The Clothes Study Investigating the Topic
AT A GLANCE
Vocabulary—English: insect, stinger, defend, research, words related to insect collecting supplies, e.g., observation bins, nets, etc. Spanish: insecto, aguijón, defender, investigar, palabras relacionadas con artículos para recoger insectos, e.g., recipientes de observación, redes, etc.
Exploring the Topic
What do we know about insects? What do we want to nd out?
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Make Time for…
Interest Areas
Toys and Games: photos of
insects, realistic toy insects
Discovery: insect collecting
equipment, photos of insects
Library: nonction books with
photos or realistic illustrations
of insects; pictures from today’s
walk; magnifying glasses;
materials to make a journal
Technology: websites that oer
guidance on how to care for
insects
Discovery: insect habitats and supplies,
plastic insects
Outdoor Experiences
• Identify areas in the outdoor play area
or around the school where insects
might be found. Lead children to these
areas during insect hunts.
Physical Fun
• Review Intentional Teaching Card P20
“Body Shapes & Sizes.” Follow the
guidance on the card.
Family Partnerships
• Introduce the study to families by
sending a letter of explanation. Ask
them to bring in items related to
insects (e.g., books or photos of
insects, insect catching supplies).
• Encourage children and family
members to bring books about insects
or supplies for catching or looking
at insects to add to the classroom
collection.
• Invite families to assist with
supervision during site visits.
Wow! Experiences
• Day 3: Walk around the school to look
for insects.
Preparing for the Week:
• Prepare in advance by bookmarking
appropriate, child-friendly websites
with information about the needs of
a few of the most commonly-found
insects in your area.
• Create a list with photos of insects that
are not safe to collect. Keep the chart
posted throughout the study. Refer to
the chart before each insect walk.
Question of the Day
What is this? (Show a picture
of an insect.)
Which is bigger? (Show a
picture of an animal, such as
a girae and a picture of an
insect, such as a ladybug.)
Did you see an insect today? Which of these is an insect?
(Show two to three photos, e.g.,
y, earthworm, centipede, etc.)
What insect would you like to collect on
our walk?
Large Group
Game: My Name, Too!
Discussion and Shared
Writing:
What Is an Insect?
Materials: Mighty Minutes 35,
“My Name, Too!”; photos
of familiar insects or realistic
toy insects
Movement: Syllable Stroll
Discussion and Shared
Writing:
How to Observe and
Catch Insects Safely
Materials: Mighty Minutes 155,
“Syllable Stroll”; materials
used for collecting insects;
photos of insects
Game: Rolling With It
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Taking a Walk to Observe Insects
Materials: Mighty Minute 135,
“Rolling With It”; materials for
observational drawings; camera
Song: Oh, Dear! What Can the
Matter Be?
Discussion and Shared Writing:
How Do We Care for the Insects
We Collect?
Materials: Mighty Minutes
93, “Oh, Dear! What Can the
Matter Be?”; photos taken on
walk the day before; insect eld
guides
Movement: Leaping Sounds
Discussion and Shared Writing: Taking
a Walk to Collect Insects
Materials: Mighty Minutes 17, “Leaping
Sounds”; insect collection supplies
Read-Aloud
Nonction selection from the
“Children’s Books” list that
features insects
Nonction selection from the
“Children’s Books” list that
features dierent kinds of
insects
Under the Lemon Moon
Book Discussion Card 53 (rst
read-aloud)
Poetry book from the
“Children’s Books” list that
features insects
Selection from the “Children’s Books”
list about feelings and friendship
Small Group
Option 1: Jumping Beans
Intentional Teaching Card
LL05, “Jumping Beans”; 26
bean-shaped cards with letters
(construction paper; markers;
scissors; lamination supplies);
large can
Option 2: Walk a Letter
Intentional Teaching Card
LL17, “Walk a Letter”;
masking tape, alphabet cards
or chart
Option 1: Lining It Up
Intentional Teaching Card M31,
“Lining It Up”; collection of
objects to be arranged by size
Option 2: Hu & Pu
Intentional Teaching Card
M26, “Hu & Pu”; small,
lightweight balls; standard and
nonstandard measuring tools to
measure distance
Option 1: Balancing Act
Intentional Teaching Card M49,
“Balancing Act”; baggies; various
ll materials; balance scale
Option 2: Missing Lids
Intentional Teaching Card M58,
“Missing Lids”; containers of
various sizes and shapes with lids
Option 1: Number Line Hop
Intentional Teaching Card M91,
“Number Line Hop”; masking
tape or chalk; numeral cards 1-20
Option 2: Shake, Rattle, and Roll
Intentional Teaching Card M61,
“Shake, Rattle, and Roll”;
ve blank-faced cubes; shape
stickers; parquetry or pattern
blocks; container with lid; tape;
paper plates
Option 1: Stick Letters
Intentional Teaching Card LL28, “Stick
Letters”; sticks; alphabet cards
Option 2: Making My Name
Review Intentional Teaching Card LL29,
“Making My Name”; marker; small,
sturdy envelopes; letter manipulatives
Mighty Minutes
™
Mighty Minutes 102,
“Ten Wiggly Steps”
Mighty Minutes 108,
“Blow Away Dandelions”
Mighty Minutes 153,
“Washing Machine”
Mighty Minutes 44,
“Two Plump Armadillos”
Mighty Minutes 89, “We Like Clapping”
© 2016 Teaching Strategies, LLC. Teaching Strategies and The Creative Curriculum names and logo and Mighty Minutes name are registered trademarks of Teaching Strategies, LLC, Bethesda, MD.
