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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Huge Unit on Insects

This long visual post highlights my unit on insects.
 Here is how you can do it for your class:

1. Collect dead specimens and put them in tiny boxes. They keep for many years. Look under rocks, under bushes, in the eaves of the garage and keep the porch light on to attract them.

2. Cut up insect books and magazines to make matching cards and corresponding pictures.

3. Draw like a child so your students can copy your master images.

4. Find workbook black line drawings to use as "parts of" masters. Image Google black line spider, for example.

5. Write little descriptions of the bugs for " Who Am I? " cards.

6. Be obsessed with making this unit. Teachers go through "sensitive periods" of learning, also!

7. When it is done you will have this loved unit for many years to make your science area shine!
Parents love doing these works as much as the kids!

Here goes! Remember, I have been teaching for a very long time. This unit evolved over years.

Scorpions / Tarantulas / Spiders














Bees












Butterflies














Cicadas and Cicada Killer Wasps








Ants









Beetles





Grasshoppers






Praying Mantis





Flies






Cricket and Mosquito



Start with one bug that is laying on your porch now.
This tiny, hidden world of insects is all around you.
Observe, collect, and create! 
That is a Montessori teacher.
And have fun! And love bugs!!
Teach your children to observe and love insects, not step on them and scream. 
They will remember these lessons for life.


 I will do a curriculum search for the dead ladybug under your bush :

























15 comments:

  1. Wow there are so many ideas here! Thanks for sharing! :)

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  2. Perfect timing, the boys just spent Saturday with an entomologist. I have the corpses of the dead bugs they have been collecting this summer everywhere. Now I have some ideas of what to do with them :)

    Thank you for blogging! You are one of my absolute, hands down favorites!

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  3. You put a lot of work on this unit!it turned out so well,so much material that the kids can learn from.thank you for sharing with us.
    Now I am on my way out to collect insects and bugs :-)
    Patty

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  4. This is incredible! Yes I am still learning to be a better observer,collector, and planner. Thank you for this beautiful post!! It is amazing how much knowledge you have put into this area of study, in a way that preschoolers can absorb. Thank you again for sharing!!

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  5. Thank you all for the nice comments.
    Obsession is part of being a Montessori teacher, I think. It gets the job done, that's for sure.
    This is a favorite unit and the parents love working with these trays on parent day.

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  6. This is absolutely fabulous. Your collection is inspiring! I will start right away!

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  7. Wow this is amazing!! That's all I can say for now!

    Thanks,

    Heidi
    www.workandplaydaybyday.com

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  8. Wow!! That is an amazing collection! I particularly like the bee section.

    You are so right! It is as easy as stepping out our front door onto the porch!

    Take care,
    Kerri

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  9. I love your units - they're amazing! This is so appealing for any age! Thanks so much for linking it with Montessori Monday. I featured this at the Living Montessori Now Facebook page and added one of your photos and a link at http://livingmontessorinow.com/2011/06/23/montessori-inspired-insect-unit-for-summer-learning-and-fun/

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  10. Thank you, Deb, and all other bug lovers!

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  11. Wow! Great unit, we just are finishing up insects as well, though I'm slightly confused by the spiders, scorpions, etc since they are Arachnida. I'm impressed with all the items you have!

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  12. Oh my goodness, there is so much here! I love it!

    Thanks for linking up to Science Sunday.

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  13. This is so neat! Thanks for the ideas.

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