Building an Insect Zoo Insect Thematic Unit
With over a million different species, insects cover the earth! Although not loved by every teacher, students are usually fascinated with insects! They make an ideal subject for study at almost any time of the year.
Building an Insect Zoo inside your classroom, or homeschool environment, is great fun, and will truly be a hit! Insects are everywhere! Consequently, they will be easy to have on hand for hands-on exploration and discovery learning. The opportunity to observe insects will capture the imagination and attention of your students and takes very little effort.
To create the environment for your little entomologists, your area should have defined areas to study and record. Remember to stock the area with microscopes, magnifying glasses, and other scientific tools.
Provide a few plastic and real insects and a magnifying glass. Plastic insects make perfect models for close examination in a sensory table; live insects in see-through plastic containers add a dimension of reality to this science unit. My students enjoy bringing in specimens to add to the zoo, adding to personal enjoyment and a home/school connection.
I love to feature a science unit that kids love and then take the opportunity to grab students attention for academic subjects. The “Insect Zoo” unit below is divided into areas of literature, music, art, literacy activities/worksheets, math activities/worksheets, creative writing and guided reading. The activities are clearly written, easy to use, and need limited amounts of preparation and leads to a great thematic BUGGY experience.
