Gettin BUGGY with it!

We've been studying bugs & insects on & off all summer just for fun! But last week we began full-time schoolin again so I continued our buggy adventures for Rylan & we focused on the letter B.

LETTER FUN

We checked out some bug themed alphabet toys at the Resource Center & all the boys enjoyed them! Rylan sorted the B & b, matched bugs to the right letter on flower mats, did an ant themed puzzle matching the capital letters to their lower case buddies, & the boys played a fun board game called AlphaBUG Soup together. I altered the directions to fit each of their needs, Rylan: recognizing letters, Brady: phonics & spelling. Rylan also practiced writing his Bs using a printable from Raising Rockstars Preschool from 1+1+1=1. We also used her printable for our weekly Bible verse: Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be call sons of God. Matthew 5:9. I am pleased to announce that Rylan really learned this verse! All week long he & Brady talked about being peacemakers & one day when we left for the grocery store Rylan called back to our pets & said, "Be peacemakers Fred & Carlos! Behave!" I was tickled!

EXPLORING

The Resource Center has all sorts a fun items to help the boys explore bugs. We really like the theme kits from Lakeshore! 

 

 The boys used their talking microscope they got for Christmas to look at all sorts of bug slides & learn a lot of facts about each one. This may go down as one of the best gifts they've ever received! Thanks Uncle Jon Jon & Aunt BeBe!!

 

The boys were ECSTATIC to get their caterpillars in from Insect Lore! They observed them everyday & couldn't wait to watch their butterflies hatch. None of us really wanted to let them go, but eventually we did, but before we released them Brady insisted on praying for them :) We also went on a bug hunt in our yard & found a couple ladybugs, beetles, spiders, a HUMONGOUS wood roach (insert cringe!), & tons & tons of rolly pollies! They caught some to observe in their bug habitat they got from their Sonic Kid's Meals.

 

PLAY

Here are a few pics of the boys playing with some more bug themed toys we were able to check out. The favorite was the magnetic bug thing Keller is playing with.

 

MATH

Brady tried to teach Rylan addition using a book we checked out. He didn't get it, but did enjoy counting all the bugs :) I printed out various math inspired printables from 2 Teaching Mommies' various bug themes. Rylan's favorite of course was using marshmallows to do the spider graphing book. Learning is always fun when you can eat it.

  He also had a good time putting together these cute lady bug counters. He had to match the colors & count the dots, then find the head with the correct number on it. After he did it by color he would mix up the body parts & just had fun playing around with them.

BOOKS

As you can see we were able to get lots of fun books! The littles had a lot fun playing with the felt board for Quick As A Cricket, & I used this book with Brady to review him on adjectives & verbs. The Happy Bee & Beetle Bop came with a CD to listen to the stories. I try to find a book each week that they can listen too.

ART

The boys made caterpillars from egg cartons & dragonflies from coffee filters & clothes pins. I LOVE the picture of Rylan coloring his butterflies! Our kitten Carlos watched Rylan's hand going back & forth quickly & jumped up to catch it, but then seemed interested in just watching him color. I was glad I had my camera on hand!