The Butterfly's Message

 The Butterfly's Message by Reho

I found a poor butterfly under a tree,
So crushed and so injured
'Twas painful to see;
No bright pretty colors all over its wings,
And never again the sweet message it brings,
Of 'Spring, happy Spring,' shall be borne on the 
air,
For slowly 'twas dying midst all things so fair.

I lifted it tenderly up from the ground,

The dainty wings broken,

I very soon found

A sad little flutter. No more it will rise

Or float in its beauty toward the blue skies.

The thing we call life had escaped from my

hand,

A something so wondrous I can't understand.

Then wrapt in a fern-leaf, beneath moss and 

flowers.

I put it quite safely,

Where soft summer showers

Will whisper the violet how it has died;

And primrose and snowdrop shall bloom by its

side.

Repeating the message of 'Spring, happy Spring,'

That all the bright butterflies bear on their

wing.

Study Insects and Flowers

Soldier beetle pollinating a flower.

       The  vast  majority  of  flowering  plants  are  arranged  by  botanists  into  two classes,  wind-fertilized (anemophilous), and insect-fertilized  (entomopkilous), that  is,  plants  whose pollen  is  brought  to  their  stigmas  by  the  wind,  and  plants  for which  insects  perform  this  duty.  One  striking  feature  of  wind-fertilized  plants is  the  absence  of  bright-colored  leaves  and  of  scent.  The  interior  of  these flowers,  too,  contains  no  honey;  the  visits  of  insects  would  be  of  no  use  to them,  so  they  do  not  offer  any  inducements  to  these  animals  to  come  to  them.

       Insects  are  induced  to  visit  flowers  in  some  cases  to  get  shelter  from  storms ; in  others  to  deposit  their  eggs,  but  most  commonly  of  all  to  procure  food. Honey  and  pollen  are  the  principal  foods  which  they  seek  for  in  flowers; but  pollen  is  ordinarily  produced  in  such  abundance  that  much  of  it  can  be spared.  The  brilliant  colors  of  the  corolla  enable  the  flower to  be  seen  at  a distance,  and  the  various  parts  of  the  flower  are,  as  a  rule,  so  shaped  as  to admit  only  into  the  interior  the  insects  that  are  serviceable.  The  honey  which the  flower  secretes,  and  the  sweet  smells  do  not,  as  far  as  is  known,  serve  any other  purpose  save  that  of  attracting  insects.

       The  modes  in  which  the  flower  adapts  itself  to  the  visits  of  special  insects, the  appliances  by  which  it  covers  these  with  pollen,  to  be  transferred  to stigma  of  another  flower,  are  wonderfully  various,  and  seem  mostly intended  to  favor  cross-fertilization.

Required for Observation in The Classroom: This  lesson  should  be  illustrated  by means  of a  variety  of  flowers,  including  species  that  are  small  and  inconspicuous,  and  others  brightly  colored,  flowers  that  sleep  by  day (evening  primroses,  tobacco,  &c.),  flowers  that  sleep  by  night  (daisy, dandelion,  pimpernel,  &c.),  and  odorless  and  sweet-scented  flowers. Diagrams  showing  the  sucking-tubes  of  insects.

Method of Student Observation:

• Various  flowers  should  be  examined  in  order  to  see  and  taste  the sweet  nectar  produced  by  them. 
• Diagrams  showing  the  sucking-tubes  of  insects  should  be  shown, and  the  insects  themselves  should  be observed  as  they  visit  the  flowers  in a  garden.
  This  information  should  be  acquired,  if  possible,  by  the  observation of  insects  at  large,  and  not  given  by the  teacher  in  the  school-room. 
• Examples  of  flowers  (primrose, canterbury  bell,  carnation, etc.) illustrating  the  accompanying  notes may  be  found  in  most  flower-gardens, or  in  hedgerows  and  banks. 
• These  facts  should  be  verified  by the  actual  observation  of  flowers  and insects  at  different  periods  of  the day  and  evening,  and  the  children should  be  encouraged  to  make  notes of  their  own  independent  observations,  carried  on  at  any  time.  
  

How to Grade Study Notes For Student Journals: Every student will need a journal to write in weekly for this online nature study series. Teacher will assign the weekly content in advance.

• Make sure the facts are: written in complete sentences, the first word of each sentence capitalized, and a period should be included at the end of each sentence.
• Spell check your vocabulary and write the words correctly.
• Dress up your journal entries with student clip art, drawings of your own in color or in black and white.
• Student may also include photographs of their own taking for extra credit.

Look for the following facts about insects and flowers inside of student journals. Assign a point value to the quality of the content.

