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Insect Nature Study Printables – Learning About Bugs

Insect Nature Study Printables from Homeschool Creations

Spring is almost officially here – and that means lots of beautiful weather to enjoy nature walks and exploring of the various insects we come across. While bugs aren’t always a favorite of mine (I’d much rather be looking at birds, thank you very much), they all still have a purpose. Except for stinkbugs. I don’t know what their purpose is…  

If you have kiddos in your house that are willing to search and discover different bugs and have some learning fun, head out doors and get up-close and personal while using these go-along printables!  

What insects do you see frequently in your area? Are there any that you get excited to see (or is it better to say scream over)?

Insect Nature Study Printables

Insect Nature Study printables from Homeschool Creations

The Insect Nature Study Printables include the following:

  • Nature walk counting sheet – mark a tally every time you see one of the insects on the sheet
  • Backyard Insect counting – mark a tally when you see an insect in your yard
  • Insect scavenger hunt – for younger children, take this scavenger hunt sheet on a nature walk or when sitting outside
  • Blank insect observation sheet – record data and information on insects you find
  • Label the parts of an ant
  • Story writing prompt – write a short story using four of the words provided
  • Firefly poem and coloring page
  • Fact and coloring cards – color the image and write facts you know on the back

 

Interested in the Extended Insect Nature Study Pack?

Interested in a larger set of the Insect Nature Study Printables? There is an extended pack with additional labeling sheets (for ant, dragonfly, and bee)  as well as individual observation sheets for the following insects: ant, bee, dragonfly, firefly, fly, grasshopper, ladybug, luna moth, monarch butterfly, mosquito, rhino beetle, scarab beetle, stinkbug, and tick.

Purchase the full set for $3.00 in my Teachers Pay Teachers shop.

 

Additional Learning Ideas and Inspiration

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The inspiration for this pack initially came from Tyndale’s Faith That Sticks insect pack and my past Bird Nature Study Printables pack. The stickers feature nine different insects (several that are focused on in this nature study pack (along with a MANY others) and will be a fun addition to your nature study.

Here are a few things you can do with the stickers. There are six sticker sheets in the set, so plenty to use for a few of the following ideas including:

· Using two sheets to create a matching game. Simply cut 18 3×3 squares of cardstock and put a sticker on each piece. Then have fun matching them up.

· Use the stickers as a guide and have your child sketch their own image of the bird. These stickers have some great colors that are eye-catching!

· Write a story using the stickers. Have your child write their own story picking 2 or 3 of the stickers or have them dictate one to you.

· Make some fun spring cards using the beautiful birds and let your child create a ‘scene’ to put the birds into!

· For older children, put each of the 9 stickers onto a 3×3 cardstock square and let them practice alphabetizing the birds.

· Make popsicle stick puppets with each of the bird stickers.

· Create a simple windsock and use the stickers to decorate. The stickers are light enough that they won’t add extra weight to the windsock.

· Make a fun bracelet with a few of the stickers and wear it on a nature walk. See what birds you find as you walk along!

 

Learning About Insects: Further Resources

Don’t miss these additional printables and helps for your insect nature study!

 

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Like this pack? Don’t miss the Bird Nature Study Printables found HERE.

 

Easter Pocket Chart Calendar Pieces – FREE Printable

Easter pocket chart calendar pieces - a free printable with 3 colors and patterns with 2 monthly calendar headers

Easter isn’t that far away, so here’s a head start for you to print and laminate before the upcoming month begins! A reader emailed and asked if I would be willing to create Easter Pocket Chart Calendar Cards. While she loved the free March and April pocket chart calendar cards I shared several years ago, she wanted one featuring the Easter story – and I absolutely wanted to help her out. Although we may not be using a calendar pocket chart anymore (believe me, it was a sad day when it was taken down and passed on!), our daily calendar time was always a fun time of learning together.

How to Use the Easter Pocket Chart Calendar Cards

Use the different colored number cards to try different pattern sequences: an ABC pattern, ABAB pattern, AABB pattern and other patterns you can make up together. Here’s an example of different patterns using the cards from the month of September. pattern example The set also includes a calendar header for the months of March and April as well, since Easter typically falls in either month.

Easter pocket chart calendar pieces - 3 colors and patterns with monthly calendar headers

 

Additional Calendar Helps

Here are a few additional printables and helps for you all, including the pocket chart that we use, laminating tips, and additional printables you may like:

Yearly pocket chart calendar numbers from Homeschool Creations copy Pocket chart holiday and special occasion cards

Keep up with the newest posts and subscribe by RSS or e-mail to be the first to know of other free printables!

Additional March and April Pocket Chart Calendar Pieces

 

March-pocket-chart-calendar-pieces-from-homeschoolcreations.net_.jpg April-pocket-chart-calendar-pieces-from-homeschoolcreations.net_.jpg

If you’d prefer a different set of pocket chart calendar cards for either March of April, feel free to grab them March ones here and the April ones here.

 

PDF Printing Problems

Having trouble downloading or printing this file? Be sure to check out the post on PDF Download Problems for tips and tricks on getting the files to download properly. The solution is usually something simple and quick!

