Activity Instructions

Ages 0 – 2

Preparation: Print out the Invertebrate Flashcards.

Step 1. Gather children in a group - this could be inside or outside.

Present children with the invertebrate flashcards. For each flashcard that you share, talk about the features you notice on the invertebrate, such as:

I wonder what colour it is?
I wonder if it has any shiny bits?
I wonder what the wings look like?
I wonder if it has a sting?
I wonder where its eyes are?

For each invertebrate, you can also ask the question:

I wonder how this animal moves? Does it walk, shuffle, wriggle, slide or fly?

Invite children to mimic each invertebrates' movements, using either their hands or their whole bodies.

Step 2. If children are interested, you could turn these invertebrate movements into a longer play session by:

Creating antennae for children wanting to be ants, caterpillars or slug
Creating antennae and wings out of paper for children wanting to be bees or butterflies
Tying a pillow to the back of children wanting to be a snail.

You could then invite children to head outside to role-play their invertebrates.

You could prompt children with the following:

The butterflies are drinking nectar from the flowers
The bees are collecting pollen from the flowers and taking it back to the hive
The ants are working together to build a nest under the ground
The snails are carrying their house (shell) from one green plant to another
The slugs are looking for something yummy to eat.

Provocations:

I wonder what bugs, slugs and creepy crawlies we have in our yard?
I wonder if we have any of the bugs, slugs and creepy crawlies on the flashcards in our yard?
I wonder if bugs, slugs and creepy crawlies have legs/wings/eyes/heads/stomachs?
I wonder how bugs, slugs and creepy crawlies move? I wonder if they fly, crawl, wriggle, slither, slide, creep, walk or jump?
I wonder if I can fly, crawl, wriggle, slither, slide, creep, walk or jump?

Possible lines of development:

Make invertebrates out of playdough - name and display them
Bugs inside – what can you see?
Other animals in the garden
Role-play other animals
Arrange an 'Insect Incursion' for your children
Read books about bugs, slugs and creepy crawlies, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (or other insect books by Eric Carle), Superworm by Julia Donaldson, In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming, or I Love Bugs! by Philemon Sturges.

Ages 3 - 5

Preparation: Print out the Invertebrate Flashcards.

Step 1. Gather children in a group - this could be inside or outside.

Present children with the invertebrate flashcards. For each flashcard that you share, talk about the features you notice on the invertebrate, such as

I wonder what colour it is?
I wonder if it has any shiny bits?
I wonder what the wings look like?
I wonder if it has a sting?
I wonder if it has any other interesting features (such as spots, spikes, bumps or ridges)?
I wonder where its eyes are?
I wonder if it has a head?
I wonder if it has a body? (see Invertebrate Anatomy for details)

For each invertebrate, you can also ask the question:

I wonder how this animal moves? Does it walk, creep, crawl, shuffle, wriggle, slither, slide or fly?

Invite children to mimic each invertebrate's movements, using either their hands or their whole bodies.

Step 2. Explain to children that they are now going to invent a new bug, slug or creepy crawly!

Give each child some playdough and some modelling tools (such as tools for cutting, making shapes or patterns). Each child should create their own new invertebrate using the playdough, thinking about the colours, body parts and interesting features.

They should also think about how the invertebrate will move and create the body parts required for this movement.

Step 3. Optional - If children are interested, you could invite children to role-play their new invertebrates in the yard. You could create antennae and wings out of paper, or tie a pillow on the backs of animals to replicate a shell.

You could prompt children in their role with the following:

What is your invertebrate eating? Does it eat new green leaves, nectar from flowers, old leaves on the ground, or soil?
Where does your invertebrate live? Does it live underground, under the bark of a tree, or under a rock?
How does your invertebrate interact with other invertebrates? Do they work together? If they do, what do they do together?
Or do they compete with each other? What are they competing for?

Provocations:

I wonder what bugs, slugs and creepy crawlies we have in our yard?
I wonder if we have any of the bugs, slugs and creepy crawlies on the flashcards in our yard?
I wonder what body parts bugs, slugs and creepy crawlies have?
I wonder if all bugs, slugs and creepy crawlies have interesting features? I wonder why they have them?
I wonder how bugs, slugs and creepy crawlies move? I wonder if they fly, crawl, wriggle, slither, slide, creep, walk or jump?
I wonder what the weirdest bugs, slugs and creepy crawlies are? I wonder where they can be found?

Possible lines of development:

Explore weird invertebrates - do a Google Image search of the term ‘weird invertebrates’ or ‘weird insects’
Other animals in the yard and where they live
Looking after other animals in the garden e.g. build a possum box, birdbath, logs and stones for bugs and small animals
Arrange an 'Insect Incursion' for your children
Read books about bugs, slugs and creepy crawlies, such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (or other insect books by Eric Carle), Superworm by Julia Donaldson, In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming, or I Love Bugs! by Philemon Sturges.

Evaluation

Complete an analysis of learning listing evidence about:

Belonging	Finding something of interest
Communication	Expressing an idea or feeling
Exploration	Engaging with challenge and persisting when difficulty arises
Wellbeing	Being involved

Embedding into daily practice

Set up a schedule to check and look after invertebrate habitat sites by watering and removing litter, but remembering not to disturb habitat sites too much
Create a culture where you are caretakers of the animals and plants in your yard
Grow flowers containing nectar. Some birds, mammals and bugs need nectar for food
Provide hollows, rocks, logs and leaf litter, which are used by many little and large animals for shelter and nesting
Don’t pour chemicals down the drain - these can hurt little animals in your local creek.

Move Like an Invertebrate

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Summary

Activity guides and printables

Activity Details

Curriculum Mapping

Resources Required

Additional Info

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