Traditionally illustrated children’s book

Plus three interactive worksheets

Will meet multiple NJ DOE CPI # standards for:

Science

Language Arts

Visual Arts

For 1st to 3rd grade (~ages 7-9)

Riverside Elementary School children’s interest in Riverside Elementary School children’s interest in bugsbugs

Termite playgroundTermite playgroundCompost pilesCompost pilesButterfly activitiesButterfly activitiesWorm lessonWorm lesson

Merge of environmental studies, visual arts, Merge of environmental studies, visual arts, literature, & childhood education/developmentliterature, & childhood education/development

Background in bug identificationBackground in bug identification

Relevance to food growthRelevance to food growth

Science in early childhood books (Smardo, 2005)K-3 teachers spend avg. 17 mins on science a dayIsolated group taught with books improved vocabulary, grasped science concepts, and asked questions

Insect science curriculum (Annual Review of Entomology, 1997)

Lists 30 successful, educational, & often used insect booksTrend in books coupled with scientific method & field study

Success of “bug book” genresThe Hungry Little Caterpillar (Carle)Charlotte’s Web (White)Miss Spider’s Tea Party (Kirk)

““An understanding of An understanding of insects is in a sense a insects is in a sense a

prerequisite to a prerequisite to a broader broader

understanding of life.” understanding of life.”

~WJ Fischang~WJ Fischang

A child who hates bugs meets an ant

Ant introduces 3 groups of insects:

Pollinators (bees & butterflies)

Decomposers (worms & termites)

Protectors (ladybugs & spiders)

The life cycle is highlighted

Learns how important bugs are for food growth

Learns to respect animals and the environment

Standards (Science Practice & Life Science)“Handle and treat organisms humanely, responsibly, and ethically.”“Describe the ways in which organisms interact with each other and their habitats in order to meet basic needs.”

WorksheetDraw a diagram of the life cycle.How are decomposers and pollinators a part of food growth?Which insects are helpful to humans or food? Which ones are hurtful?

Standards“Ask and answer questions to help determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases in a text.”“Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or book they are writing about.”

WorksheetWhat is real in the story and what is fake?Vocabulary & spelling wordsWrite about which bug in your book is your favorite and why? How does this bug help or hurt the food that grows in the garden?

Standards“Use symbols to create personal works of art based on selected age-appropriate themes, using oral stories as a basis for pictorial representation.”“Create works of art that are based on observations of the physical world.”

WorksheetCan you identify this bug? Draw what is missing on this bug.Draw your perfect garden and what bugs would live there.

Teachers of many subjects can use book in collaboration

Hope to spread to other schools beyond Riverside

Does not necessarily need a garden

With garden, hands-on activities could be created

Could potentially lead to a series of garden adventures

More lesson plans created for this book (other curriculums)

Model replicated if successful““Teaching a child not Teaching a child not

to step on a caterpillar to step on a caterpillar is as valuable to the is as valuable to the

child as it is to the child as it is to the caterpillar.”  ~Bradley caterpillar.”  ~Bradley

MillarMillar

Carle, Eric. The Very Busy Spider. New York: Philomel Books, 1984. Gibbons, Gale. The Honey Makers. New York: Harper Collins, 1997. Hovanec, Erin. I Wonder What It's Like to Be an Ant. New York: Powerkids Press, 2000. Matthews, Robert W., Lynda R. Flage, and Janice R. Matthews. “Insects as Teach Tools in Primary and Secondary Education”. Annual Review of Entomology. Department of Entomology, The University of Georgia: Athens, GA. 1996. Vol. 42: 269-289.  Pranis, Eve. “Insect Appeal: Getting to Food by Studying Bugs”. KidGardening.Org. Web. <http://www.kidsgardening.com/Dig/DigDetail.taf?ID=1119&Type=Art> Smardo, Frances A. “Using Children's Literature to Clarify Science Concepts in Early Childhood Programs”. The Reading Teacher. International Reading Association: 2005. Vol. 36, No. 3. 267-273. State of New Jersey – Department of Education. “New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards”. Web. < http://www.njcccs.org/search.aspx> “ ‘Teacher’s Pests’ Lessons Plans”. Terminix Insect Education. Web. <http://www.terminix.com/Information/Teachers>  University Games. Do I Bug You: A ‘Who am I?’ Book. University Games: 2007. University of Washington Botanic Gardens. “Garden Insect Identification”, Web. <http://depts.washington.edu/hortlib/resources/hort_web_sites/plant_id.php>