• Why  Insects  visit  Flowers. - Many  flowers  produce  sweet  fluids on  which  certain  insects  (bees,  butterflies, etc.)  delight  to  feed.  Such insects  are  provided  with  long sucking-tubes,  which  can  be  thrust down  the  cups  and  tubes  of  flowers for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  these fluids,  and  some  (bees)  are  also  provided  with  jaws  by  which  they  can bite  through  the  lower  parts  of  the flowers  when  their  sucking-tubes  are not  long  enough  to  reach  the  sweet juices  from  above.
• Some  insects  (bees,  &c.)  feed  on the  pollen,  or  else  collect  the  pollen to  feed  their  young.
• How  Insects  help  Flowers. - When  an  insect  visits  flowers,  some of  the  pollen  adheres  to  its  body. Then,  as  it  flies  from  flower  to flower  in  quest  of  food,  the  pollen  it carries  is  transferred  to  the  stigmas, thus  assisting  in  the  work  of  fertilization.
• Insects  generally  fly  from  flower to  flower  of  the  same  species,  thus adding  to  their  usefulness,  for  the ovule  of  one  species  can  only  be fertilized  by  pollen  from  the  same species  or  from  one  closely  allied.
• Some  flowers  cannot  possibly  fertilize  themselves,  either  because  their anthers  and  their  stigmas  are  so situated,  relatively,  that  pollen  cannot  be  transferred  from  one  to  the other  (e.g.  the  primrose);  or  because the  anthers  and  the  stigmas  are never  mature  at  the  same  period. Such  flowers  must  have  their  pollen  transferred,  and  this  work  is carried  on  by  insects  or  by  the  wind. 
• How  Flowers  attract  Insects. - Those  flowers  which  are  fertilized  by the  wind  are,  as  a  rule,  very  inconspicuous,  and  have  no  scent ;  but those  which  require  the  aid  of  insects generally  have  brilliant corollas,  or  emit sweet  odors  to  attract  them.
• Again,  some  flowers  seem  to  prefer the  aid  of  particular  species  of insects,  and  remain  closed  except  at the  hours  during  which  those  insects are  on  the  wing.  Hence  we  find some  flowers  sleeping  during  the  day, and  others  during  the  night.
• The  flowers  which  require  the  aid of  day -flying  insects  usually  have  corollas  to  attract  them.  Those which  prefer  the  visits  of  night-fliers often  remain  closed  till  the  evening, and  attract  the  insects  either  by  their sweet  perfume,  or  by  their  large white  or  pale-yellow  corollas,  which are  readily  distinguished  at  a  distance after  dark. 

Video at Youtube for Students to Watch + articles to read:

1. Pollen and Nectar Carriers - article
2. Insect Mimicry and Protective Coloration - article
3. Video Attracting Beneficial Insects by Gardener Scott
4. Video Building A Host Environment for Beneficial Insects by Paul Zimmerman

The Insect and Flower Anchor Chart and Classroom Discussion: Direct discussions, develop vocabulary and demonstrate correct sentence writing. Anchor charts are used in many different grades the following example below may be used in 2nd through 4th grade during a group discussion.

• The  insect  visits  flowers  to  seek  for  honey.
• The  honey  lies  at  the  bottom  of  the  flower-cup.
• The  insect  sucks  up  the  honey  from  the  bottom  of  the  flower with  its  long  sucking  tube.
• The  insect  visits  flowers  to  seek  for  honey,  which  lies  at  the bottom  of  the  flower-cup.
• The  yellow  dust  inside  the  flower  is  called  pollen.
• The  insects  gather  the  pollen  and  make  it  into  a  kind  of  bread for  their  young.
• The  pollen  sticks  to  the  insect  when  it  is  seeking  for  honey in  the  flower.
• The  yellow  dust  inside  flowers  is  called  pollen,  and  sticks to  the  insect,  when  it  is  seeking  for  honey  in  the  flower.
• When  the  insect  leaves  a  flower  its  body  is  covered  with pollen.
• The  insect  carries  the  pollen  to  the  next  flower.
• This  helps  the  flower  to  produce  seed.
• When  the  insect  leaves  a  flower  its  body  is  covered  with pollen ,  which  it  carries  to  the  next  flower ,  and  so  helps the  flower  to  produce  seed.  

Insect and Flower Frame Printables: Print, color and write your favorite nature poem inside the boarder printable. For student use, not for resale.

Click to download the largest available size before dragging to your desktop.

