The Very Hungry Caterpillar

1. The Very Hungry Caterpillar • "In the light of the moon a little egg lay on a leaf." So begins Eric Carle's modern classic, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. More than 12 million copies of this book have been sold in its original, full-sized edition, and the beloved tale of science and gluttony has been translated into 20 languages. This five-by-four-inch miniature edition is truly tiny, with tiny type, but it is a nice size for small hands to hold and flip through the pictures. Despite its diminished state, the book is complete in every detail, following the ravenous caterpillar's path as he eats his way through one apple (and the pages of the book itself) on Monday, two pears on Tuesday, three plums on Wednesday, and so on, through cherry pie and sausage--until he is really fat and has a stomachache. And no doubt you know what happens next! Kids love butterfly metamorphosis stories, and this popular favorite teaches counting and the days of the week, too. A fun gift package for caterpillar fans.

2. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by: Eric Carle • Activity 1 (Mathematics): • Read The Very Hungry Caterpillar • While reading, talk to the students about the changes the Caterpillar is going through. • Initially, the caterpillar in the story is small. Provide each group of students eight caterpillars of various sizes (made out of construction paper) and 8 index cards for each caterpillar showing the inches of one of the caterpillars. Have the students work together to measure the caterpillars and then match the caterpillar to the correct index card. Walk around the room and check each groups responses. • Standard Indicators • English: K.7.1 Understand and follow one- and two-step spoken directions. • Mathematics: K.5.1 Make direct comparisons of the length, capacity, weight, and temperature of objects and recognize which object is shorter, longer, taller, lighter, heavier, warmer, cooler, or holds more. • Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences • Logical, Interpersonal, Verbal, Naturalistic

3. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by: Eric Carle • Activity 2 (Science): • Use patterns of the life cycle of a butterfly and have students practice sequencing them. (little egg on leaf, little caterpillar on leaf, larger caterpillar on ground, very large caterpillar on big leaf, other leaves nearby have been eaten, caterpillar building a cocoon, caterpillar inside of a cocoon, butterfly emerging from a cocoon, and butterfly flying away) • Standard Indicators: • English: K.2.5 Identify the order (first, last) of information. • Science: K.4.2 Observe plants and animals, describing how they are alike and how they are different in the way they look and in the things they do. • Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences • Visual, Intrapersonal, Naturalistic

4. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by: Eric Carle • Activity 3 (Mathematics): • Fill a small jar with butterfly counters (mini erasers) and have students estimate how many butterflies are in the jar.  They can record their answer on small slips of paper with their name and drop them into a basket.  Later you can look at the estimations as a group, record the answers and/or graph them.  Then count the butterflies together.  • Standard Indicators: • English: K.7.1 Understand and follow one- and two-step spoken directions. • Mathematics: K.1.6 Count, recognize, represent, name, and order a number of objects (up to 10). • Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: • Interpersonal, Linguistic, Logical

5. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by: Eric Carle • Activity 4 (Mathematics): • Make templates of little circles. Have students trace the twelve circles on construction paper and cut them out. • Hole-punch the circles in the middle.  Have the children push the circles along a pipe cleaner in a color pattern (introduces patterning). You can also talk about how many is in a dozen. • Secure the ends so they do not fall off. • Standard Indicators: • English: K.7.1 Understand and follow one- and two-step spoken directions. • Mathematics: K.3.2 Identify, copy, and make simple patterns with numbers and shapes. • Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: • Visual, Intrapersonal, Logical

6. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by: Eric Carle • Activity 5 (Mathematics): • Each child gets a butterfly shape. They will put whatever colors of paint they want in any design on one side of the butterfly. They will then fold the butterfly in half and gently rub the paper. When they open it up again, the same pattern will be on both sides of the butterfly. This is an example of symmetry in nature. Do any other animals in nature have symmetry? • Standard Indicators: • English: K.7.1 Understand and follow one- and two-step spoken directions. • Mathematics: K.1.5 Divide shapes into equal parts. • Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: • Visual, Kinesthetic, Logical

7. The Very Hungry Caterpillar by: Eric Carle • Activity 6 (Science): • Pretty Butterfly... (Up on the House Top(Christmas Song) First comes a butterfly and lays an egg, Out comes the caterpillar with many legs. Oh, see the caterpillar spin and spin, A little cocoon (chrysalis) to sleep in. Oh, oh, oh, look and see Oh, oh, oh, look and see Out of the cocoon (chrysalis) my, oh, my Out comes a pretty butterfly. • After the song, students will talk about what stages the caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly. • Standard Indicators: • English: K.7.4 Recite short poems, rhymes, and songs. • Science:K.1.1 Raise questions about the natural world. • Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: • Musical, Interpersonal, Linguistic

8. A Rainbow of My Own by: Don Freeman • Another of Don Freeman's classics, Rainbow of My Own will delight young listeners and readers. The text is easily understood and the words flow well. The pictures seem to be water color, and the shades suit the story perfectly. Charming book that brings a smile!

9. A Rainbow of My Own by: Don Freeman • Activity 1 (Science): • Read “A Rainbow of My Own” by: Don Freeman • Provide three identical jars with pre-counted Skittles of 20, 50, and 80. Label these jars 20, 50 and 80. Place 65 Skittles in a fourth identical jar. Allow the children to examine all four jars before they guess how many is in the fourth jar. Record the children's approximations. Discuss with the class how they came up with their numbers. • Standard Indicators: • English: K.1.22 Listen to stories read aloud and use the vocabulary in those stories in oral language. • Science: K.6.4 Make precise calculations and check the validity of the results in the context of the problem. • Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences • Visual, Interpersonal, Linguistic, Logical

10. A Rainbow of My Own by: Don Freeman • Activity 2 (Mathematics): • Place umbrellas with counts from one to twenty in a baggie. The student places the umbrellas in the correct order to complete the activity. Teacher could also make this activity harder by having the students do the activity counting by fives. • Standard Indicators: • English: K.7.1 Understand and follow one- and two-step spoken directions. • Mathematics: K.1.6 Count, recognize, represent, name, and order a number of objects (up to 10). • Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: • Visual, Kinesthetic, Intrapersonal, Logical

11. A Rainbow of My Own by: Don Freeman • Activity 3 (Science): • Fill a glass or clear jar with water to the top. Set glass/jar on window sill in bright sunlight. Glass or jar should stick out over the ledge just a little bit. Place a white piece of paper on the floor in front of the window (tape 2 or 3 pieces to form a poster size and obtain a bigger rainbow image).  A rainbow will be captured/reflected on the paper.  This will greatly depend on how bright the sunlight is and the positioning of the glass jar, so move the jar side to side on the window sill to help the process until you see the rainbow reflected on the paper. Have students talk about why this happens. • Standard Indicators: • English: K.3.5 Understand what is heard or seen by responding to questions (who, what, where). • Science: K.1.1 Raise questions about the natural world. • Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: • Visual, Interpersonal, Linguistic

12. A Rainbow of My Own by: Don Freeman • Activity 4 (Mathematics): • Use blue felt for math mats and clear flat floral marbles for the raindrop counters. The children listen for thunderclaps (the teacher clapping hands a certain amount of times), and place that amount of raindrops on the mat. For example, four claps mean to count four raindrops onto the cloud. • Standard Indicators: • English: K.7.1 Understand and follow one- and two-step spoken directions. • Mathematics: K.1.6 Count, recognize, represent, name, and order a number of objects (up to 10). • Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: • Visual, Kinesthetic, Intrapersonal, Logical