The Clothes Study Investigating the Topic
AT A GLANCE
Vocabulary—English: jointed legs, segments, language, communicate, gesture, colony Spanish: patas articuladas, segmentos, idioma, comunicación, gesto, colonia
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Make Time for…
Interest Areas
Music and Movement: video
of insect climbing over an
obstacle; cushions or pillows
Music and Movement:
photos and videos of insects
moving in dierent ways, e.g.,
crawling, hopping, ying, etc.
Art: photos taken of insects seen
in our community, bookmaking
materials
Technology: videos of insects
communicating using lights, colors,
touch, or dance
Technology: images and video
recordings of insects working together
Outdoor Experiences
• Take a boom box outdoors on a nice
day to listen to music and invite
children to dance and move like insects.
• Take insect collecting supplies, e.g.,
tweezers, nets, enclosures, magnifying
glasses, etc. outdoors for children to
collect insects to observe closely.
• Invite children to observe insects
working together, e.g., place small
pieces of food near anthills and watch to
see whether ants are attracted to it and
how they use it. Encourage children to
observe from a safe distance and make
observational drawings of what they
notice. Take photos of video recordings
to examine closely.
Physical Fun
• Review Intentional Teaching Card P23,
“Ways to Travel.” Follow the guidance
on the card and incorporate moves like
insects.
Family Partnerships
• Invite families to talk with children
about the insects they see around their
community, including which are safe
to touch and which should be observed
from a safe distance.
Wow! Experiences
• Invite family members to visit the
classroom to talk about their work or
hobbies with plants and insects.
Question of the Day
How are these insects alike?
(Show two photos of insects.)
How far can you jump?
(Provide masking tape to
mark the “starting line” and
where children land. Support
them to write their name on
the tape.)
What sounds can you make with
your hands?
What does this mean? (Show a
picture of a common gesture.)
How many people do you live with?
Large Group
Song: Hickory Dickory Dock
Discussion and Shared
Writing:
How Do Insects Look
the Same?
Materials: Mighty Minutes
80, “Hickory Dickory Dock”;
photos of insects
Movement: Blast O
Discussion and Shared
Writing:
How Do Insects
Move?
Materials: Mighty Minutes
170, “Blast O”; collection of
plastic or plush insects; photos
of insects
Movement: High in the Tree
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Insect Communication
Materials: Mighty Minutes 51,
“High in the Tree”; audio clip of
crickets chirping; book or video
clip showing how crickets use their
bodies to chirp
Movement: Animal Ride
Discussion and Shared Writing:
How Do Insects Communicate
Without Sounds?
Materials: Mighty Minutes 159,
“Animal Ride”; ashlights; colorful
fabric scraps, crayons or markers
Movement: Hop the Circle
Discussion and Shared Writing:
How Do Insects Work Together?
Materials: Mighty Minutes 144, “Hop
the Circle”; classroom set of wooden
blocks; two containers; photos of
insects working together, e.g., ants
carrying food, creating a bridge, etc.
Read-Aloud
Nonction book from the
“Children’s Books” list
featuring insects
Under the Lemon Moon
Book Discussion Card 53
(second read-aloud)
Highlights High Five Bilingüe™,
¡Diviértanse!/Have Fun!
Book Conversation Card 04
Reread the book from Day 1
about insects
Under the Lemon Moon
Book Discussion Card 53
(third read-aloud)
Small Group
Option 1: Reading Nonfiction
Books
Intentional Teaching Card
LL66, “Reading Nonction
Books”; collection of
nonction books
Option 2: Will You Read to Me?
Intentional Teaching Card
LL64, “Will You Read to
Me?”; collection of familiar
books
Option 1: Measure and
Compare
Intentional Teaching Card
M12, “Measure and
Compare”; nonstandard
measuring tools
Option 2: Pendulum Power
Intentional Teaching Card
M83, “Pendulum Power”;
nylon stockings; tennis balls;
blocks; cardboard boxes;
collection of paper tubes; two
chairs; broom or mop
Option 1: Making a Birdfeeder
Intentional Teaching Card LL73,
“Birdfeeder”; pre-made birdfeeder;
birdseed
Option 2: Making a Birdfeeder
Intentional Teaching Card LL73,
“Birdfeeder”; birdseed; materials to
make a birdfeeder; string; ceramic
or clay saucer; tape
Option 1: Secret Numbers
Intentional Teaching Card M37,
“Secret Numbers”; two sets of either
quantity cards; numeral/quantity
cards; or numeral cards
Option 2: Marble Mat
Intentional Teaching Card M82,
“Marble Mat”; bath mat with
suction cups aligned in rows;
numeral cards 1-20; marbles;
masking tape
Option 1: Action Patterns
Intentional Teaching Card M35,
“Action Patterns”; action cards;
pocket chart
Option 2: Pots and Pans Band
Intentional Teaching Card M80,
“Pots & Pans Band”; variety of pots,
pans, and bowls; wooden spoons;
plastic spatulas
Mighty Minutes
™
Mighty Minutes 193, “Where’s
the Dragony?”