 Poems to Copy, Credit the Author Please:

• Creation by Edward P. Butler
• Flower Fairies by Philip Bourke Marston
• Waking To Life by Hannah Kohaus
• The Hollyhock Fairy by M. D. Cole
• Caterpillar On The Wall by Marion Ryan
• Spring by Betty Alsterlund

Extended Learning Content: 

• Flower with insects drawing for kids by Piyanki Khushi
• Start drawing of a ladybug and scenery by stART DrawinG
• Acrylic painting of beautiful flower with lady bug by V art World

Free Student Clip Art: Clip art may be printed from a home computer, a classroom computer or from a computer at a library and/or a local printing service provider. This may be done from multiple locations as needed because our education blog is online and available to the general public.

1.  Section  of  Flower,  showing  honey  secreted  at  bottom  of  tube ; 
2.  Insect-fertilized Flower;  3.  Insect  at  work,  sucking  honey;
  4. Sucking-tube  of  insect  enlarged,
and  section  of  same ;  5.  Wind-fertilized  Flowers.

Down in the Hollow

 Down in the Hollow
Aileen Fisher

Down in the hollow,
Not so far away,
I saw a little ladybug
When I went to play,

Swinging on the clover
Up in the air . . .
I wonder if the ladybug
Knew I was there.

The Cricket

The Cricket
Marjorie Barrows

And when the rain had gone away
And it was shining everywhere,
I ran out on the walk to play
And found a little bug was there.

And he was running just as fast
As any little bug could run,
Until he stopped for breath at last,
All black and shiny in the sun.

And then he chirped a song to me
And gave his wings a little tug,
And that's the way he showed that he
Was very glad to be a bug!

20 Facts About The Caterpillar/Butterfly

       Caterpillar. Mrs. Sigourney has written a child's poem about a butterfly, in which the beautiful insect sings as it flies through the sunny air, "I was a worm till I won my wings." Truly the ancients never conceived a myth more beautiful and wonderful than this familiar story of nature - the life history of the butterfly. 

Stages of the caterpillar and butterfly.

1. The lovely, winged creature is the fourth and last step in the development of the insect, and the caterpillar is the second, for it is the larva, or worm, that hatches from the egg. 
2. A study of the origin of the word caterpillar shows that it means, literally, hairy cat. 
3. Everyone is familiar with the woolly kinds, and the name, so far as they are concerned, is not inappropriate. 
4. There are, however, hairless kinds, the skin of which is often beautifully marked lengthwise or crosswise, or covered with rings and eye-spots.
5. When the tiny caterpillar first emerges from the egg it proceeds to eat, for this is to be its chief duty during the larva stage. 
6. The eggs are always deposited where plant food can easily be reached. 
7. Before very long the skin of the worm becomes too tight, for it does not increase as the body grows larger.
8. Accordingly the caterpillar soon crawls out through a split which occurs near the front end; that is, it molts (see Molting). 
9. This process is repeated four or five times, and in each case a new skin has formed under the old one.
10. The body of a full-grown worm is usually divided into twelve rings or segments, and each of the first three rings bears a pair of five-jointed legs. 
11. There are also short leg- stumps on the abdomen, which disappear when the last molting takes place.
12. On each side of the head there are six eye-spots; the head also bears a pair of short, three-jointed feelers, besides jaws and other mouth organs. 
13. Glands, some with unpleasantly odorous or stinging secretions, frequently occur on the skin.
14. There comes a time when the caterpillar ceases to eat and begins to prepare for the so-called pupal, or resting, stage. 
15. The caterpillar stage lasts two or three months in temperate regions, but it may be of two or three years' duration in Arctic lands. 
16. The quantity of food eaten is used to nourish the pupa. 
17. Moth caterpillars spin a casing of silk about them, and form cocoons, while the pupal stage of butterflies is passed in a hard skin covering. 
18. Butterfly pupae are called chrysalids. 
19. When the pupa reaches maturity the outside casing splits open, and the butterfly comes out, rather crumpled and weak at first, but soon ready to spread its wings for a happy life in the sunshine. 
20. The same processes of development occur in the life history of moths.

More About The Caterpillar/Butterfly:

• "He Is Risen Indeed!" Butterfly Coloring Page
• Create a Butterfly Yarn Picture
• A butterfly maze puzzle by kathy grimm...
• Craft a Butterfly Mask
• Life Again! and The Cocoon
• The Butterfly Poem
• A Living Butterfly paper craft
• Handy Little Butterflies
• Craft a Very Hungry Caterpillar
• Craft a Pom-pom Caterpillar SWAPS

The Lady-Bug Rebus

Lady-Bug
by Gertrude A. Strickler

       Long long ago a lady-bug washed out her children's clothes. "But where to hang them up to dry," said she "O goodness knows!" It happened that a spider's home was in the grass close by, and on the spider's silken line, she hung them up to dry. Then Granny spider laughed "Ho! ho! those lady-bug's clothes are mine because they're in my web" and then she took them off the line. A measuring worm was looking 'round as on a leaf he stood. He saw it all and called for help, as loudly as he could. Then to the rescue cam a wasp, and tho he had to tug, he took the clothes from Granny's grasp and back to Mrs. bug. The clothes were torn but Lady-bug patched up the holes with black. And since that day each lady-bug wears holes upon her back...

