Insects Week – Ant – No. 2 Pencil

Do you ever see little black ants marching in line on the wall trying to get inside your house, or more precisely into your kitchen? They have a powerful nose! I have put peppermint plants and citrus fruit at the door to my kitchen and ants have stopped trying to get in. Le’s learn about ants and become myrmecologists or ant scientist with zoologist Jess French https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXUCUvcscXs

Science

If weather permits, let’s go on an adventure outside to see if you and your child can find ants and anthills. If you have a nature journal, have your child do a drawing that you can label and date.

You can also review the Insect Parts Song (Insects Week-General) on the tune of “Head and Shoulders.”

As a fun activity, you can prepare a special snack with your child. It is called “Ants on a Log.” You will need celery, raisins and peanut/almond butter. Help your child to cut the celery in pieces 5 inches long. Spread it with the butter and sprinkle raisins on it. For picture, see https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23953/ants-on-a-log/

Language Arts

There are ants in many different places. When we walk, we sometimes have a choice to make: should we squish ants or not? Should we show empathy? Here is a story about a child deciding what to do. It is called Hey, Little Ant by Phillip and Hanna Hoose.

After viewing the book, ask your child what he/she would do. Would she squish the ant or not and why?

“Ants” Song (Tune of “Twinkle, twinkle Little Star”)

Worker ants are in a nest,

Clearing, fixing, doing their best.

Take a look and you will see,

Ants are like a family.

Worker ants are in a nest,

Clearing, fixing, doing their best!

“The Ants Go Marching” Song

The ants go marching one by one. Hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one. Hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching one by one.
The little one stops to suck his thumb.
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The ants go marching two by two. Hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching two by two. hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching two by two.
The little one stops to tie his shoe.
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! (2x)

The ants go marching three by three. Hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching three by three. Hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching three by three.
The little one stops to climb a tree.
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! (2x)

The ants go marching four by four. Hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching four by four. Hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching four by four.
The little one stops to shut the door.
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! (2x)

The ants go marching five by five. Hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching five by five. Hurrah, hurrah!
The ants go marching five by five.
The little one stops to take a dive.
And they all go marching down to the ground
To get out of the rain, BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! (2x)

“Bugs in a Rug” Fingerplay

Five little bugs sitting on a snug rug.

One is a bee. Buzz, buzz, buzz!

Two is a firefly. Blink, blink, blink!

Three is an ant. Work, work, work!

Four is a grasshopper. Hop, hop, hop!

Five is a butterfly. Flap, flap, flap.

Cut and Paste the Letters ANT https://twistynoodle.com/cut-and-paste-the-letters-a-n-t-coloring-page/

Uppercase Letter A Worksheet (Remember to start at the top) https://twistynoodle.com/uppercase-letter-a-coloring-page/

Math

Help your child to continue his/her pattern on the April Calendar (Info in Reptiles Week 3)

This is a movement game: (1) print both sets of cards. Number Cards 1-20 https://www.themailbox.com/magazines/number-cardsbr-3-pages/number-cards3-pages and Ant Cards https://www.themailbox.com/magazines/ant-cardsbr-3-color-pages/ant-cards-2. Then, have your child cut them up and stack them face down well mixed. Have your child pick one card. If it is a number card, have him/her tell you the number. If it is an ant card, have your child stand up and say “Ants in my pants” and start wiggling his/her body. Repeat picking up cards one at a time until there is no more cards on the pile.

Art

For this Marble painting Art Project, you need (1) the top of a printing paper box or any file box, (2) marbles, (3) paint, (4) white paper, (5) a paper or plastic ant, and (6) glue.

help your child to put a piece of paper in the box, drop some paint on the paper and marbles. Have marbles roll on the paper back and forth and in the paint moving the box up and down. Try to keep the marbles in the box! It is hard but very exciting for children! After the paint is dry, glue an ant on the paper.

Other crafts are:

Awesome Ant Craft https://www.themailbox.com/magazines/ant-craft/awesome-ant

Ant Headband Craft https://www.themailbox.com/magazines/ant-headband-craft/ant-headband

Egg-Cup Ant Craft https://www.themailbox.com/magazines/ant-craft/egg-cup-ant