A guide for using our resources

Children will learn about the life and legacy of insect scientist Charles Henry Turner.

Vocabulary: scientist, curious, entomologist, experiments, obstacle course

Social Studies Focus: Black History Month

Science: insects, scientific procedure

  1. Watch a Video:

    Insects, Insects Everywhere

     

  2. Read the Issue:

    The Great Bug Man

     

  3. Play a Game:
    The Great Bug Man Game Show

    Skill: key details

     

  4. Complete Skill Sheets 

    Reading Checkpoint

    Skill: reading comprehension


    Text Feature Hunt

    Skill: nonfiction text features

     

    Color by Digraph

    Skill: digraphs

     

  5. Lesson Boosters 

  • Paired Text Suggestion: Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner) by Janice N. Harrington

     

  • I Spy . . . Syllables and Text Feature Hunt

     

  • Hands-on Activity: Be an Entomologist!

CCSS and Similar State Standards: RI.1.1 ask and answer questions; RI.1.4 determine meaning of words; RI.1. 5 text features; RI.1.10 informational texts; RF.1.3 digraphs; W.1.2 write informative texts; W.1.8 gather information

Simple, spectacular ideas to boost your lessons.

Paired Text Suggestion: Buzzing with Questions: The Inquisitive Mind of Charles Henry Turner by Janice N. Harrington

  • This biography is packed with information about Charles Henry Turner: from his life as a kid full of questions, to a college student facing injustice, and as an adult teaching his students—and the world—about what insects are capable of!

I Spy . . . Syllables and Text Feature Hunt

  • Ask students to find and share a word that has a specific number of syllables in a specific part of the article. When the word is found, the whole class can repeat the word, clap the syllables, and circle the word in their article. Note: Some clues have more than one answer.
  • Suggested clues:
    • I spy in the blue caption box a word with four syllables! (experiment) 
    • I spy under the subhead Charles as a Boy a word with three syllables! (animals, scientist)
    • I spy under the subhead Becoming a Scientist a word with five syllables! (entomologist)
    • I spy in the green caption box a word with three syllables! (obstacle)
    • I spy under the subhead Bugs Have Brains a word with three syllables! (honeybees) 
    • I spy under the subhead Thank You, Charles a word with three syllables! (amazing, scientist)

Hands-On Activity: Be an Entomologist!

Skilsl: observations

Materials: Be an Entomologist! skill sheets, clipboards, magnifying glasses, pencils, crayons

  • Students will practice being a bug scientist by observing a tiny critter in nature and recording their findings!
  • Provide students with a Be an Entomologist! skill sheet and clipboard. Tell students that they are about to go on a nature walk. Their job is to fi nd and closely observe a bug. Review each part of the sheet so that students know what to look out for. Then prepare to go on a nature walk!
  • Remind your little entomologists that their job is to just observe the bugs. Encourage students to have quiet voices and find a spot to sit near the bug. Students can choose to begin filling out their sheet.
  • Tell students that it is time to return to their seats and complete the rest of their sheet, adding illustrations and colors.