• A Thanksgiving Acrostic
• A "Quotable" Christmas Acrostic

Bee

      The bee a common insect of which the honeybee and bumblebee are the best known species. There are probably not less than 5,000 species scattered over all parts of the world, but they are especially numerous in the tropics. Bees naturally divide themselves into two classes: solitary bees, which live in pairs, and those which live in colonies or societies. The carpenter bee and mason bee are good representatives of the first class.

6 Important Facts About The Honeybee:

1. The honeybee has always been regarded as the most intelligent of insects, and it has been partially domesticated from the earliest times.
2. Honeybees live in large colonies or societies, numbering from 10,000 to 60,000 individuals.
3. In bee culture such a colony is known as a swarm.
4. In every swarm there are three kinds of bees: the queen, which is the female bee that lays the eggs from which the colony is born; the males or drones, so called because of the low humming sound which they make, and the workers, which are by far the largest number.
5. There is only one queen to a swarm.
6. The males may number several hundred, but at a certain season every year most of these are stung to death by the workers, who with the queen are provided with stings.

       It is upon leaf-cutting bees, the workers, that the real strength of the swarm depends. They are the smallest, strongest and most active of the three classes. The queen during the season may lay as many as 300 eggs in a single day, but in cold weather, the number is much less. From the eggs first laid come the workers, and from the later ones, drones. The eggs are deposited in cells prepared by the workers, one to each cell. One set of cells is constructed for workers and another for drones and the queen never makes a mistake in depositing the eggs. The eggs which are to develop into queens are laid in cells much larger than the others, but they will not differ from those laid in the other cells, and the queen is developed by feeding the larva on a special food.

       The eggs are about one-twelfth of an inch long, of a bluish color and oblong in shape. They hatch in about three days. The larvae are fed by the workers for about five days, the food consisting of honey and pollen, called beebread. When the larva has grown so as to fill the cell, the workers seal it up and leave it for about two weeks, when the bee comes forth in the adult state. As the swarm becomes too large for the home in which it lives, a new queen is allowed to appear, and in a short time after this, on a bright, warm day, the old queen leaves the hive with a large portion of the swarm and seeks a new home for herself or enters one that the bees have found beforehand. In one season as many as three successive swarms may leave the same colony. During the winter the bees remain asleep, move about but little and eat little food.

       Bees obtain their food by entering flowers and sucking up and swallowing the nectar, which is stored in the stomach-like honey bag. The hind legs are also provided with little cavities, called baskets, in which the bees store pollen for transit to the home. The bee, after gathering what pollen and honey it can carry, rises into the air, flies in a circle for a few times around, then, having found its bearings, flies home in a perfectly straight line; hence the expression bee line. Bee hunters take advantage of this habit to locate swarms and stores of honey.

       On entering and leaving the flowers, bees get dusted with pollen, and as it is their habit to work but one species of flower at a time, they are important agents in the cross- fertilization of flowers; in fact, such plants as clover cannot be successfully grown with- out the aid of bees.

       Bees are liable to be destroyed by the larvae of a moth which enters the hives at night and lays its eggs. The larvae bun-ow out through the cells and sometime kill an entire swarm. Occasionally in winter mice find their way into the hives and feed upon the bees and honey. Lice and several species of flies and birds also destroy bees.

Leaf cutter bee video by ResonatingBodies

Dragonfly:

Superstitions: In the United States, the dragon
 fly was once known as the devil's darning needle,
 but the dragon flies are harmless insects, and
 not even the butterflies are more beautiful and
 graceful.

The dragonfly are a family of beautiful insects, with large, gauzelike wings, that give it powerful and rapid flight. The dragon fly lays its eggs in the water, where the larvae and pupae live on aquatic insects. The larval stage lasts for a year. The pupae are always hungry. They propel themselves through water by drawing it into their bodies and throwing it out again. 

More About Dragon Flies From The Web:

• Beneficials In The Garden: Dragonflies
• Dragonflies: Dainty But Deadly
• Introduction to the Odonata: Dragonflies and Damselflies

More About Dragon Flies From Our Blogs:

• "Bless The Lord" coloring page with a dragonfly...
• "The Butterfly's Ball" sheet music and lyrics
• How to paint a laser cut dragon fly...

