Story Time with Eric Carle

Learning about bugs in your classroom? Here are some great Eric Carle books and activities that will make a great addition to your lesson plans!

The Very Busy Spider by Eric Carle

As you read,

• Invite your students to feel the textured pages.
• Talk with your students about webs; how they are designed, types of lines, why spiders build webs, etc.

After you read,

• Help children make their own webs with string, liquid starch, glitter, and wax paper. When dried, the web can be peeled away from the paper.
• Assist children in making hand print spiders to be cut out and placed on their newly created webs.

The Very Lonely Firefly

As you read,

• Invite your students to appreciate the book's special page that lights up.
• Discuss with your students how and why fireflies light up.

After you read,

• Help your students become fireflies! Have them decorate sentence strips or card stock, glue the ends together to create a headband, then attach curled chenille stems to create antenna. Provide them with glow necklaces for a cute effect!
• Turn classroom lights off and pull blinds, or go to a safe, dark place and have your students act out the story. Remember that not all students like the dark, so be aware of their feelings and make special provisions for them if you need to!

For more great ideas and other applications for Eric Carle stories, check out Amanda's post at Not Just Cute!

Eric Carle Author Study: The Very Busy Spider and The Very Lonely Firefly « Not Just Cute

Looking for other resources for your early childhood classroom? MPM School Supplies offers everything from games & activities to manipulatives & resource books!