Insects

If you haven't seen part 1 and part 2 of the Butterfly post, now would be a good time to do so!

We are going to get a little more into bugs.  We are going to start with a craft project.  The tools you will need are a pencil, markers, construction paper, and glue.

In the middle of your paper draw with your pencil your dragonfly or any insect you would like to create.  Add vines and flowers.

Rip up small bits of construction paper and add it to your drawing almost like you're using the construction paper as crayons.  

Draw on top of your pencil drawing with a marker to create your flowers.

Get as creative as you want!

You can use this same process for other things like cement and glass.  These are called mosaics!

Science:
Insects are the largest group of anthropods and animals. It's in a class called Insecta which is divided into 25 orders.

Insects have six joined legs and a body that is divided into three sections- head, thorax, and abdomen.

There are three different kinds of metamorphosis with insects.

1. Direct- the egg hatches to a stage that looks adult but is smaller and not mature.
2. Incomplete, simple, or gradual- egg hatches to larva. The larva is called a nymph or if it's a water bug, a naiad. 
3. Complete or complex- egg hatches to larva, become a pupa (or cacoon), from that the adult emerges.

Writing and Math:

Supplies:

journal or notebook, pencils, ruler

Take a step outside.  What kind of bugs do you see? Do you see ants, ladybugs, bees? or praying mantis?  Draw a picture of what you see. Do you recognize any of the insects?

Where was the insect found?

Get a piece of paper and mark it by inches.  place an insect you found at 1" mark. set your time to go at the same time you release the insect. How many seconds did it take to get to 2"? 3"? ect.  Do this with other insects. Which one was faster?

Does the insect travel in a pattern?  Does it react to an object in its path?

Meditation:

Sit outside, criss-cross apple sauce breathing in and out.  Feel the wind on your cheeks? Hear the bees buzzing?  What sounds do you hear? What do you feel? Smell?

Reading:

Breakout at the Bug Lab by Ruth Horowitz

Roberto the Insect Architect by Nina Laden

The Magic Schoolbus Inside a Beehive By Joanna Cole