Grasshopper Green

Grasshopper Green

by George Cooper

Grasshopper Green is a comical chap;
He lives on the best of fare.
Bright little trousers, jacket and cap,
These are his summer wear.
Out in the meadow he loves to go,
Playing away in the sun;
lts hopperty, skipperty, high and low -
Summer's the time for fun.

Grasshopper Green has a dozen wee boys,
And soon as their legs grow strong
Each of them joins in his frolicsome joys,
Singing his merry song.
Under the hedge in a happy row
Soon as the day has begun
lts hopperty, skipperty, high and low -
Summer;s the time for fun.

Grasshopper Green has a quaint little house.
It's under the hedge to stay.
Grandmother Spider, as still as a mouse,
Watches him over the way.
Gladly he's calling the children, I know,
Out in the beautiful sun;
It's hopperty, skipperty, high and low -

Summer's the time for fun.

S.T.E.A.M. Basic Insect Hotels

       One of our recent STEAM projects came out of our entomology unit: insect hotels. After seeing dozens of elaborate insect hotels in my own Pinterest feed, I decided to try and find a way to let me students build a mini one during one of our afternoon science blocks. We had been reading about insects and their habitats, so we collected our research on what we had learned attracted really beneficial insects. Pine cones, dry leaves, branches, bark, and--yes--even straws--these were the (primarily) natural materials we gathered to arrange into snug nooks and crannies in tin cans to create these mini homes for our insect friends. 

 and here's a finished one...

We tied our up with Baker's Twine to be hung, and the students got to take them home to find a garden for them.

10 Must Have Insect Books for Your Classroom

        Our classroom library was recently invaded with many insect-tastic reads for our upcoming unit on insects! Here are 10 of my favorite insect and bug books to introduce to youngsters:

Bugs in My Hair by David Shannon. A hilarious tale of finding--horror of horrors--live in your hair! How did they get there? What are they doing hidden in your roots? And when will they ever leave?!

The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle. A grouchy, bossy ladybug stumbles upon many other creatures to learn how to be a kinder and more polite insect.

Are You a Dragonfly? by Judy Allen. From the well written Backyard Books comes yet another story of an amazing, unique insect: the dragonfly.

The Big Bug Book by Margery Facklam. Discover the 13 largest insects in the world with this reference book. Each insect is drawn to actual size in the illustrations to help readers get a picture of just how big these creepy crawlers can grow.

Caterpillar, Butterfly by Vivian French. With charming illustrations, a young girl and her grandfather observe a the metamorphose process of a caterpillar into a butterfly.

Ant Cities by Arthur Dorros. This book showcases all the life that takes place deep in an ant hill--how to identify different types of ants and all the different things they do as a colony.

Some Bugs by Angela DiTerlizzi. The vibrant, bold insect illustrations will capture any child's--and adult's--attention to pick it up. A great introduction to children about all the many things bugs can do.

Where Butterflies Grow by Joanne Ryder. Another excellent  book that explains the life cycle of a butterfly in simple story prose.

The Magic School Bus Inside a Bee Hive by Joanna Cole. Elementary students are sucked into a bee hive with Ms. Frizzle and her class to learn all about the many benefits of bees. 

The Ultimate Bugopedia: The Most Complete Bug Reference Ever by Darlyne Murawski. An awesome reference book for children to identify all the different varieties of insects in folk's backyards across the globe.

The Butterfly

The Butterfly

author unknown

"Don't kill me," caterpillar said,

As Clara raised her heel,

Upon the humble worm to tread,

As though it could not feel.

"Don't kill me- I will crawl away,

And hide me from your site,

And when I come, some other day,

You'll view me with delight."

The caterpillar went and hid

In some dark, quiet place,

Where none could look on what he did,

To change his form and face.

And then, one day, as Clara read

Within a shady nook,

A butterfly, superbly dressed,

Alighted on her book.

His shining wings were dotted o'er

With gold, and blue, and green,

And Clara owned she naught before

So beautiful had seen.

Animal Intelligence

       It is generally known that many animals possess in a greater or less degree the same senses that we ourselves have: sight, hearing, smell, touch, temperature and so on and that many of them experience such emotions as: anger, grief and joy; but it is not by any means so certain that they have even the elements of reason as we understand that term.

       The sense of touch in man is keenest in the finger tips, the lips and the tip of the tongue. In the lower animals the regions of greatest sensitiveness are often different, and in some animals special and very delicate touch organs have been developed; as, for example, the whiskers of the eat and the long hair on the rabbit's lip, by means of which these animals can readily find their way in the densest darkness. The wing of the bat is also very sensitive to touch.

