Objective:
The students will list facts about ladybugs.

Materials

• Links to the following web sites: Enchanted Learning, Ladybugs in Space, Lady Beetles, and Santa Clara County Parks.

• Nonfiction books about ladybugs, refer to the Ladybug Home Page for suggestions.

• 6" black construction paper circles - 1 per student

• A large ladybug body cut from red butcher paper.  (The black circles will be adhered to the ladybug body as its spots.)

• White crayons or white colored pencils

• Chart Paper or Blackboard

Procedure

1. Ask the students what they know about ladybugs.  List their responses on chart paper or the blackboard.

2. Share information from the web sites and books.  Be sure to touch on the ladybug life cycle, it's ability to control garden pests, and the fact that it is an insect.

3. Have the students name new facts learned about ladybugs.  Add these to the chart paper or blackboard.

4. Pass out the black circles.  Assign each student one of the facts.  Have the students copy the fact onto the circle using the crayon or pencil.

5. Adhere the circles to the ladybug cut out for "Spots of Facts About Ladybugs!"

Other Lesson Ideas

1. If available, bring ladybugs into the classroom or go outside and study them in their natural environment.  Have the students study the bugs under magnifying glasses.  Watch what they eat.  Time how fast they walk.  Great learning can be done this way!

2. Have the students classify different animals into insects, reptiles, mammals, etc.  Discuss the attributes of insects.  As a starting point, read The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle and have the students classify each animal the Grouchy Ladybug meets.

3. Entomologists are scientists who study insects.  Have a lesson on the specific names of different types of scientist who study different types of animals.