Mighty Minutes 59, “Clap
the Beat”
Mighty Minutes 22, “Hot or Cold
3D Shapes”
Mighty Minutes 95,
“Sorting Syllables”
Mighty Minutes 12, “Ticky Ricky”
Investigation 1
What are the characteristics of insects?
© 2016 Teaching Strategies, LLC. Teaching Strategies and The Creative Curriculum names and logo and Mighty Minutes name are registered trademarks of Teaching Strategies, LLC, Bethesda, MD.
The Clothes Study Investigating the Topic
AT A GLANCE
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Make Time for…
Interest Areas
Dramatic Play: sports
equipment, protective clothing,
fabric in colors similar to those
in the classroom or outdoor
play area; camera
Technology: photos and videos
of insects on plants
and owers
Discovery: drinking straws; staple
remover; fruit juice or nectar;
fresh fruit; illustrations or videos
of insects eating
Library: books, magazines, and
Internet articles about monarch
butteries’ migration; monarch
migratory maps
Block: photos of anthills, beehives,
wasp nests, etc., and building
materials, e.g., paper towel rolls, shoe
boxes, tape, glue, etc.
Outdoor Experiences
• Put a dish of a variety of foods
outdoors to see which attract insects.
• Provide supplies to create a buttery
feeder, i.e., a large, at dish that can
be elevated or hung, kitchen sponges,
fruit slices, sugar and water (1 part
sugar to 10 parts water).
– Stir the sugar into the water and
arrange sponges on the dish with a
few slices of fresh fruit.
– Invite children to decide where the
buttery feeder should be placed,
ideally, near the insect garden and
visible from the classroom. Consider
hanging or placing the dish on an
elevated surface.
– Help children to pour or scoop the
sugar-water solution over the sponges.
• Plant monarch-friendly plants such
as milkweed, chives, or salvia in the
insect garden. Note: milkweed is toxic
if consumed in large amounts, so consider
planting milkweed within view, but out of
children’s reach, like in a hanging planter.
Physical Fun
• Review Intentional Teaching Card P41,
“e Tortoise & the Hare.” Follow the
guidance on the card.
Family Partnerships
• Invite family members to visit the
classroom to talk about their work or
hobbies with plants.
Wow! Experiences
• Day 2: Classroom visit from a person
who works in a nursery (or site visit to
a nursery)
Question of the Day
What do you wear on a
cold day?
Can you nish the ower
pattern? (Display photos of
owers in dierent colors.
Provide markers.)
What do you like to eat? How did you get to school today? Which tower is taller? (Display two
towers made of blocks.)
Large Group
Game: Persnickety Patterns
Discussion and Shared
Writing:
How Do Insects
Protect emselves?
Materials: Mighty Minutes
167, “Persnickety Patterns”;
sports equipment; protective
clothing; close-up photos
of insects with interesting
exoskeletons; camera
Song: Hi-Ho, the Derry-O
Discussion and Shared
Writing:
Site Visit or Visitor
from a Nursery
Materials: Mighty Minutes 23,
“Hi-Ho, the Derry-O”; photos
of insects or toy insects to sort
Game: I’m inking Of…
Discussion and Shared Writing:
What Insects Like to Eat
Materials: Mighty Minutes 18,
“I’m inking Of...”; close-up
photos of insects’ heads and
proboscises and mandibles;
orange juice and orange
segments; drinking straw and
claw-style staple remover
Song: Days of the Week
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Insect Migration
Materials: Mighty Minutes 149,
“Willy’s Week”; 2-3 sheets of paper;
stamps; inkpads; book or magazine
that describes how monarch
butteries migrate
Movement: e Feelings Dance
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Insects at Build
Materials: Mighty Minutes 142, “e
Feelings Dance”; photos of structures
created by insects; materials to create
a nest similar to those in the photos,
e.g., paper towel rolls, glue, etc.
Read-Aloud
Nonction selection that
shows how insects protect and
camouage themselves from
the “Children’s Books” list
A rhyming book from the
“Children’s Books” list ;
Intentional Teaching Card
LL10, “Rhyming Chart”
Reread the nonction book
from Day 1 that shows how
insects protect and camouage
themselves.
An alphabet book from the
“Children’s Books” list that
features insects
Bravo, Chico Canta! Bravo
Book Discussion Card 54
(rst read-aloud)
Small Group
Option 1: Memory Games
Intentional Teaching Card
LL08, “Memory Games”;
memory or lotto game
Option 2: Memory Games
Intentional Teaching Card
LL08, “Memory Games”;
memory game created with
photos of insects observed on
walks
Option 1: Did You Ever See…?