       In man the sense of taste is keen and resides in the taste bulbs which cover the tongue and palate. In birds and reptiles the sense of taste is not very well developed. Insects recognize the difference between sweet and bitter, but do not seem to be affected by other flavors. Many animals show an instinctive dislike for certain foods, but it may be more from the sense of smell than from taste, for the two are very closely allied.

       In some animals the sense of smell is exceedingly acute. The dog can track his master through the crowded street; the deer recognizes the presence of an enemy very quickly. But birds have little sense of smell, and reptiles also are dull in this respect. Fish differ; it is said that the shark is almost entirely dependent on his sense of smell for his food. In insects this sense is most keenly developed.

       Most of the mammals and the birds have a keen sense of hearing. The astonishing manner in which some birds will imitate the songs of other birds testifies to the accuracy of their hearing; but fishes hear little, though it has been proved that they can hear to some extent. Certain insects hear and can distinguish sounds that are pitched higher than the human ear is able to recognize.

       The keenness of vision possessed by birds is most remarkable. The swift, flying high through the air, detects on the ground its minute food. The eagle sees his prey from long distances entirely beyond the range of the human eye. Some animals, such as frogs and toads, have keen vision only at short range, and fish seem to be entirely unable to distinguish prey at any great distance from themselves. It is known that certain insects distinguish between colors.

       That the higher animals have memory is very certain; a puppy, having been stung by a bee, will ever after avoid the insect, and may even flee at the sound of its humming. Dogs are known to have recognized their masters after years of absence, and they have been known to show strong resentment after many years against an individual who mistreated them.

       Animals certainly draw inferences from what they see, but apparently in purely instinctive manner. The best writers seem to doubt whether an animal can put together different facts and establish a conclusion. The extent to which the intelligence of animals goes in this direction, however, is a subject of dispute. Some writers maintain that animals really teach their young; others protest that nothing of the sort is ever done - that the actions of a bird in throwing her young from the nest are purely instinctive, and not with any thought of the young birds' welfare. Many modern writers have taken a different stand and have written exceedingly interesting accounts and imaginative histories of many animals.

• How Smart Are Animals? 
• What makes an animal clever? Research shows intelligence is not just about using tools
• Of all the animals on the Earth, these 15 are the smartest...

Caterpillar Finger Plays

This nursery finger play comes with pictures, hand motions and piano sheet music for early learning and kindergarten teachers.

 Fuzzy little caterpillar,

Crawling, crawling on the ground!

Fuzzy little caterpillar, 

Nowhere, nowhere to be found

Though we've looked and looked and hunted 

Everywhere around!

 When the little caterpillar 

Found his furry coat too tight,

Then a snug cocoon he made him

Spun of silk so soft and light;

Rolled himself away within it--

Slept there day and night.

See how this cocoon is stirring!

Now a little head we spy--

What! Is this our caterpillar 

Spreading gorgeous wings to dry?

Soon the free and happy creature

Flutters gayly by.

Sheet music to accompany the finger play.

Valentine Cuties Clip Art

Valentine flowers

       These little Valentine doodles were made years ago by my mother for her classroom projects. They would be fun to print on sticker paper and cut out for your students' next Valentine card craft. The clip art is free only for personal crafts and classrooms. Do not include it in any other online collections.

Valentine lady bugs

Valentines and ribbons

Valentines in a vase

Heart and stems for a Valentine

The Caterpillar

The Caterpillar

by Christina Georgina Rossetti

Brown and furry

Caterpillar in a hurry;

Take your walk

To the shady leaf, or stalk.

May no toad spy you,

May the little birds pass by you;

Spin and die,

To live again a butterfly. 

This beautiful child has learned her caterpillar poem!

Don't Belittle Little Things

Picture includes a puppy, bee, garden, flowers, cloudy day etc...

"Don't Belittle, Little Things"

A pup on a lark with a joyous bark,

In the clover was fanciful free.

He scampered amuck; stopped very abrupt,

When he chanced on a big bumblebee.

Now the bee looked up at the lazy pup,

The pup thereupon showed his teeth;

"I've got teeth too," said the bumblebee,

"Tho' I may be little and hard to see."

So he stung the pup with an angry buzz;

Now the pup's not so cocky as he used to wuz.

Mrs Bee Explains

Mrs Bee Explains.

Said Mrs. Wasp to Mrs Bee,

"Will you a favor do me?

There's something I can't understand--

Please ma'am, explain it to me;

Why do men build for you a house

And coax you to go in it,

While me--your cousin--they'll not let

Stay near them for a minute?

I have a sting, I do confess,

And should not like to lose it,

But so have you, and when you're vexed

I'm sure you use it!"

