Materials
snow cone machine
ice cubes
flavored juice such as cranberry or lime (colors work great)
cups
spoons
Instructions
1. Place a spiral-bound notebook in the science area next to the bug house
(see page 430). Explain to the children that they can use the notebook to
draw pictures of the bugs in the bug house or write stories about them.
2. Ask the children to help create a notebook label that reads "Bug Journal."
3. Tell the children they can also use the bug journal to practice writing bugrelated
words, such as "bug," "insect," "grass," "wings," "legs," "eyes," and so on.
4. Print the bug-related words on sentence strips and put them in a small
container in the science area. The children can refer to these when writing in
the journal. Add a picture to each sentence strip to aid the children in
reading the words.
5. When a child draws a picture of a bug, encourage her to write a story about
it. Help the children write their stories in the journal.
6. If desired, use a digital or 35-mm camera to take photos of bugs in the bug
house or in their natural environment. Add the photos to the journal and
encourage the children to make up stories about them.
7. Take the bug journal outside so the children can record what they observe
about bugs in nature.
8. Remember to always return bugs to their natural environment after a day of
observing.
More to do Art: Make "bug-eye" glasses. Cut child-sized eye masks from cardstock paper.
Add an elastic band to fit each child"s head. Give each child two chenille stems
to create antennae. Add these to the glasses by punching a hole near the edge
of each side and looping the chenille stem through the hole. Then let the
children decorate their bug eyes as desired. Do not, however, let the children
use glitter. This tends to fall off and might get in the children's eyes.