Intentional Teaching Card
LL14, “Did You Ever See…?”;
pictures of insects; audio
recorder
Option 2: Rhyming Tubs
Intentional Teaching Card LL44,
“Rhyming Tubs”; plastic tub;
bag or small box; pairs of small
toys with names that rhyme
Option 1: Dinnertime
Intentional Teaching Card M01,
“Dinnertime”; paper or plastic
dishes; napkins; utensils; cups;
placemats
Option 2: Garden Party
Intentional Teaching Card M86,
“Garden Party”; nontoxic potting
soil; gardening tools; nontoxic
houseplants; ower pots or paper
cups; craft sticks; plastic covering
Option 1: Picture Walk and Talk
Intentional Teaching Card LL77,
“Picture Walk & Talk”; familiar
storybooks from the classroom
library
Option 2: Clothesline Storytelling
Intentional Teaching Card LL33,
“Clothesline Storytelling”;
storybook with simple plot;
lamination supplies; clothesline;
clothespins; paper star; blank paper
and markers; large baggie
Option 1: Tallying
Intentional Teaching Card M06,
“Tallying”; clipboard; paper; pencils
or crayons
Option 2: Tallying
Intentional Teaching Card M06,
“Tallying”; clipboard; paper; pencils
or crayons; photos of insects that
build nests and those that do not
build nests
Mighty Minutes
™
Mighty Minutes 157, “Up &
Down on the Seesaw”
Mighty Minutes 32, “Walk
the Line”
Mighty Minutes 84, “Let’s
Make Letters”
Mighty Minutes 140,
“Action Counting”
Mighty Minutes 151,
“Syllable Surprise”
Vocabulary—English: predator, exterior, habitat, mandible, proboscis, migrate, climates, construct Spanish: depredador, exterior, hábitat, mandíbula, probóscide, emigrar, climas, construir
Investigation 2
Where do insects live? How do they live?
© 2016 Teaching Strategies, LLC. Teaching Strategies and The Creative Curriculum names and logo and Mighty Minutes name are registered trademarks of Teaching Strategies, LLC, Bethesda, MD.
The Clothes Study Investigating the Topic
AT A GLANCE
Vocabulary—English: inspect, indigenous, range Spanish: inspeccionar, autóctono, gama
Investigation 3
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Make Time for…
Interest Areas
Library: class insect book;
observational drawings
Discovery: insect eld guides;
magnifying glasses; photos
of indigenous insects taken
during the insect hunt on
Day 1; photos of
nonindigenous insects
Library: science journals;
writing materials
Toys and Games: photos of insects
that were observed in
your community
Art: photos of some of the world’s
largest insects, e.g., Goliath beetles,
giant weta, Queen Alexandra’s
Birdwing; play dough
Outdoor Experiences
• Invite children to collect insects for
the classroom once a week. Provide
insect-catching supplies and use hula
hoops to focus children’s observations.
Remind children that the insects will
be released the next day.
• Invite children to look closely at
the plants, especially in the insect
garden for evidence of insects in
our community, i.e., chewed leaves,
anthills, wasp nests.
• Take magnifying glasses, children’s
science journals, paper, markers or
crayons, and insect-catching supplies
each day to encourage children to hunt
for insects independently.
Physical Fun
• Review Intentional Teaching Card
P40, “Nature Painting.” Follow the
guidance on the card and encourage
children to gather art materials while
outdoors looking for insects.
Family Partnerships
• Invite families to talk with children
about how to safely capture insects
for observation and how to release the
insects back into nature the next day.
Wow! Experiences
• Day 1 and Day 2: Walk around the
outdoor play area or around the school
to look for insects.
• Invite a science teacher or professor to
visit the classroom next week. Ask the
visitor to bring microscopes, prepared
slides of small insects or insect body
parts; insect-collecting equipment; and
insect specimens.
Question of the Day
What is this picture of?
(Display an extreme close-up
picture of an insect’s body, e.g.,
eyes, leg, wing, etc.)
Where should we look for
insects today?
What is the weather like today? What colors do you see on this
insect? (Display a photo of an
insect observed on a recent insect
hunt.)
Which weighs more? (Provide two
small items, e.g., a hollow plastic ball
and a marble; balance scale.)
Large Group
Movement: Silly Dance
Discussion and Shared
Writing:
Identifying the Insects
in Our Community
Materials: Mighty Minutes
106, “Silly Dance”; insect eld
guides; sticky notes; hula
hoops; materials to make
observational drawings; camera;
magnifying glasses
Movement: Creeping Ladybug
Discussion and Shared
Writing:
Looking for Insects
Materials: Mighty Minutes
174 “Creeping Ladybug”;
photos from Day 1 and of
nonindigenous insects; insect
eld guides; sticky notes;
hula hoops; materials to
make observational drawings;
camera; magnifying glasses
Song: Strolling rough the Park
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Do We See Dierent Insects at
Dierent Times?
Materials: Mighty Minutes 46,
“Strolling rough the Park”; a
child’s garment appropriate for
the day’s weather; two child’s
garments inappropriate for the
day’s weather; photos taken on
insect hunts on Days 1 and 2
Game: I Spy With My Little Eye
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Where Have We Seen Insects?
