Montessori-Inspired Insect Unit

This summer, I’ve been focusing on some fun units you can adapt for your own family. Make them as simple or as elaborate as you wish. Montessori-inspired units work well because you can place the activities on trays and baskets on shelves, allowing your child to choose activities as his or her interest allows. It’s summer, so let any units be relaxed and fun!

In Montessori education in general, you’ll start with living and non-living, plant life and animal life, animals and their groups (such as animals and their young or animals and their continents) and vertebrates and invertebrates before studying invertebrates (including insects) and vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals).

During the summer, you have many opportunities to follow your child’s interests and study insects that may not fit completely into an orderly curriculum. It’s fine to meet your child’s interests and add more of the complete framework later.

Here are some great insect resources from Montessori bloggers:

Most of the activities work well for preschoolers through early elementary.

Parts of a dragonfly image in the collage is from Montessori MOMents, which is no longer available.

I have an activity of the week about observing nature up close.

I have a post with links to parts of a butterfly resources as well as a Montessori-inspired caterpillar-butterfly unit.

Montessori Print Shop has many animal products, including insect nomenclature cards (and more).

Montessori Materials has a number of free animal classification materials.

Little Hands Big Work created a parts-of-an-insect activity.

United Montessori Association has a Montessori song about the parts of an insect.

The Adventures of Bear (no longer available) had an insect unit focusing on the ladybug.

We Can Do All Things has a bugs-in-the-grass sensory tub with green-spaghetti grass.

Montessori Beginnings has lovely nature bugs on a nature table.

Discovery Days and Montessori Moments also had a fun ladybug unit (not accessible right now.)

I have posts with free ladybug printables and Montessori-inspired ladybug activities.

I have posts with free ant printables and Montessori-inspired ant activities.

I have posts with free bee printables and Montessori-inspired bee activities.

I have posts with free noisy insect printables and Montessori-Inspired noisy insect activities.

The Pinay Homeschooler has an insect unit study emphasizing ladybugs and grasshoppers (photo from Grasshoppers).

Just Montessori has beetle activities.

Inspired Montessori and Arts at Dundee Montessori has a huge unit on insects.

Montessori Matters has a number of ant activities.

Montessori Muddle has links to a number of insect resources.

Check out my Insect Unit Study Pinterest board for many more insect activities of all kinds.

I’d love to hear what you’ve done at home to study insects! 🙂

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