Last week, we studied the letter I. Since it’s getting to be warmer weather, I thought insects would be the perfect theme to go with the letter I! We enjoyed our week.
You’ll find plenty of activities from other very creative mamas, but I also included some of my own free printables to go with the insect theme. Maybe you could use them, too!
I Work
I Do-a-dot–he decided to connect the capital and lower case i’s
I Tracing–I placed a green dot to show him where to begin with forming his letters. I plan on printing all these tracer pages out, mounting them, and laminating them when I get a “free moment” (What’s a free moment, you might ask…I have no idea).
Writing the letter I on the dry erase board. This is what he wanted to do after he’d finished a couple of activities. He’s definitely taken an interest in writing his letter lately! Yay!
Of course, you can’t forget Starfall!
Insects
The next few printables are ones I made. You can click each title to download.
SNUG AS A BUG IN A RUG Pocket Chart Game
Back in the summer, ALuv did this same game with the -ug family, but we adapted it last week to review some letters/sounds.
Here’s the pocket chart set up (with MBug posing). The object of the game is to hide the bug behind a rug while the child closes his/her eyes. After the child opens his eyes, you give hints as to where the bug is hiding and the child tries to find the bug.
“The bug is hiding behind a rug with a letter that says /n-n-n/.”
MBug was hilarious with this game. She sat in my lap and “helped”. Every time I’d tell NJoy he could open his eyes, and I’d open my mouth to start giving hints, she’d start yelling the letter name: “S! S!” or “N! N!” I guess she really wanted NJoy to find the bug! 🙂
Of course, she couldn’t sit for long. She had to do it, too.
He colored in each page…
and read it to MBug. She wanted to be in charge of turning the pages, so there was some miscommunication. I’m sure that never happens at your house…
There’s also an emergent reader version (with “I see” sentences) on the download.
INSECT BEGINNING LETTER MATCHING
We did the lower case version, but there’s also an upper case version on the download (see below).
ANTS ON A LOG-Pipe Cleaner Counting
Use brown pipe cleaner and pony beads (My intention was to use black beads, but I didn’t have any on hand.) to string “ants” on the “log”.
Once they’re strung, place them on this mat. (reviews numbers 1-12)
Again, MBug had to try her hand at these. I was reluctant since they’re so small, but she spent A LONG TIME filling up this little container, dumping them out, and filling it up again.
FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLEBEE Cutting Practice
I drew the body of a ladybug on red construction paper and he drew the “dots”. (I just love the grip on the marker, don’t you?? Some days he’s got it and some days he just goes for it any way he can!)
The sentence was added to the bottom and we read the words together, pointing to each word.
Insect do-a-dotting with numbers 1-20
What’s Different?-He REALLY likes doing these!
Discovery Toy’s Busy Bug Game-This game touches on color matching and patterns.
Even MBug got in on the color matching
We used the bugs from the DT Bug Game to play on this 20 Grid
Chunky Bug Puzzle-she did this one over and over again
CRAFT: Butterfuly Sun Catchers (Great for Fine Motor)
Putting on butterfly stickers
I shared how I adapted this craft with MBug on my Facebook page. I like to post extra tips and literacy ideas on my FB page.
Tissue paper pieces in the middle (on contact paper)
Put them together and place in a window
Books
MBug’s shelf of books this week-although a spider isn’t an insect, I still included this book on her shelf.
We read several “bug” books this week, including:
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar (Eric Carle)
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The Grouchy Ladybug (Eric Carle)
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The Caterpillar and the Polliwog (Jack Kent)
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The Lamb and the Butterfly (Arnold Sundgaard)
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Over in the Garden (Jennifer Ward)
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I Wish I Were a Butterfly (James Howe)
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Bugs, Beetles, and Butterflies (Harriet Ziefert)
We ended our week by placing an insect on our picture word wall.
This post was linked to Carisa’s I is for Iguana Tot School.
~Becky
I am not able to load the ”I see” file. they ask me to load a million things and I don’t think its safe… is there a better way to do it?
These printables were made before I started placing them on direct download from my blog. I’ll see if I can fix it for you today. Sorry about that. 🙂
Melissa, you should be able to download it directly now. Let me know if you have any problems.
I loved the Early Emergent Reader Insect Book. My One and Two year old classes painted each insect with a different material! We used a q-tip, a comb, a sponge, a comb, a plastic fork, and even a toothbrush! They had so much fun!
Thank you so much for the printables! I teach Pre-K and we’ll be using them soon.
You’re very welcome. 🙂