Materials: Mighty Minutes 19, “I
Spy With My Little Eye”; map of
where insects have been observed
(created earlier in the week); photos
of insects taken during insect hunts;
bag or box
Game: Come Play With Me
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Biggest and Smallest Insects
Materials: Mighty Minutes 42, “Come
Play With Me”; sticky notes; markers;
life-size photos of some of the largest
insects in the world; ruler; hollow
plastic ball; heavy marble
Read-Aloud
Book from the “Children’s
Books” list that features insects
Highlights High Five Bilingüe™,
¡Diviértanse!/Have Fun!
Book Conversation Card 04
Bravo, Chico Canta! Bravo!
Book Discussion Card 54
(second read-aloud)
Read Insect Quest: Hide and Seek. A storybook from the “Children’s
Books” list that features insects
Small Group
Option 1: Picture Patterns
Intentional Teaching Card M45,
“Picture Patterns”; book or
collection of photos or objects
that have patterns; camera;
paper and writing materials;
collage materials
Option 2: Patterns Under Cover
Intentional Teaching Card
M38, “Patterns Under Cover”;
counters in a variety of colors;
paper cup; cardboard divider
Option 1: Straw Shapes
Intentional Teaching Card M42,
“Straw Shapes”; geometric
shapes; drinking straws cut to
dierent lengths; pipe cleaners;
paper; pencil or crayons
Option 2: Buried Shapes
Intentional Teaching Card
M30, “Buried Shapes”; card
stock; attribute blocks; three
containers; glue; sandbox or
tub of sand; small brushes
Option 1: Rhyming Chart
Intentional Teaching Card LL10,
“Rhyming Chart”; “Itsy Bitsy
Spider” written on chart paper;
props that illustrate the song
Option 2: Same Sound Sort
Intentional Teaching Card LL12,
“Same Sound Sort”; variety of
objects (some with names that
begin with the same sound); a
cardboard box or bag
Option 1: Observing Insect Life
Intentional Teaching Card LL74,
“Observing Insect Life”; magniers
or magnifying insect catchers
Option 2: Observing Insect Life
Intentional Teaching Card LL74,
“Observing Insect Life”; photos
of insects observed; magniers or
magnifying insect catchers
Option 1: Book Reviews
Intentional Teaching Card LL68, “Book
Reviews”; book with a review on
the back; books from the classroom
collection; writing tools; clear contact
paper
Option 2: Author & Illustrator
Intentional Teaching Card LL69, “Author
& Illustrator”; storybook in which the
author and illustrator are dierent; card
stock; paper; pencils, crayons, or markers;
bookbinding supplies
Mighty Minutes
™
Mighty Minutes 88,
“Disappearing Rhymes”
Mighty Minutes 196,
“Howling at the Moon”
Mighty Minutes 178,
“Happy Moths”
Mighty Minutes 37, “Little Ball” Mighty Minutes 50, “1, 2, 3, What
Do I See?”
What insects are in our community?
© 2016 Teaching Strategies, LLC. Teaching Strategies and The Creative Curriculum names and logo and Mighty Minutes name are registered trademarks of Teaching Strategies, LLC, Bethesda, MD.
The Clothes Study Investigating the Topic
AT A GLANCE
Vocabulary—English: metamorphosis, larva, molt, stage Spanish: metamorfosis, larva, mudar, etapa
Investigation 4
How do insects change?
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
Make Time for…
Interest Areas
Library: books (ction and
nonction) about insects
growing and changing
Discovery: photos of adult
insects and their eggs;
books that show pictures
or illustrations of insects
hatching from eggs
Discovery: close-up photos
of cocoons; videos or photos
of insects forming a cocoon;
magnifying glasses
Discovery: photos of insects at
various stages of development; photos
of insect habitats, i.e., pond, grass,
trees, sky
Outdoors: microscope; sign-making
materials, writing materials
Outdoor Experiences
Physical Fun
• Review Intentional Teaching Card P35,
“Stand Up & Dance.” Follow the
guidance on the card and incorporate
movement similar to the way insects
move.
Family Partnerships
• Invite families to talk with children
about looking for insects at dierent
stages of development (e.g., egg, larva,
pupa, adult) during walks or in books,
magazines online.
• Invite family members who work with
insects to visit the classroom.
Wow! Experiences
• Day 5: Classroom visit from a science
teacher or professor who specializes
in insects.
• Arrange to have an exterminator and
a gardener visit the classroom next
week. Encourage the visitors to bring
equipment and for the gardener to
bring plants that attract insects.
Question of the Day
How do we nish the pattern?
(Display photos of a baby,
a child, an adult, and an
elderly person. Remove two
or more photos.)
Which of these is a baby
insect? (Display three photos,
e.g., a mature beetle, a beetle
larva, and an adult mosquito.)
How many layers of clothes are
you wearing?
Which book should we read aloud
today? (Display three familiar books
and provide sticky notes for voting.)
What should we ask our visitor?