Images Copyright © Digital Bake Shop. All rights reserved.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar Word Cards – FREE Printable

Very Hungry Caterpillar word cards from Homeschool Creations

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is such a classic children’s book, and with my nieces and nephew working on Carle’s books together with their mom, I put together these Very Hungry Caterpillar Word Cards for them to use in the upcoming weeks – and thought you all might enjoy them as well!

 vocabulary cards for The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

There are two different pages for the word cards – a total of 24 word cards in all for The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Words include: apple, pear, plum, strawberry, orange, cake, cone, pickle, cheese, salami, lollipop, pie, sausage, cupcake, watermelon, leaf, cocoon, butterfly, caterpillar, and sun.

You will need TWO downloads (both free!!) to use the word cards – both the word cards and the Read! Build! Write! Mats.

All downloads are in the green columns on the Read! Build! Write! page

The Read! Build! Write! Vocabulary Mats

Not familiar with the Read! Build! Write! mats? Basically, they are a fun way to work with your child on word identification and spelling.

Read, Build, Write collage

Here’s how the mats are used:

Read: Place one of the vocabulary cards in the top box and read the word together.

Build: Use letter tiles or magnets to build the word in the second box.

Write: Finally, practice writing the word in the bottom box.

Print the mats onto cardstock and then laminate them so that you can use Vis-à-vis markers or dry erase markers on the mats.

Read, Build, Write collage 2

Check out the Read! Build! Write! page to find additional themed vocabulary cards to go along with all of the Early Learning Printable Packs that I’ve put together so far.

All downloads are in the green columns on the Read! Build! Write! page

 

Hope these help you all out! Feel free to ‘pin’ the printables and share them with others! If there are some other vocabulary cards that you would like to see me put together, leave a comment and let me know!

 

Nativity Pocket Chart Calendar Cards – Free Printable

Nativity Pocket Chart Calendar Cards

Hopefully you all are enjoying a little break at some point this upcoming week with Thanksgiving {well, at least those of you in the US!}. December isn’t that far away, so here’s a head start for you to print and laminate before the month of December begins.

A reader emailed and asked if I would be willing to create Nativity Pocket Chart Calendar Cards. While she loved the free December pocket chart calendar cards I shared several years ago, she wanted one featuring Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus – and I absolutely wanted to help her out.

 

How to Use the Nativity Pocket Chart Calendar Cards

Use the different colored number cards to try different pattern sequences: an ABC pattern, ABAB pattern, AABB pattern and other patterns you can make up together. Here’s an example of different patterns using the cards from September.

pattern example

The set also includes a calendar header for the month of December as well.

Nativity Pocket Chart Calendar Header

Additional Calendar Helps

Here are a few additional printables and helps for you all, including the pocket chart that we use, laminating tips, and additional printables you may like:

Yearly pocket chart calendar numbers from Homeschool Creations copy Pocket chart holiday and special occasion cards

 

Additional December Pocket Chart Calendar Pieces

Pocket Chart Calendar Cards for the month of December

If you’d prefer a different set of Christmas themed calendar pocket chart calendar pieces, feel free to grab a free set here.

PDF Printing Problems

Having trouble downloading or printing this file? Be sure to check out the post on PDF Download Problems for tips and tricks on getting the files to download properly. The solution is usually something simple and quick!

Pirate Theme Early Learning Printables – updated and expanded!

Pirate theme printables for preschool and kindergarten



A few years ago I shared a pirate theme lapbook that we used with our oldest son and it was recently updated to include more printables! Of course, I figured you all might enjoy the chance to use it too!

Rather than a lapbook style, the Pirate Theme Early Learning Printables pack includes some of the familiar favorites: vocabulary cards, a story sheet, verses, beginning letter sounds as well as a few ‘new’ printables that don’t fit in pockets: mazes, tracer pages, and more.

Download the Pirate Early Learning Printables HERE!

Fun Pirate Reading Adventures

 

Pirate Lapbook

The original Pirate Lapbook is still available to download as well, and includes a few extra printables that are not a part of the expanded Pirate Pack.

 

Enjoy!

First Grade Mini Office Printables

You might be scratching your head, wondering what a mini office is. Essentially, a mini office is a one-stop place for all those essentials that your child might need while working on his (or her) school work. Prop the mini office can up on a desk and use it to find a quick answer to several common questions.

Homeschool Curriculum Help - First Grade Mini Office Printables

 

What’s Included in the First Grade Mini Office

The First Grade Mini Office includes the following concepts: name printing, phone number, left/right hands, circle and rectangle fractions, coin and paper money values, 8 shapes and name, the numbers 1-20 and number words, months of the year, days of the week, seasons, colors, short/long vowel sounds, and the alphabet with beginning sound picture prompts.

Putting Together the First Grade Mini Office

Homeschool Curriculum Help - First Grade Mini Office view

This first grade mini office is meant to be very simple, but packed full of helpful info for your child. You only need a few basic materials to put yours together:

  • 1 file folder
  • Pages from this printable
  • glue sticks
  • contact paper (you can also have it laminated at an office store)
  1. Print off this printable. Glue the pages onto a file folder or cut out the individual pieces.
  2. Place the pages/pieces into your file folder and glue them down.
  3. Laminate or cover with contact paper.

As you can see from the image above, I chose to cut out the pieces and then glue them on individually to the file folder. We used contact paper and wrote his name and phone number using a Vis-à-vis marker.

Our first grader has his sitting on top of his desk so he can prop it up to use at any time or grab it to use somewhere else. It is already a great help to him.

Download the First Grade Mini Office


 
 

PDF Printing Problems

Having trouble downloading or printing this file? Be sure to check out the post on PDF Download Problems for tips and tricks on getting the files to download properly. The solution is usually something simple and quick!