Learning About Insects

One of the best things about summer is that I have more time to do one of my favorite activities - READ! I love to sit out on our deck, in the warm sunshine, and get lost in a good book. For those of us with school-aged children, summer has a very different routine. It is busy in a different kind of way, but for most of us it is probably a bit more of a relaxed pace. Now, with no more reading calendars to fill out - or whatever we might have done to hold ourselves accountable for reading with our children during the school year - we need to make sure that we are still making time to read with our kids every day. We want to make sure we are choosing quality literature and having rich conversations with them. This will help ensure that they will not become 'rusty' in their thinking over the long break.

With some of that in mind, what are things that speak of summer to us? Sunshine, parks, fishing, sprinklers, lemonade, fireworks, golf, s'mores, bike rides, baseball... I am sure you could add many more of your own ideas to the list.

Most kids I know love to look for and catch bugs - and summertime is the perfect time of year to do it! The following book is great to use to teach them more about bugs and insects. They will learn what an insect is, what it isn't, and how to tell the difference. I have included questions and activities to help make reading this book a deeper learning experience for you and your child.

The FIRST TIME you read the story with your child...

Before reading

• Talk about what they notice on the cover.
• Tell them the name of the author and the illustrator - ask them to remind you what the author's job is and what the illustrator's job is.
• Turn the book over and read and talk about the summary on the back cover.
• Talk with your child about what they already know about bugs/insects.
• Do a picture walk with your child through the book - look closely at the pictures and talk about what you each notice.

During reading

• Every so often stop and talk about what you have read/learned so far - make sure to point out new learning specifically.

After reading

• How many body parts does an insect have? What are the names of the parts?
• How many legs does an insect have?
• What else did you learn about insects?
• What are some things that make a bug different from an insect?
• Name some other animals that have an external skeleton that are not insects.
• Name some insects that work together in groups.
• Name some animals that ARE insects. Name some that ARE NOT.

READING IT AGAIN... AND AGAIN... (the more times that you read a book with your child the more you can find to talk about... it's like watching a movie for the second or even third time and saying, 'hmm... I didn't remember that part'... Plus, we all know that kids love to read and reread books)...

• Why do you think the author chose to write a book about insects?
• How does the author help us to understand what an insect is? Help me find this information in the book.
• Which insect would you like to learn more about? Why do you want to learn about that insect?
• How is your skeleton different than an insect's skeleton? Help me find where we learned this in the book.

WRITE ABOUT IT...

• What is your favorite insect? Draw it - make sure you include its three body parts and six legs, and its wings and antennae if it has them. Write what you know about this insect. (You and your child can do research other books - see the list below - or online to find out more information about a specific insect). 
• Go on an adventure in your backyard. Bring a notebook to draw/write what you see. Bring a camera and take pictures. After you have gathered your information draw and write about what you found. What was the most interesting insect you saw? Why do you feel that way?

OTHER BOOKS TO READ...

• From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Deborah Heiligman
• Smithsonian Handbooks: Insects (Smithsonian Handbooks) by George C. McGavin
• Insect Detective: Read and Wonder by Steve Voake and Charlotte Voake
• Bugs A-Z by Caroline Lawton

Please share your experiences with this book and/or any other suggestions on insect reading or activities!

HAPPY READING!

Aimee