Celebrating our New Bug Aquarium!

Photo slideshow personalized with Smilebox As a fun way to learn about bugs, we all decided that we were going to fill an aquarium with bug-related things - the bugs themselves, plants, leaves, grass, rocks and sand.  Our adventure to the beginning of our bug aquarium began earlier in the day when we talked about different types of bugs at circle time.  After reading a bug book that showed us what the bugs looked like (UP CLOSE! and MAGNIFIED!), the kids helped Jena draw a picture of what would go into our bug aquarium.  The kids enthusiastically shouted out the things that bugs might need like air and water, and others shouted out different kinds of bugs, like ladybugs and beetles.   During our class time, some of the Centipedes molded things for the bug aquarium with clay, and others drew pictures of what a bug aquarium might look like. Luka and Layla drew flowers, and different bugs to show what they would put in their own bug aquarium. Then, on our morning walk we all looked around as hard as we could for little bugs to add to the aquarium, and ended up with a few worms and some foliage for the bugs to munch on.  Talking with the kids about the different things that bugs need to live and drawing imaginary bug aquariums not only shows them creative ways to see nature, it also teaches them a lot about life cycles.  Beginning with pretending to be baby caterpillars (and butterflies) at circle time, and ending with asking them what bugs need to survive, it teaches the kids what all creatures need to survive.