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BUGS 

CRAFTS:

Ants
Use 3 sections of a cardboard egg carton to form the body of an ant - have the children paint it and add - using pipe cleaners - on the first section: antennae and on the back two sections: six legs and draw eyes on the front section - they are very cute.

Ants Tracks
Materials needed: stamp pad, paper, markers Instructions: Cut out a big letter A shape for each child and let them make ant prints all over it with their fingerprints and a stamp pad. Let them use small tip markers to draw in some legs.

Ant On A Leaf
Materials needed: construction paper, hole puncher, collage materials, markers.
Instructions: Supply each child with a construction paper leaf shape - give them a hole puncher & let them at it! When they're done punching, have them create the ants on their leaf with collage materials such as: pompons, pipe cleaners, yarn bits, etc. - or they can decorate with markers etc. 

Bug Catcher
Materials: Oatmeal Container, Glue or tape, Screen or netting material, Yarn
Directions: Use oatmeal container with lid. Cut large "window" in side and glue or tape screen or netting to inside over hole. Punch two holes in sides to add yarn handle.

Bug Puppets
Materials: Paper lunch bags, Glue, Construction paper, Crayons or markers
Directions: Use paper bags and have kids cut large circles for sections in bug and glue to paper bag, add face antennae, whatever. Also can make caterpillar puppet on tongue depressor with pom poms glued on, add wiggle eyes or buttons, and antennae.

Bug Fingers
Materials: Old gloves, Pipe cleaners, Scissors, Hot glue, Misc. craft supplies
Directions:
Cut the fingers off the gloves, they will be the bug's body. Glue on pipe cleaners for legs, wiggly eyes, pom poms for noses, and feathers on back. Or decorate as desired. Makes cute finger puppets.

Bug Eyes
Materials: Egg cartons, Markers or paint, Pipe cleaners
Directions: Cut the bottom of the egg carton so there are two cups to each section. You can get 6 on a 1 dozen-egg carton. Cut the bottoms out of each section for eye holes. Let kids paint them or use markers on them. They can also glue feathers and sequins on them. Use pipe cleaners for antennae. Punch holes on the sides and attach pipe cleaners, form pipe cleaners to fit around their ears.

Dragon Fly
Materials:Paper towel roll, Construction paper, Tape, Markers or crayons
Directions: Use a paper towel tube and have children decorate a piece of paper (yellow) that fits around the tube. Then tape it. Trace hands (2) and tape one to either side of the tube near the top. Add eyes - large (oval shaped - flat on bottom), so that they are sticking up above the top of the tube. It's really cute. Looks like it's clapping its hands - it's actually flapping its wings.

Ladybugs
Paint the bottom of a paper bowl red. Stick black paper circles on it (for the spots). Add paper legs and head. Pipe cleaners can also be used for the legs.

Paper Plate Lady Bugs
Paint a paper plate red. Cut out back wings (a circle then cut it in half). Punch holes in connecting corners of wings. Now paint or color some black spots on the ladybugs and then use brads to fasten the wings onto the ladybug. Don't forget to give her a face.

Rock Bugs
Materials: Small rocks, Glue, Pipe cleaners, Paint, Misc. supplies
Directions: Paint small rocks to look like ladybugs or other bugs. Use pipe cleaners for legs on spiders, overhead transparencies or sheet protectors for wings, tiny beads for big bug eyes.Put a small piece of magnetic strip on the back if desired.

Spider Webs
Materials: Cardboard, Black Yarn, Tape
Preparation: Cut an 8 inch square piece of cardboard for each child. Cut slits 1 inch deep around the sides, about 1-2 inches apart. ;Cut yarn into 6-foot lengths.Tape the end of a piece of yarn on the back of each card and pull it through one of the slits.
Activity: Let the children cross the yarn back and forth over the fronts of their cardboard squares, attaching it through the slits. Slits can be used more than once. Have them continue until the yarn resembles a spider web.

Silly Pet Spider
Materials:
Paper nut cup or egg carton cup
Pencil
Eight 3" pieces of pipe cleaner or eight twist ties
Materials for eyes, Cheerios, paper, etc.
1. Decorate the nut cup to make it look like the face of a spider.
2. With adult help, using the tip of a pencil, poke 8 holes around the bottom edge of the nut cup.
3. To make the spider's legs, insert pipe cleaners into the pencil holes.

Spool Spiders
Each child will need an empty thread spool, 8 black pipe cleaners, and string. Pull the pipe cleaners through the hole in the spool. Leave the longer length of pipe cleaners on the bottom for legs while bending them over at the top to hold the pipe cleaners in place. Attach a string. Add eyes with a black magic marker.

Spider Hats
Use dark tag board strips to form a crown like hat. Kids attach 8 wiggle folded paper strips for legs, and wiggle eyes.