Large Group
Movement: Echo Clapping
Discussion and Shared
Writing:
Life Cycle of Insects
Materials: Mighty Minutes 26,
“Echo Clapping”; nonction
and ction books that features
the life cycle of insects
(especially metamorphosis)
Movement: e Name Dance
Discussion and Shared
Writing:
Baby Insects
Materials: Mighty Minutes
60, “e Name Dance”;
photos of dierent types of
metamorphosis;. picture books
with metamorphosis
Song: Abby Had an Anteater
Discussion and Shared Writing:
How Do Insects’ Bodies Change
During Metamorphosis?
Materials: Use Mighty Minutes
103, “Abby Had an Anteater”;
photos of insects molting; buttery
life cycle display
Movement: Metamorphosis
Discussion and Shared Writing: Life
Cycle Stages
Materials: Mighty Minutes 133,
“Metamorphosis”; photos from
Day 2; photos of a termite and a
grasshopper’s life cycle; magazines;
chart paper with four sections, labeled
“baby,” “child,” “adult,” and “elderly”
Movement: Body Patterns
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Class Visitor
Materials: Mighty Minutes 36,
“Body Patterns”; children’s science
journals
Read-Aloud
e Grouchy Ladybug
See Book Discussion Card 14
for guidance.
Bravo, Chico Canta! Bravo!
Book Discussion Card 54
(third read-aloud)
Highlights High Five Bilingüe™,
¡Vamos!/Let’s Go!
Book Conversation Card 06
Read the book that the children
chose during the question of the day.
A Spoon for Every Bite
Book Discussion Card 55 (rst read-
aloud)
Small Group
Option 1: Can You Find It?
Intentional Teaching Card
M51, “Can You Find It?”;
small classroom objects
Option 2: Treasure Hunt
Intentional Teaching Card M87,
“Treasure Hunt”; treasure
items; paper and pencils
Option 1: Exploring Pathways
Intentional Teaching Card P12,
“Exploring Pathways”; long
scarf or ribbon; carpet squares
or tape marks on the oor;
music recording or CD
Option 2: Ways to Travel
Intentional Teaching Card P23,
“Ways to Travel”
Option 1: Tap It, Clap It, Stomp It,
Jump It
Intentional Teaching Card LL52,
“Tap It, Clap It, Stomp It, Jump It”;
name card for each child; chart with
lyrics to “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
Option 2: Tap It, Clap It, Stomp It,
Jump It
Intentional Teaching Card LL52,
“Tap It, Clap It, Stomp It, Jump It”;
name card for each child; chart with
lyrics to “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
Option 1: Count and Trace
Intentional Teaching Card M93,
“Count and Trace”; numeral-quantity
cards 1-10; assorted items to trace
Option 2: Fruit Smoothies
Intentional Teaching Card M67, “Fruit
Smoothies”; ingredients; blender;
plastic knives; photos of the fruits’
seeds, buds, and unripened stage
Option 1: Silly Names
Intentional Teaching Card LL19,
“Silly Names”; chart paper; sentence
strips or sticky notes
Option 2: Silly Names
Intentional Teaching Card LL19,
“Silly Names”; chart paper; sentence
strips or sticky notes
Mighty Minutes
™
Mighty Minutes 04, “Riddle
Dee Dee”
Mighty Minutes 124,
“Number Dice”
Mighty Minutes 134, “Time’s Up!” Mighty Minutes 81,
“Humpty Dumpty”
Mighty Minutes 173,
“Tiny Teamwork”
© 2016 Teaching Strategies, LLC. Teaching Strategies and The Creative Curriculum names and logo and Mighty Minutes name are registered trademarks of Teaching Strategies, LLC, Bethesda, MD.
The Clothes Study Investigating the Topic
AT A GLANCE
Vocabulary—English: cautious, pest, photography, benefit Spanish: cauteloso, plaga, fotografía, beneficiar
Investigation 5
Who works with insects?
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
Make Time for…
Interest Areas
Dramatic Play: materials similar to what the
children will see at the site visit; plastic or plush
insects; paper; markers, crayons, or pencils;
photos taken during the site visit
Library: books about people
whose work involves insects
Outdoors: magnifying glasses;
science journals; writing
materials; camera
Discovery: plant samples from
outdoors, captured insects,
magnifying glasses
Outdoor Experiences
• Take toy cameras, real (or toy) insects,
paper, crayons and markers outdoors
to document insects are found.
• Take magnifying glasses, insect eld
guides, measuring tools, and insect
capturing materials outdoors to
continue observing, naming, and
capturing insects.
Physical Fun
• Review Intentional Teaching Card P06,
“Catching With a Scoop.” Follow the
guidance on the card.
Family Partnerships
• Invite family members to assist with
supervision on the site visit to the
museum.
Wow! Experiences
• Day 1: Site visit to a museum where
insect specimens are features, and/or
with living insect habitats
• Day 2: Classroom visit from an
exterminator
• Day 3: Insect walk with cameras to
capture insects in action
• Day 4: Classroom visit from a gardener
• Prepare for next week by seeking places
around the school where children
might observe insects decomposing
organic materials.
Question of the Day
What would you like to ask on the site visit? What should we ask our visitor? Which of these is a photograph?
(Display a photo, a drawing, and a
sculpture of the same subject, e.g.,
insect, ower, or apple.)
What do we see growing outside?
