
Decorate a non-spring clothespin and the wings. Place the wings, folded
side down, in the slit of the clothespin. Press the wings open and tape
them to the clothespin.

Fancy Ants:
Make an ant shape about the size of a peanut from black, blue, red
construction paper. With help pole 3 holes in the body. For the legs,
place 2 paper fasteners into tow holes next to each other and open to lie
flat. Turn the ant over and place another paper fastener, point side up in
the last hole. Bend back slightly. Draw some food on a paper plate, put
the ants on the plate and place a magnet underneath. Make the ants crawl by
moving the magnet.

Best Bug Cookies:
½ C. butter
1 ¾ C. flour
½ C. sugar
½ C. packed brown sugar
¼ C. sour cream
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
½ t. baking soda
¼ t. salt
1 square unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
Assorted nuts, raisins
Beat butter until softened, add about half of the flour, the sugar, brown
sugar, sour cream, egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Beat until
thoroughly combined, then add remaining flour. Divide dough in half and add
cooled chocolate to one half. To form bugs, drop by teaspoonful onto
ungreased cookie sheet, 3 inches apart. Decorate with nuts and raisins.
Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.

Spider Webs:
Cut square out of white posterboard and make slits around the edges. Tape
a piece of black yarn to the back of each square and pull it through one of
the slits. Then have the children cross the yarn back and forth over the
fronts of their squares, attaching it through the slits.

Worm Pretzels:
Dissolve one package of yeast in 1 ½ C. warm water and add ½ t. sugar.
Then add 4 ½ C. flour and knead for 6 minutes. Let dough rise, covered, in
a greased bowl until double in size. Divide dough into 12 pieces and let
the children roll them into long worm shapes. Blend together 1 egg yolk and
2 T. water and have the children brush some of the mixture on their pretzel.
Next let them sprinkle on some coarse salt or sesame seeds. Bake at 450 for
12 minutes.

Egg Cup Spiders:
Give each child a cardboard egg carton cup and four 4-inch pipe cleaner
pieces. Help the children poke their pipe cleaners through their egg cups
to make spider legs. Decorate the spiders.

Jar of Fireflies:
Take a clear plastic container, this is the firefly jar. Then, take the
little yellow pom pons that are sparkly and attached them to fishing line.
Cut very small nitches around the mouth of the plastic container. Just hook
the fishing line in the jar. Hang the little pom pons at all different
levels. When done, put the lid on the container, and it really does
resemble a jar of fireflies!

Butterflies

Caterpillars:
Cut out circles on different colored construction paper. Paste circles
side by side slightly overlapping. Add legs and feelers from pipe cleaners
and draw on face.

From Caterpillars to Butterflies:
At the beginning of the unit have the child make a caterpillar from an egg
carton. Then roll it up into a cocoon, construction paper, and then hang
them around the room. At the end of the week open the cocoons and out comes
a butterfly (teacher has glue or taped on wings).

Delicate Wings:
Make a butterfly shape for each child by folding a piece of tissue paper
and cutting out wings. Use a variety of colors. Staple the wings together
approximately 1 inch from the fold. Slide a tongue depressor through the
paper and twist it so the staples are in the middle of a flat side of the
stick. Crease wings apart. Have the child use tissue paper scraps to
create colorful designs on the butterfly wings. To make the butterfly flap
its wings hold the end of the stick and gently move it up and down.

Crayon Shaving Butterflies:
Shave old crayons and place between two sheets of wax paper and iron
between newspaper. Cut into a butterfly shape and hang in the window.

Inkblot Butterflies:
Cut out a butterfly shape and fold it in the center, have the children
paint one side. Fold and rub lightly, then unfold.

Feet Butterflies:
Have children take off shoes, dip feet into shallow pan of pastel paint.
Step onto a piece of paper so feet are going outward from the heels
together. When dry add antenna with markers.

Baggie Butterflies:
Fill a snack size ziploc bag with scarps of tissues paper and cellophane
and then gather them together at the middle with half a pipe cleaner. Twist
and bend the stem into antennae.

Cupcake Liner Butterflies:
Flatten out cupcake liners and color with markers or crayons many different
colors. Pinch liners together in the center and wrap with pipe cleaners
using the left over to make antennae.

Coffee Filter Butterflies:
1) Take a cone shaped coffee filter and cut it apart. Have the children
watercolor each side. Paint a clothespin black and then attach the two
wings with it. Then add a pipecleaner tied around the clothespin for the
antennae. 2) Using regular coffee filters, flatten them out and let the
kids drip colors on with eyedroppers. When dry, use the non-spring type
clothespins and push the coffee filters into the slit. Add pipe cleaner
antennas.

Stained Glass Butterflies:
Precut a butterfly shape out of construction paper. After cutting out he
shape, cut out holes in various spots. The children can glue tissue paper
squares over the holes.

Tissue Paper Butterflies:
Cut butterfly shapes from white paper. Set out assorted colors of 1-inch
tissue paper squares small containers of water and paintbrushes. Have the
children paint the butterfly shapes with water and place the tissue paper
square randomly on the shapes. Have them count to ten then remove the wet
tissue paper to view the colors left behind.

Fluttering Butterflies Snack:
Margarine or butter
¼ C. finely chopped nuts
48 small twisted pretzels
½ of a 14 oz. package vanilla caramels
1 T. milk
1 T. margarine or butter
48" red or black shoestring licorice cut into 1" pieces
½ of a 6-oz. pkg. of chocolate chips (1/2 cup)
Grease a large baking sheet. For the base of each butterfly, sprinkle
about ½ t. of finely chopped nuts in a small circle on the greased sheet.
Space circles 2" apart. Make wings by arranging 2 pretzels together atop a
nut circle, set aside. Combine caramels, milk, and the 1 T margarine or
butter in a 4-C. liquid measure. Microwave uncovered on high for 1-½
minutes. Use a scraper to stir till smooth. If caramels aren't soft enough
microwave for 30-60 more seconds. Spoon 1 t. of mixture onto each set of
two pretzels. For antennae press 2 pieces of licorice into each butterfly.
Chill until firm. Put the chocolate pieces into a 2 C. liquid measuring cup
and microwave on high for 1-1 ½ minutes or until melted. Spoon about ½ t.
onto each butterfly and chill until firm. Makes 24.

A Fun Caterpillar:
You will need a straw that has a paper covering. Squish the paper covering
down to the bottom of the straw. (Just as if you were going to use it) Take
the straw paper the rest of the way off. You should have a little squished
tunnel resembling a caterpillar. Now, take a drop or two of water and drop
it right onto this paper caterpillar. Look--IT MOVES--Just like a
caterpillar.

Estimation:
Estimation jar filled with caterpillars (those styrofoam peanuts again,
decorated with dots and lines).