Space Spider 
This craft requires cardboard egg cartons, glue, pipe cleaners and scissors. Cut out two egg cartons and glue them together to form the body. Bend the pipe cleaners into legs, and glue them on. Add eyes and fangs

GAMES & ACTIVITIES:
 

An Ant Hunt
Take the kids on a walk and look for anthills.  Give each child a fresh piece of apple to put on the ground or sidewalk where they see is some ant's.  Have them watch the ants.  How much do they carry?  Where do they take it?  Do they fight over the apple piece or do they help each other?  How do they carry it?  How long does it take for them to move it at all?  Have them listen to see if they can hear the ants at work.

Ants
Ants can teach us how some insects work together as a community. Watch ants scurry in and out of their ant hills or find some spilled food on the sidewalk. Do they eat their food on the spot, or carry it back to their anthill? When an ant finds food, it runs back to the hill to "tell" the others. As it runs, it leaves a trail that other ants in the hill can smell. The ants find the food by smelling their way along the trail.

Ants
Cut about 4 shapes of picnic foods 1-4" in size from construction pater. I use a chicken leg, cookie, strawberry, and a watermelon slice. Using plastic ants, see how many ants it takes to cover each food and record answer.

A Buggy Picnic
An idea for teaching the short "a" sound : Have the children pretend they are having a picnic. As they spread out the food and begin eating, they notice that there are ants crawling on the food, and then up their arms. In surprise, they say "a - a - a!!", while "walking" their fingers up their arms like pretend ants.

Ant Hunt
Go outside with magnifying glasses and hunt for ants.

Ants Picnic
Make a big box into a picnic basket. Make ants' antennae out of pipe cleaners & add them to the play area. Now kids can pretend to be ants around a picnic basket. Add play food for them to carry away.

Capture A Spider's Web
Materials: Enamel Spray Paint, Construction Paper or tag board, Scissors, perhaps a ladder
Procedure: Search around outside until you find a good spider web. Spray both sides of the web with enamel paint. BE CAREFUL--IF YOU SPRAY TOO MUCH, THE WEB WILL TEAR FROM THE WEIGHT OF THE PAINT. Hold a piece of paper or tag board against the 'wet' web. It should stick to the wet paint. Carefully cut the 'guy lines'. Lay the paper down until the web is dry.

Hunt for a Housefly...  
Lure a housefly into a clear jar using moist apple or orange sprinkled with honey and sugar.  Cover opening with cheesecloth fastened with a rubber band.  Used a magnifying glass to observe the housefly through the jar.  Have the children find important characteristics of the insect.  Look for six legs into a 10 ice also known as feelers, the three parts of the body: head, chest, a Domino area.  Where are the legs attached?  How many pairs of wings?  Are the year laws on the feet?  Hairs on the body?  Find the eyes.  How does the housefly EE?  Do you hear any sounds?  Try a variety of foods in the jar such as bread, lettuce, cheese or meat?  Which does it eat?  Release it outside by removing the jar cover.  Let it fly out on its own.

I Spy a Spider 
Find places where there are spiderwebs.  Look around buildings, wishes, fences and wildflowers and wheat.  Observe a garden spiders spinning its web.  Use a large magnifying glass to see the spider better.  From what part of its body does this so come from?  How many parts to its body?  Count the legs.  How many?  Watch the Web construction.  See if you can stay long enough to observe a trapped insect.  Why is this insect caught?  Look for in an abandoned web.  Sprinkle water on the web to see it sparkle in the sun, just like morning dew.

Ladybug
Show the children a picture of a ladybug. Emphasize that the ladybug helps farmers by eating insects that may hurt our fruits and vegetables.

Sparkling Webs
Spark your kids interest in spiders, by carrying a small spray bottle with you on a hike or outing. Lightly spray any spider web you find, stand back and watch it glisten in the sun in a fantastic display! This is a great lead-in to making an egg carton spider. The native story, "How Spiders Came to Be" is also useful for this theme. 

Search the Soil
Take a walk in some wooded area.  Be sure to bring along a magnifying glass and a fine mesh screen.  Let the children get down on their hands and knees and investigate the soil.  Take a stake and loosen some soil.  Use a magnifying glass to see if they can see anything.  Let them feel the soil.  How does it feel?  Look under such things as old branches on the ground or leaves.  Again, he used the magnifying glass to see what can be found.  But some soil on the screen and sift it.  What did they find?  How the wash their hands when they return.