Large Group
Movement: Here Is the Beehive
Discussion and Shared Writing: Site Visit to a
Museum
Materials: Mighty Minutes 79, “Here Is the
Beehive”; list of questions generated during
previous day’s large-group roundup; materials to
make observational drawings
Movement: Persnickety Patterns
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Visit From an Exterminator
Materials: Mighty Minutes 167,
“Persnickety Patterns”; photos of
insects that are considered pests; camera
Poem: A Chat With a Cat
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Insect Photography Walk
Materials: Mighty Minutes 165, “A
Chat With a Cat”; several cameras
for children to take pictures of
insects on their walk
Song: Take a Tuneful Turn
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Visit From a Gardener
Materials: Mighty Minutes 146,
“Take a Tuneful Turn”; equipment
similar to the tools used by the
gardener; benecial insects; plants
that attract insects; camera
Read-Aloud
Read a ction book from the “Children’s Books”
list that features the people who study insects.
A Spoon for Every Bite
Book Discussion Card 55
(second read-aloud)
Selection of ction book from the
“Children’s Books” list
Highlights High Five Bilingüe™,
¡Vamos!/Let’s Go!
Book Conversation Card 06
Small Group
Option 1: Asking Questions
Intentional Teaching Card LL54, “Asking
Questions”; chart paper; markers
Option 2: Sticky Tables
Intentional Teaching Card LL75, “Sticky Tables”;
rolls of masking tape; chart paper; markers
Option 1: My Clothes Today
Intentional Teaching Card LL71,
“My Clothes Today”; large mirror;
paper; crayons or markers; index
cards with color and clothing words
and pictures
Option 2: Shaving Cream Letters
Intentional Teaching Card LL13,
“Shaving Cream Letters”; shaving
cream; art smocks
Option 1: Number Cards
Intentional Teaching Card M04,
“Number Cards”; set of cards with
a numeral and its number word on
one side; a corresponding number
of dots
Option 2: Ping-Pong Pick-Up
Intentional Teaching Card M79,
“Ping-Pong Pick-Up”; ping pong
balls (each with a numeral written
on it); tongs; small net; ladle; water;
water table
Option 1: Sink or Float?
Intentional Teaching Card M81,
“Sink or Float?”; plastic oor
covering; large, clear containers of
water; two trays or plates; variety
of objects that might sink or oat;
paper; pencils
Option 2: Dig It!
Intentional Teaching Card M89,
“Dig It!”; sensory table or bin;
sand; collection of small objects;
sifters, sieves, rakes, slotted spoons,
strainers
Mighty Minutes
™
Mighty Minutes 75, “Busy Bees” Mighty Minutes 161,
“Baxter the Black Dog”
Mighty Minutes 136,
“e Sneaky Cockroach”
Mighty Minutes 163,
“Sandy Seashore”
© 2016 Teaching Strategies, LLC. Teaching Strategies and The Creative Curriculum names and logo and Mighty Minutes name are registered trademarks of Teaching Strategies, LLC, Bethesda, MD.
The Clothes Study Investigating the Topic
AT A GLANCE
Vocabulary—English: pollen, environment, decomposition, healthy, honeycomb Spanish: polen, medio ambiente, descomposición, sano, panal
How do insects help the earth?
Investigation 6
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4
Make Time for…
Interest Areas
Discovery: owers with pollen; photos of insects
covered in pollen; books that feature insects’ role
in pollination; magnifying glasses; paper plates
or coee lters; colored chalk; at objects
Art: large piece of butcher paper;
markers or crayons; photos of insects;
pictures of murals
Art: large piece of butcher paper;
markers or crayons; photos of
insects; pictures of murals
Cooking: bottle of honey; plain
yogurt; lemonade (without sweetener),
or pieces of fruit, corn syrup, or
maple syrup
Outdoor Experiences
• Take magnifying glasses and children’s
science journals outdoors to observe
and make observational drawings of
owers with pollen and of insects
helping with pollination.
• Place a very ripe banana outdoors
and invite children to observe how
insects help with its decomposition
over time. Encourage children to make
observational changes of the banana’s
decomposition.
Physical Fun
• Review Intentional Teaching Card P09,
“Up and Away.” Follow the guidance
on the card.
Family Partnerships
• Invite family members to talk with
children about pollen and the insects
that help with pollination.
Wow! Experiences
• Day 2: Take a walk to look for
evidence of insects decomposing
organic material.
Question of the Day
How many owers do you see? (Display a vase
of owers, or a small owering plant.)
Which of these lives in the ground?
(Display three photos of insects, e.g.,
ants, ies, praying mantises.)
What did you eat for breakfast? What is this? (Display a picture or a
piece of a real honeycomb.)
Large Group
Song: Sleepy Bluebird
Discussion and Shared Writing: Pollination
Materials: Mighty Minutes 169, “Sleepy
Bluebird”; real owers with noticeable pollen;
magnifying glasses; close-up photo of insects
covered in pollen; chalk dust; stickers; plates or
coee lters;
Movement: Tightrope Walking
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Decomposition
Materials: Mighty Minutes 187, “Tightrope
Walking”; photos take on Day 2 of
Investigation 2; children’s science journals;
camera; observational drawing materials
Movement: High Knees
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Ladybugs and Aphids
Materials: Mighty Minutes 180,
“High Knees”; real rose branch with
a rosebud and a mature rose (or
photos of roses); photos of roses with
aphids; photos from the gardener’s
visit on Day 4 of Investigation 5;
photos of benecial insects
Movement: Hippity, Hoppity,
How Many?
