Insect Classroom Activities for Kindergarten

Spring has arrived in its beauty! Temps are warming and critters are waking up. Students are naturally curious about the changes happening during this season so lean into their curiosity and explore all things that buzz, slither, flutter, and crawl. Check out these insect classroom activities that will make spring bloom in your classroom!

Check out these related posts:

• 40+ of the Best Spring Activities for Kindergarten
• Nonfiction Decodable Passages in the Classroom
• Butterfly Life Cycle

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Insect Easy Readers

Explore the world of insects through non-fiction easy readers. Students can learn more about grasshoppers, bees, ladybugs, caterpillars, and butterflies with this set of easy readers. Easy readers make a great fit for small reading groups, whole group, or independent reading. Check out the ideas below on using insect easy readers in your classroom.

• Use a graphic organizer to record the information you learn about each insect. These can be traced onto chart paper if reading as a whole group. Easy to use Google Slides of our readers make it easy to read them as a whole group.
• Focus on comprehension in small groups by having students look back at the text to find answers using a highlighter. Students can write/draw responses to comprehension questions.
• Assign small groups of students an insect and let them become the “experts” of their insect. They can record information using organizers and share their findings with the class.
• Add insect easy readers to your classroom library to incorporate more non-fiction options.
• Have students respond to the text through written response (favorite insect, compare/contrast two insects, personal experience with an insect).

Grab your set of Insect and Bugs Easy Readers at Simply Kinder HERE.

Insect Writing Projects and Crafts

Insect writing projects and crafts will incorporate reading, writing, and creativity. There are many ways you can utilize insect reports and crafts in your classroom. Check out some ideas below.

1. Whole Group – Choose an insect to research as a class from Simply Kinder’s Insect Reports and Crafts Bundle found HERE. Use the research passage to gather important information about your chosen insect and record facts on an anchor chart. Use the facts to write an informational report about your insect. Students will create the corresponding insect craft to complement the report.
2. Small Group – Assign small groups of students an insect from the bundle. Groups will work together to read about their insect and gather facts to record on a web. Groups will then write a report about their insect and present it to the class. Students will create their insect craft to be displayed with their report. Tip: We suggest doing a whole group report before assigning small groups a report.
3. Independent Reports – Allow students to choose their insects or have them pull an insect name from a bowl. Students will research their animal using the passage and record facts on their graphic organizer. Each student will write their report and create their insect craft before presenting it to the class.

These insect reports and crafts lend themselves to differentiation. Allow students to work in small groups or independently depending on their needs and abilities.

We love to display these reports and crafts. They make an inviting spring hallway or bulletin display.

Insect No Prep Activities

Compliment your insect reports by incorporating other insect themed activities. Check out some options below.

• Make Insect Hats – Students can create insect hats to wear while they present their insect reports.
• Insect Vocabulary Writing – Set up your writing center to include insect themed writing activities.
• Math Printables – Use insect themed math printables in math bins or as early finisher activities.
• Literacy Printables – Review and reinforce phonics skills using cute insect printables. These make great homework resources as well.
• Literacy Centers – Work on decoding and reading CVC words or write the room using insect vocabulary.
• Math Centers – Practice addition facts and counting on with equation matching.
• Coloring Pages – Use the insect color book or printable coloring pages for students to express their creativity.

Grab your Insects No Prep Bundle from Simply Kinder HERE.

Other Insect Classroom Activities Ideas:

Here are some other ways to incorporate insect ideas into your classroom.

• Insect Habitats – Use plastic insect figures and materials from nature (sticks, rocks, grass) to create insect habitats.
• Catching Bugs Sensory Bin – Place an assortment of insect figures in a tub of beans, easter grass, or other material. Students will use tweezers to find and sort insects.
• Insect Fossils – Students will press insect figures into Play-Doh to create insect fossils.

How are you entering the spring season in your classroom? Let us know! Please make sure to tag us on Instagram here or share inside the Simply Kinder Teacher Facebook Group here!