The Insect World
Materials:  None What to Do:  Look for a nice big ant hill with lots of ants milling around looking for food.  Watch the ants with the Beavers and see how the little insects seem to move along trails.  Pick up one carefully and look at it under a magnifying glass to see the antennas, the six legs, and the large eyes.  Put it down carefully and see what it does.  Although ants scurrying in a line may seem to be following a leader, they are actually following a scent laid down by others.  Run a finger across an ant path and see what happens.  Place some small pieces of bread on the ground in one of the well traveled areas.  Watch how quickly the ants find the food and help each other transport it back to the hill.  If it's a warm sunny day, look closely at the ant hill to see if the worker ants have brought out some of the larvae to be warmed by the sun. Ask the Beavers to keep their eyes open for other insects, too.  Look for butterflies around the flowers.  Follow some beetles through the grass to see if you can find where they live.  Look for a woodpecker on a dead tree.  Examine leaves to look for moth eggs, caterpillars or maybe even cocoons.  Since there are many kinds of insects out there, the possibilities are endless!

The Cricket Thermometer
Show your kids a neat way to estimate the temperature outdoors in the summer, using crickets! Quietly count the number of chirps of a cricket in 14 seconds. Add eight to this number and multiply by 5/9ths to approximate the temperature in degrees Celsius (simply add 40 to get the temperature in Fahrenheit).Why does this work? Crickets are cold-blooded, and so move more rapidly in warm weather than in cold!

Travelling Ant
To emphasize that ants (or insects) have 6 legs, make 2 extra legs for the children to wear. You can make long tube shapes, stuffed, then sewed onto a band for tying around child's waist. You can make antennae by using pipe cleaners and head bands. Add tunnels, pretend food (fruit, seeds, and picnics), pretend ant eggs etc.

Worm Farm
Take an empty, clear to leader soda bottle and cut off the top 3 inches.  Find a plastic coffee can lid that fits the top.  After a rain, go outside and look for earthworms.  Nick some moist soil and decaying leaves together and fill those soda bottle three quarters full.  But the earthworms in the mixture.  Put the lid on.  If it appears that too much moisture is present, take the lead off for a few minutes.  You might try covering the outside of the bottle with black paper for awhile then remove it.  How does a worm move?  What does it eat?  Look for its mouth.

SONGS:

BUG BUGS
To the tune of "Frere Jacques" 
Big bug, small bugs
Big bugs, small bugs
See them crawl
On the wall
Never, never falling,
Never, never falling,
Bugs, bugs, bugs
Bugs, bugs, bugs

Bug on Me!
1, 2, 3 ?( hold up fingers)
There's a bug on me! (point to shoulder)
Where did it go? ( brush off)
I don't know (Shrug shoulders and look really puzzled)

Itsy, Bitsy Spider
The itsy, bitsy spider went up the water spout,
Down came the rain and washed the spider out.
Out comes the sun and dries up all the rain,
And the itsy, bitsy spider went up the spout again.
* Try singing this song with actions too.

My Name is Bee
One leader leads the song and childs repeat back all of the words, and copy the actions of the leader. The words are spoken. 
(Similar to Hello, My Name is Joe)
Hi! My name is Bee work in a honey factory 
got a Queen and 200 sisters 
Put index finger up, shaking it. 
One day the Queen came up to me and said, 
Bee? Are you busy? I said no! 
Then fan this hive with your wings! 
Place hands under arm pits and flap like wings up and down.
Repeat the whole song again and add: 
Then go collect pollen in your baskets! 
Move in a circle flapping wings. 
Repeat the whole song again then add: 
Then dance to tell where you found that pollen!
flapping wings and moving. 
Repeat the whole song one last time, 
but when asked if you are busy, yell YES! [The End]

Pretty Ladybug
(Tune: The Muffin Man)
Ladybug has 1 black spot,
1 black spot, 1 black spot;
Ladybug has 1 black spot,
Pretty ladybug!

The Baby Bumblebee
I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee Won't my mommy be so proud of me I'm bringing home a baby bumblebee Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz Ouch- It stung me! I'm squishing up a baby bumblebee Won't my mommy be so proud of me I'm squishing up a baby bumblebee Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz Oooh- It's gooey! I'm eating up a baby bumblebee Won't my mommy be so proud of me I'm eating up a baby bumblebee Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz Oh- My tummy!

The Insects Outside
(To the tune of The Wheels on the Bus)
The fireflies at night go blink, blink, blink
Blink, blink, blink, blink, blink, blink
The fireflies at night go blink, blink, blink
Out in the garden.
The bees in the flowers go buzz, buzz, buzz
Buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz, buzz
The bees in the flowers go buzz, buzz, buzz
Out in the garden.
Continue with the other verses as:
cricket/fields/chirp
ants/in the grass/march
caterpillars/on the leaves/munch
spiders/in the bush/ spin their webs
butterflies in the sky/go flit
ladybug on the wall/ have lots of spots
worms/in the ground/ wiggle and squirm
mosquitos outside/ they get smacked

STORIES:

How Spiders Came to Be
Even though there were animals, birds, fishes, fruits and vegetables in abundance, there was scarcity. In the midst of plenty there was hunger. It seemed that no matter how much game men killed, or how much food women stored away, there was never enough for the next day. For some strange reason that people could not understand, all the food spoiled and turned green. Hunters killed enough animals, fishes and birds to feed their families for days - even weeks. The hunters brought home enough food to allow them many days of rest. Yet they only had unending toil.    In vain the people tried to understand this riddle. In vain they tried to keep their food fresh and fit to eat. They hung the flesh of game high up in trees. Still the flesh turned green and rotted. They buried the meat in the ground. Even in the ground there was no protection. The meat became moldy and sour. They tried keeping the meat in water, both hot and cold. That worked no better than hanging the flesh or burying it. Nothing, it seemed, could be done to preserve the food, prevent waste, and save labour.    Hunters had to kill many, many creatures to provide enough food. At last the hunting and killing drove the animals from their grounds and greatly reduced their numbers. As food became scarcer, men, women, and children began to grow very sick and die. At the same time, life was very hard for a small, six-legged, pot-bellied pig, the Manitoosh. He lived on the juices of the flesh of flies. But he was slow and awkward and could not catch the nimble flies.    The Manitoosh tried every way he could think of to catch the flies. He hid in dark corners and darted out of them. The flies sneered and flew away. He hurled grains of sand at the cunning insects. The flies laughed and flitted out of the way. He tried letting himself down from above by means of a special thread that he made. Again the flies laughed and dodged out of reach. Finally the Manitoosh and his brothers decided to ask the Great Spirit, Kitche Manitou, for help. They went to a high mountain to plead with Kitche Manitou to make them better hunters of flies or to make it possible for them to eat other foods.    When the Manitoosh reached the peak, they cried out, "Kitche Manitou, we are hungry and helpless. We come to you for help. Hear us."    Kitche Manitou heard and replied, "What is it that you want?" The Manitoosh asked him for power to catch the flies. In reply the voice of Kitche Manitou echoed over the mountain top. "I have given you all the power that you need. If you use it wisely, it will serve you well." And the voice faded away. Discouraged, the Manitoosh left the mountain. They would have to go on trying to catch flies.     For a long time no one realized that the troubles of the people and the troubles of the Manitoosh were related. Then the hunters had a great council with the powerful spirit, Nanabush. They wanted to talk about the rotting meat and the vanishing game. Just before the council there was a great feast. During the meal swarms of flies crawled over the food and the feasters. Many Manitoosh ran and leaped and jumped, trying to catch the flies. But they were just too clumsy.   Nanabush felt sorry for the little creatures and forgot the purpose of the great council. "We must help the Manitoosh'" he said to the chiefs and wise men present. "They cannot catch the flies and are very hungry."  Then Nanabush spoke to Manitoosh. "Brother," he said," I have watched you trying to catch flies. I know that you can make yourself a thread to let yourself down from above. Couldn't you use the thread to make a trap for flies?"    Although the Manitoosh was doubtful, he hurried home and that same afternoon began to weave the thread in a criss-cross fashion. When night came, he was very tired, and fell into a deep sleep. It was nearly noon when the Manitoosh awoke the next day. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the net of thread he had woven the day before. To his joy and surprise there were two flies trapped in it. After he had eaten his fill, the Manitoosh rushed off to find Nanabush to tell him about the flies he had trapped. Then he told the other Manitoosh about his discovery. And he taught them how to make nets.    From that day on the Manitoosh made nets and caught flies and ate well. From that day on people were able to keep meat fresh a little longer. And from the Manitoosh, people learned how to make nets to catch fish. Because the Manitoosh had helped the people, Kitche Manitou gave the bug an extra pair of legs. He also gave the bug a new name, Supp-Kay-Shee or Net-Maker. All this happened before people knew how to preserve meat and other foods.
 

FOOD SUGGESTIONS:

Ant Snacks
Use cherry tomatoes for three body segments, pretzels for legs and antenna, let children make ants for snack.

Ants on a Log
A classic, fill celery or apple slices with peanut butter, and use the raisins as "ants" on the log.

Ants In Your Pants 
Cut bread into pant shapes. Spread with peanut butter Put raisin ants on top. 

Edible Spiders
Use a pear half for the body, licorice string for the legs, raisins or other small food for the eyes. 

TIPS/NOTES:

Ant Information
- Each nest has a handful of males, less queens and lots of workers.
- Three balls (head, thorax, abdomen), six legs.
- They smell with their antennae (very sensitive).
- They cooperate
- It's the queens job to lay the eggs, the males help her.
- Some workers build the nests, some take care of the eggs, some hunt for food, some take care of the queen.
- Worker ants have two stomachs (one holds their food the other is for sharing).

Ladybug facts
Ladybugs can be red or yellow with black, red, white, or yellow spots. There are about 150 species of ladybugs in the U.S. In winter, 50 to 100 ladybugs hibernate together.