Discussion and Shared Writing:
Bees and Honey
Materials: Mighty Minutes 07,
“Hippity, Hoppity, How Many?”;
photos of bees making a beehive;
bees pollinating owers; beekeepers;
magnifying glasses; honeycomb (real
or photo); book that illustrates how
beehives and honey are made
Read-Aloud
A Spoon for Every Bite
Book Discussion Card 55 (third read-aloud)
Read a storybook from the
“Children’s Books” list.
Read Who Lives in Trees? from the
Teaching Strategies Children's Book
Collection.
Refer to the guidance in the
“Children’s Books” list.
Read Insect Quest Hide and Seek.
Small Group
Option 1: How Many in the Scoop?
Intentional Teaching Card M92, “How Many in
the Scoop?”; small scoop; jar or box; small items
Option 2: More or Fewer Towers
Intentional Teaching Card M59, “More or Fewer
Towers”; interlocking cubes; more/fewer spinner;
numeral-quantity cards or die
Option 1: Shape Bingo
Intentional Teaching Card M88,
“Shape Bingo”; tangram shapes;
cardstock; bag or box
Option 2: I’m Thinking of a Shape
Intentional Teaching Card M20, “I’m
inking of a Shape”; geometric solids;
empty containers of dierent sizes
similar to the geometric shapes
Option 1: Rhyming Riddles
Intentional Teaching Card LL11,
“Rhyming Riddles”; chart paper;
markers; pictures of objects with
two-phoneme names; props that
rhyme with chosen words
Option 2: Rhyming Riddles
Intentional Teaching Card LL11,
“Rhyming Riddles”; see option 1
for materials
Option 1: Book Cover Memory
Game
Intentional Teaching Card LL67,
“Book Cover Memory Game”;
several familiar books of various
genres from the classroom collection
Option 2: Lemonade
Intentional Teaching Card LL24,
“Lemonade”; recipe chart;
ingredients; pitcher; knife; cutting
board; juicer; measuring cup and
spoons; paper cups
Mighty Minutes
™
Mighty Minutes 08, “Clap the Missing Word” Mighty Minutes 29, “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep” Mighty Minutes 128, “Blowing
Out the Candles”
Mighty Minutes 33, “umbs Up”
© 2016 Teaching Strategies, LLC. Teaching Strategies and The Creative Curriculum names and logo and Mighty Minutes name are registered trademarks of Teaching Strategies, LLC, Bethesda, MD.
The Clothes Study Investigating the Topic
AT A GLANCE
Celebrating Learning
Day 1 Day 2
Make Time for…
Interest Areas
All: displays of children’s investigations, including
children’s science journals and the class insect book
All: displays of children’s investigations
Outdoor Experiences
• Invite children and families to lead visitors on an insect hunt
to point out the insect garden, places where they have seen
insects, and to name the insects they observe.
Physical Fun
• Review Intentional Teaching Card P21, "Hopping." Follow
the guidance on the card, inviting children to hop like the
insects they have observed, captured, and studied.
Family Partnerships
• Invite families and the people the children met during the
site visits to join the celebration. Encourage families and
children to explore the road displays together.
Wow! Experiences
• Day 2: Celebration of the children’s learning
Question of the Day
What is your favorite insect? What will you show our visitors?
Large Group
Song: Clap a Friend’s Name
Discussion and Shared Writing: Preparing for the
Celebration
Materials: Mighty Minutes 40, “Clap a
Friend’s Name”
Song: Yes, I Can!
Discussion and Shared Writing: Sharing
What We’ve Learned
Materials: Mighty Minutes 139, “Yes, I Can!”
Read-Aloud
Reread a familiar book from the “Children’s
Books” list.
Read the class insect book that was created
throughout the study.
Small Group
Option 1: Conference Conversations
Intentional Teaching Card LL72, “Conference
Conversations”; a folder for each child; children’s
work samples; photos of children engaging in
dierent activities; paper and pencils
Option 2: That’s How You Do It!
Intentional Teaching Card LL78, “at’s How You
Do It!”; chart paper; markers; camera
Option 1: Tallying
Intentional Teaching Card M06, “Tallying”;
clipboard; paper; pencils or crayons
Option 2: Graphing
Intentional Teaching Card M11, “Graphing”;
large graph paper or chart paper with lines
drawn for graphing; markers; stickers;
pictures
Mighty Minutes
™
Mighty Minutes 154, “People Count” Mighty Minutes 24, “Dinky Doo.”
Vocabulary—English: artifact, preference Spanish: artefacto, preferencia
© 2016 Teaching Strategies, LLC. Teaching Strategies and The Creative Curriculum names and logo and Mighty Minutes name are registered trademarks of Teaching Strategies, LLC, Bethesda, MD.