"Well," said the bee, "to you, no doubt,

It does seem rather funny;

But people soon forget the stings 

Of those who give them honey!"

Time lapse bees hatch.

"Bee Mine" Valentines

Two happy little bumble bee valentines.

      Bumbles bee Valentines have been a part of American classroom crafts for over 50 years. They are classic little paper crafts that all young ones love to assemble and share with each other.

      I have included here two of my own "Bee Mine, Valentine" bumble bee patterns for your little ones to make this Valentine's Day. Teachers may wish to print and cut the patterns and then trace them on to heavy cardboard so that students can trace around the stencils all by themselves. 

      You will need bright yellow, white and red construction papers for the bodies, wings and hears. Black chenille stems, black and yellow pom-poms, white glue, scissors, markers and tiny brads are also needed for both paper craft projects combined. 

Directions:

1. Print and cut out the patterns that I have drawn up below. 
2. Trace around the elements using a soft lead pencil and yellow construction paper for the bodies of the bees. 
3. Then cut their wings from white paper or transparent wax paper. I outlined my wings to make them stand out for the photos; but these would be just as cute cut from waxy transparent paper. 
4. Color in the stripes black and add facial features. 
5. Antenna can be cut from the chenille stems and pom poms can be glued to the ends. I also added small yellow pom poms for hands to my first bumble bee sample. Encourage your students to add their own ideas to their bumble bee cards. 
6. Write a traditional bee message somewhere on your Valentine. Something like:

"Bee Mine, Valentine!"

or

"Honey, Your So Sweet!"

or 

"You can attract more bees with a bit of honey!"

 

This cheerful little bug can't wait to
surprise some lucky little Valentine.

This honey bee pattern includes bumble bee parts for two Valentines. You will need to cut one of each before tracing them on to bright yellow and white construction paper.

"Honey Bee My Valentine" bumble bee valentine is crafted from the
paper pattern include above. He is designed from three yellow heart
shapes turned upside down then glued together. Two large white
hearts are his wings. I added a few tiny hearts to his
antenna and cheeks too.

Learn More About Bees:

• Free honeycomb printable paper by kathy grimm for more student Valentines
• Bee themed journal Lesson One and Lesson Two
• Sew baby doll crib bedding, '' it bee so cute...''
• Color this bee fairy's wings 
• Color a ''Happy Easter'' Easter Basket surrounded by bees!

Vintage Bumble Bee Valentines:

"Bee" My Valentine Honey! card

"Bee" My Honey Valentine

"Honey, Bee Mine! card

To My Valentine, I think that you're a honey and I hope
that you'll Bee Mine!" Valentine

"Love Bug" Valentines

      Ladybug Valentines are actually a relatively contemporary theme. Although these little critters have certainly been popular since I was a child. I have never seen a vintage Valentine including a lady bug but I suppose the possibility of such a thing may exist. 

      I have also included butterflies, crickets, snails and flies here among the collected ideas for Valentine bugs on this post. Young children are fascinated with tiny creatures and what little boy would be to embarrassed to receive a bug or two from a friend or classmate?

Ladybug Love Bug Valentine

Four detailed photos of my little Ladybug Love Bug Valentine up close.

To make the little Ladybug Love Bug Valentine you will need:

• a variety of bright red scrap papers
• black construction paper
• red construction paper (alternative to wrapping paper)
• google eyes
• black ribbon
• a heart shaped punch
• white glue 
• scissors
• pattern

 Step-by-step Instructions: 

1. Print and cut out my simple love bug pattern below.
2. Trace around the body pattern and then cut out as many of these as would like, using black construction paper.
3. For the wings, I used red wrapping paper scraps. Teachers may prefer to use red construction paper because the surface is easier to write upon.
4. You will need to cut two 'half heart' shaped wings for each love bug. One of these is pasted completely down to the body; the second is only pasted along the inside bottom edge of the wing so that a secret 'buggy' message or a small piece of candy may be neatly tucked inside. (see example above)
5. Glue on black hearts for the love bug spots; these may be punched or cut out by hand. 
6. Glue on googly eyes, heart shaped cheeks, and a black bow for the finished looking love bug.

Little "Love Bug" Lady Bug Valentine Pattern by Grimm

Love Bug Candy Pouch

Three detailed photos of my Love Bug Candy Pouch. The red doily heart may be purchased from a local craft or grocery store.

