In this activity, children will learn more about the creepy, crawly critters that make their homes in students’ outdoor play spaces. They will research the different bugs they discover and then plan and design their habitats for bugs. As they create, they will consider the different needs of bugs and how they help them survive. Later, children will revisit their bug “homes” and see if any have moved in!
What We’re Learning
| Explore local insect species and their habitats |
| Conduct research using age-appropriate resources |
| Build problem-solving skills and design with purpose |
| Discover what living things need to survive |
Recommended Materials
- Magnifying glasses
- Research materials (via tablet or physical, nonfiction texts)
- Natural materials (sticks, leaves, flowers, stones, dirt, water, etc.)
- Research & planning worksheets (view)
- Jars and containers
Literacy Connection
Peep Inside Bug Homes by Anna Milbourne
Bug Hotel by Clover Robin
The Hotel for Bugs by Suzy Senior
Grade Levels
K, 1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade
Details
Part 1: Exploring Insect Life with a Bug Scavenger Hunt
Gather students together before outdoor play and send them off on a mission: How many unique bugs can they find on the playground, school garden or the designated nature area? Give each student a magnifying glass to help them on their search. Download and print the My Bug Scavenger Hunt worksheet for older students. Encourage students to think about where different insects may be living:
- Do they like sunny or shady locations?
- Do they have a specific host plant?
- Do they feed on nectar?
- Do they like to hide under rocks or logs
- Are they decomposers? (See the activity on Food Webs.)
As they search, prompt students to observe different parts of the nature area–on tree trunks, under rocks, under logs, on tree leaves, inside flower buds, beneath playground equipment, in the grass, etc.
Part 2: Gather
After each student has found several bugs in your play space / nature area, gather the children to discuss their findings:
- What types of bugs did you find?
- Where did you find them?
- Why do you think the bugs chose that particular location?
- Did the bug share the living space?
- What were the bugs doing?
- Did you find other evidence of bugs (i.e., webs, gals, nests, wings, cocoons, shells)?
- Did you find other evidence of bugs (i.e., webs, gals, nests, wings, cocoons, shells)?
Part 3: Research
Ask students to choose one of the bugs they found to research. Help students find appropriate resources to learn more about their bugs–this might look like checking out age-appropriate nonfiction texts from the library or finding information about their bugs on National Geographic Kids.
Have students complete a research worksheet for their chosen bug. They will explore where their bugs live, what they eat, and some of their common behaviors or adaptations.
Allow students to share their research with the class. Students who chose the same bug can share information.
Part 4: Design
Introduce students to the bug habitat building challenge. Based on their research, students will plan and construct their bug’s perfect “home” from natural materials.
Give each student the planning page to draw and make notes about their designs—prompt students to consider the bug’s preferred light level, bedding, and access to food.
Part 5: Build
Give students 1-2 recess periods to design their bug “homes.” One recess might be spent gathering the necessary materials, while the other might be devoted to actual construction. Remind students to include all of the elements their bug needs to survive, such as food sources, moisture, or shade.
As they work, remind students to be mindful of their natural spaces, be conscious of the amount of materials they take from the space, and use only what they need.
If your play space is shared by more than one class, you may want to leave signs asking other students to leave the bug homes undisturbed. Attach them to a popsicle stick or pencil and place them in the ground in front of your class’s bug homes.
Part 6: Visit
Periodically return to visit your bug homes. Are there signs that any bugs have moved in? Prompt students to consider if they would make any changes to make the bugs feel more at home. 
Resources
| My Bug Study Worksheets (PDF) |
