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Montessori-Inspired Insect Unit

June 23, 2011 By Deb Chitwood 13 Comments

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!

Montessori-Inspired Insect Unit

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.

Insect Sensory Basket (Photo by Julie at The Adventures of Bear)

Insect Sensory Basket (Photo by Julie at The Adventures of Bear)

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.

Parts of a Ladybug (Photo from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments)

Parts of a Ladybug (Photo from Discovery Days and Montessori Moments)

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

Free Ladybug Printables and Montessori-Inspired Ladybug Activities

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

Free Ant Printables and Montessori-Inspired Ant Activities

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

Free Bee Printables and Montessori-Inspired Bee Activities

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

Free Noisy Insect Printables and Montessori-Inspired Noisy Insect Activities

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

Parts of a Grasshopper (Photo from The Pinay Homeschooler)

Parts of a Grasshopper (Photo from The Pinay Homeschooler)

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

Just Montessori has beetle activities.

Insect Unit (Photo from Inspired Montessori and Arts at Dundee Montessori)

Insect Unit (Photo from Inspired Montessori and Arts at Dundee Montessori)

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! 🙂

Deb - Signature

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Filed Under: Activities - Cultural, Unit Studies Tagged With: ant activities, butterfly resources, insects, ladybug unit, Montessori, Montessori-inspired insect unit, parts of an insect, summer, unit study

Previous Post: « Help Your Child Develop Perseverance by Using Montessori Principles
Next Post: Montessori at the Beach: Numbers and Counters »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kayla Arrowood says

    June 23, 2011 at 8:24 am

    That is awesome!!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Deb says

      June 28, 2011 at 10:51 pm

      Thanks, Kayla! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Lori says

    June 23, 2011 at 9:34 am

    Love, love, love this post. I linked to it here: http://mymontessorimoments.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/snail-watching/

    Reply
    • Deb says

      June 28, 2011 at 10:51 pm

      Thanks so much for your kind comment, Lori – and for linking to my post! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Stephanie says

    June 23, 2011 at 7:40 pm

    Thanks for the link Deb!!!!! We had fun with the Ladybug study and it would be fun for summer too!

    Reply
    • Deb says

      June 28, 2011 at 10:53 pm

      My pleasure, Stephanie! I really love your creative and attractive materials! 🙂

      Reply
  4. JDaniel4's Mom says

    June 24, 2011 at 5:25 pm

    What fun! The summer is the perfect time to study bugs!

    Reply
    • Deb says

      June 28, 2011 at 10:54 pm

      Thanks! My kids always had fun exploring bugs in the summer (except mosquitoes, of course)! 🙂

      Reply
  5. sheila says

    June 25, 2011 at 9:24 am

    Awesome ideas! Can you imagine how healthy minded the world would be if we all raised our kids in montessori methods.

    Reply
    • Deb says

      June 28, 2011 at 10:55 pm

      Thanks, Sheila! That’s a great thought! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Jen Fischer says

    July 30, 2012 at 8:27 am

    Thanks for including me – I’m seeing hits from it. I love being inspired by all of the other posts and getting more ideas and inspiration for Montessori learning at home!

    Reply
    • Deb says

      August 2, 2012 at 11:45 pm

      My pleasure, Jen! I’m glad you’re getting traffic … your bees sensory bin is awesome! 🙂

      Reply
  7. buyket says

    January 17, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    Thanks for the link Deb!!!!! We had fun with the Ladybug study and it would be fun for summer too!

    Reply

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