To make the Love Bug Candy Pouch you will need the following supplies:

• store bought, red doily hearts
• black chenille stems
• tiny red pom poms
• black ink marker
• heart hole punch (optional)
• pink and black construction paper
• scissors
• white glue
• shredded, shiny Easter grass
• masking tape

 Step-by-step Instructions: 

1. You will need to trace around the red doily on to the pink construction paper with a soft lead pencil. Then cut this shape out and paste it to the back side of the red lacy valentine.
2. Repeat the same step with the black construction paper only include a half circular shape at the top of the heart in order to suggest a 'head.' (see example of cut bug parts below)
3. Glue around the back side of the bug's red doily wings up to the top of the heart shape only. Remember to leave the top part of the heart shapes free from glue so that a pouch for candy may be left open!
4. Punch or cut tiny hearts from both the black and pink papers. You will only need two tiny heart shapes from the pink, as these will be used for your critter's little buggy eyes. The black hearts may be pasted randomly over the lady bug's red doily wings to mimic the spots on a real ladybug.
5. Write the word "Love Bug" on the pink paper and paste this to the center of the pouch's wings.
6. Now paste on the love bug's pink, heart shaped eyes and add the iris with a black pen. (see photo example above)
7. Cut two short antennas from the black chenille stem and glue on a tiny red pom pom to each end. Set this aside to dry.
8. After the antenna have dried, tape these to the back of your love bug's head and then glue a second circular shape cut from black construction paper to paste on top of the taped antenna. this will cover the chenille stems and strengthen the lady bug's head.
9. Stuff these lady bug pouches with shiny, red Easter grass and Valentine candy treats. Your students will love to make and take this little ladybugs home to either decorate with or give as a gift to a beloved family member.

The heart pieces needed to assemble the Ladybug Candy Pouch are pictured above.
You will need to cut the pink and black shapes from construction paper. The red doily
heart may be purchased from any hobby or drug store; these are common Valentine
craft supplies in the United States.

      After crafting a few ladybug pouches, I found I had too many left over red doilies so I came up with a second idea for using up my craft supplies. The doily candy pouch below is a bit more sophisticated don't you think? Perhaps it would be a better suited Valentine for my husband or for my older daughters? In our home, everyone exchanges Valentines with loved ones. It is not merely a day for romantic love interests. This red and black Valentine container will be a perfect valentine for any friend, family member or student once it is stuffed with a selection of dark chocolate covered caramels, yum.

Hanging Red Doily Candy Pouch

To make this second idea for a Hanging Red Doily Candy Pouch you will need to collect the following materials:

• black construction paper
• hole punch
• red doily
• small, sharp scissors
• red ribbon
• white glue
• red, shiny Easter grass
• red cellophane or tissue 
• stapler (optional)

Step-by-step Instructions:

1. Select a soft led pencil or a white drawing pencil to draw around the red doily, transferring a replica copy of the heart's size and lacy edge to a black piece of construction paper.
2. Cut this black heart out and set it aside for assembly.
3. Using sharp, small scissors, snip from the doily the parts of the embossed design that you do not want to include in your finished pouch design. I chose to emphasize the floral patterns.
4. Snip out the smaller, center heart to create a 'window' for the heart pouch as well.
5. Gently apply glue with the tip of your finger onto the back side of the red lace doily and then paste it on top of the black construction paper heart. 
6. Trace around the center of the doily heart a second time so that you will be able to cut from the black heart the exact same heart shaped hole that is in the doily design.
7. On the back side of your doily frame, paste a square of cellophane or tissue paper to cover the small 'window' of the pouch.
8. Now repeat the above seven steps if you would like the candy pouch to be the same on either of it's sides. If not, lay the finished frame shaped heart on an additional sheet of black or red construction paper to trace a replica shape for the back side of the pouch.
9. Squeeze out a thin layer of of glue around one of the hearts and adhere it to the second heart shaped frame to create a pouch. Remember to leave the upper half of the two hearts free from glue so that a basket like pouch remains. You could staple the two hearts together if you feel that your glue will not be strong enough to hold the pouch together. This would depend upon what you intend to stuff the Valentine with.
10. Polk a hole or use a hole punch on either side of the heat pouch in order to string your red ribbon into the Valentine for hanging after the glue has been allowed to dry sufficiently. (see picture above)

This photo depicts the order of preparing the heart shapes in order to assemble my Hanging, Red Doily Candy Pouch.

"Love bugs make perfect Valentine's Day party favors! You'll need craft supplies such as pipe cleaners, wiggle eyes, feathers, construction paper, foam, felt, a low-temperature hot glue gun with glue, and candy from HERSHEY'S. Use these materials and your imagination to create charming love bugs for your guests, or invite kids to make their own!HERSHEY'S makes life extraordinary! Check out more great ideas at http://www.hersheys.com/celebrate"

Vintage Bug Valentines:

"To my Valentine" butterfly bug card.

"Stick Around Valentine, Catch On" fly paper Valentine card.