Ladybug Theme

Pratt's Educational Resources

Themes




Ladybugs have six legs.  They are also called lady beetles or ladybird beetles.  Their heads are black.  A baby ladybug does not have spots until they are 12 hours old.  Some ladybugs are red, orange, pink, white, or yellow.  They even eat bugs (great for farmers and if you have a garden).

Images:
Go to Lady Beetles or Google Image (type in any of the above names) to see some different photos, coloring pages, etc.

The Ladybug Lesson (Toddler through Early Elementary Grades.)


Ladybug Books & Thematic Units
Search for Ladybug Books at Amazon.com

                   
                 

Are You a Ladybug? (Backyard Books) by Judy Allen (Summary: Introduces the life cycle of a ladybug, showing how it changes from an egg to an adult ladybug.)
Ladybug and Dog and the Night Walk by Polly Berrien Berends  bbb

Ladybug Cooking & Snacks

For the below snacks,  if you are teaching a classroom of children or coop, I would make sure what food restrictions there might be.  (These might include: dairy, soy, food dyes, extracts, juices, wheat, gluten, etc.  If there are corn allergies, then the child will not be able to eat the graham crackers, snack crackers, frosting, etc.  The parent will need to make sure there is a acceptable snack (or replacement) for the child.)

Ladybug Rice Cakes
If you are gluten or wheat free, use this snack.  Make sure the rice cakes are free of gluten (dairy, etc.).

Spread strawberry, cherry, or other type of jelly, jam, or preserves on a rice cake.  Place raisins on top.

Ladybug Sugar Cookies
Make round sugar cookies located at: Sugar Cookies or Dairy-free Sugar Cookies.
Frost the cookie with red/pink/white frosting (or other colors; especially if there are food restrictions and/or if you want to talk about a certain type of ladybug).
Note: Some ladybugs are pink or white.
If desired, you can use a toothpick and make a line down the middle of the ladybug.
Put some raisins or chocolate chips on the frosting.

Math: Count the spots on your ladybug.

Ladybug Graham Crackers
Use graham crackers. (This won't look the shape of a round ladybug but using frosting and raisins or chocolate chips will make it look more like a ladybug.)
Frost 1/2 a graham cracker with white/red/pink/orange/yellow frosting (or other colors; especially if there are food restrictions and/or if you want to talk about a certain type of ladybug).  You can use colored sugar instead of colored frosting.
If desired, you can use a toothpick and make a line down the middle of the ladybug.
Put some raisins or chocolate chips on the frosting.

Math: Count the spots on your ladybug.

Snack Cracker Ladybugs
For non-dairy-free snack, you can use use cream cheese (tint it if you like or use a pink cream cheese).
If desired, you can use a toothpick and make a line down the middle of the ladybug.
Put some raisins or chocolate chips on the frosting.

Math: Count the spots on your ladybug.

Ladybug Cinnamon Rolls
Use my cinnamon rolls recipe.  Frost with thin or thicker frosting.  (You can sprinkle with colored sugar instead of coloring the frosting.)  Place raisins or chocolate chips on them.
Math: Count the spots on your ladybug.

Songs & Fingerplays
Insects Music Page: Lady Bug Song

Preschool Education Click on "Music & Songs" and then click on "Bugs"
Songs and Fingerplays: "Ladybug, Ladybug" or "Ladybug"

Games
Ladybug Game Board @ KinderPrintables New 5/19/06

Ladybug Links

A Child's Place - Insects Crafts and Math printables (Lady Bug Math - Addition; Ladybug Game; Add the correct number of spots to each ladybug.)
A Ladybug Webquest (Including pictures.)
abcteach: Ladybugs: Printables and Shape Books
All About Ladybugs
DLTK Insects and Bug Crafts: Ladybugs (3 Crafts)
Ladybugs and Grasshoppers Paper Mache' Lady Bug and Lady Bug Rock
Ladybugs Online Crossword Puzzle @ abcteach
Ladybug Paperweight
Ladybug Thematic Unit @ Mrs. Seagraves' QUEST Class
Ladybug Wordsearch @ abcteach
Preschool Express: Ladybug Activities and Patterns
Western Exterminator: Ladybug Coloring Page

Online Ladybug Activities
BBC - Little Animals Activity Centre - Count Hoot's Number Games Ladybugs: "Addition", "Subtraction", and "Addition and Subtraction".
Kendra's Coloring Books: Lady Bug Online Painting
Ladybug Maze (Online) @ A Kids Heart


Copyright © 2002-2003, 2006 Barbara Pratt.  All rights reserved.

The ladybug image is from Teacher Filies: Clip Art - Icons.