firefly activities

1-2-3 Come Compare With Me The Very Hungry Caterpillar With The Very Lonely Firefly

Besides The Very Hungry Caterpillar, another of my students’ favorite Eric Carle stories is The Very Lonely Firefly.

activities for the very lonely firefly, very hungry caterpillar activities, firefly activities, story sliders, eric carle book activitiesI do a big butterfly unit in April, and a sampling of other insects in May/June (fireflies, ladybugs & bumble bees).

With that in mind, I designed some activities for The Very Lonely Firefly, along with a few, which also give students an opportunity to compareThe Very Hungry Caterpillar” story to “The Very Lonely Firefly”.

activities for the very lonely firefly, very hungry caterpillar activities, firefly activities, story sliders, eric carle book activitiesThere are 2 Venn diagrams, as well as 2 graphing extensions and a writing prompt for this specific comparison.

The B&W “The Very Lonely Firefly”  Itty Bitty” booklet, is another way to practice these standards.

activities for the very lonely firefly, very hungry caterpillar activities, firefly activities, story sliders, eric carle book activitiesThere’s also a “color me” bookmark, and colorful set of sequencing cards, which can be used in an independent center, as well as for Memory Match and “I Have; Who Has?” games.

The packet also includes several worksheets, one you can use as a whole-group assessment of the story, while reviewing ordinal numbers too.

aThere's also a graphic organizer for “beginning-middle-end”, plus pocket chart cards for story elements

Since my "story sliders" continue to be really popular, I’ve also included 2 firefly “slider” craftivities, which will help reinforce the sequence of The Very Lonely Firefly, as well as the ability to retell the story. 

firefly crafts, activities for the very lonely firefly, very hungry caterpillar activities, firefly activities, story sliders, eric carle book activitiesThe "whole-picture" slider, is perfect for little ones as they simply color the pictures, while the "color, cut & glue" version is great for fine motor scissor practice, which helps strengthen those finger and hand muscles. 

As you can see by the photograph, there are 4 options for making the head of the firefly.

For that finishing touch, add some gold pipe cleaner antennae. Wiggle eyes give it that 3D pop too.

father's day card, father's day writing prompts, father's day crafts, firefly crafts, activities for the very lonely firefly, very hungry caterpillar activities, firefly activities, story sliders, eric carle book activitiesSince Father's Day is just around the corner, today's FREEBIE is something special for dad. 

Younger kiddos can simply make the craft, while older students can "hinge" the golf ball to make a writing prompt card, explaining why they think their dad is "tee-rrific".

firefly crafts, activities for the very lonely firefly, very hungry caterpillar activities, firefly activities, story sliders, eric carle book activitiesThat's it for today.  Thanks for visiting. Time to go water my garden and take my poodle pup Chloe for a walk.  Wishing you a wonderful day.

"My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me."-Jim Valvano

1-2-3 Come Do Some Super-Fun Firefly Activities With Me

Fireflies are a special part of my wonderful childhood memories. Grama used to say that they are "nature's fireworks"

firefly activities, firefly crafts, lifecycle of a firefly, firefly games, firefly word find, firefly poems, firefly photographsStudying them is a super-fun way to learn all sorts of science too, so with that in mind, I designed my newest packet: Firefly Fun.

I had such a great time researching and making firefly-themed goodies, that  a few simple ideas exploded into a 244-page firefly packet a zillion hours later!

firefly activities, firefly crafts, lifecycle of a firefly, firefly games, firefly word find, firefly poems, firefly photographsIt’s stuffed with a helping of science, language arts, and a bit of math thrown in as well.

The packet includes:

firefly activities, firefly crafts, lifecycle of a firefly, firefly games, firefly word find, firefly poems, firefly photographs* 5 Life Cycle Craftivities which include “Flip for Facts”, Life Cycle Fan Booklet, Cycle Circle Puzzle, Life Cycle Wheel, plus Life Cycle Number Puzzles, which practice counting forwards, backwards, as well as skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s and 10s.

All of these craftivities come in full color, so teachers can easily make a sample to share, plus black & white for students.

firefly activities, firefly crafts, lifecycle of a firefly, firefly games, firefly word find, firefly poems, firefly photographs* 15 worksheets that practice a variety of skills and standards, includes answer keys, along with a variety of  Posters, plus  6 Poems.

* There's also a “Let’s Count Fireflies” keepsake fingerprint booklet, with  0-10 number & number word cards, plus a blank set to program more, as well as a set of math symbol cards for making equations and showing greater & less than.

* The “I Spy A Firefly” worksheet game is a super-fun way to whole group assess numbers 0-10, and the 60, firefly mini tiles on a page, can also be used math games showing groups/sets.   

firefly activities, firefly crafts, lifecycle of a firefly, firefly games, firefly word find, firefly poems, firefly photographs* The variety of colorful puzzles can be used for a center, while students can use the BW patterns to make their own.  
* I've also included 10 real photographs of fireflies during their various stages of life; plus . . .

firefly activities, firefly crafts, lifecycle of a firefly, firefly games, firefly word find, firefly poems, firefly photographs* Non fiction text about the life cycle of a firefly, with comprehension assessments and a list of interesting firefly facts.

* There are 26, (8x10) “Flash Me A Firefly Fact” posters you can use as flashcards or a bulletin board display, with blank patterns so students can write their own, plus a cover to make a class book.

* Use the upper & lowercase firefly alphabet cards, for a variety of games, like “Kaboom!”, which are explained in the 3-page tip list.

firefly activities, firefly crafts, lifecycle of a firefly, firefly games, firefly word find, firefly poems, firefly photographs* A Firefly Slider Craftivity helps practice letters, numbers 0-30, counting backwards from 10-0 & 20-0, plus skip counting by 2s, 3s, 5s & 10s, as well as 2D shapes. For more math practice, I've included 4 graphing extensions.

firefly activities, firefly crafts, lifecycle of a firefly, firefly games, firefly word find, firefly poems, firefly photographs* A “Rip & Tear” 3D firefly craftivity, is not only great fun, but will help strengthen your students hand and finger muscles.  Completed projects make a sweet bulletin board too.

* There are also a variety of Writing Prompts, along with “Blinky The Firefly” A silly -ight word family story


firefly activities, firefly crafts, lifecycle of a firefly, firefly games, firefly word find, firefly poems, firefly photographs* Since “Fireflies flit, flicker and flutter” I've also included an FL blend poster, worksheet and alphabetical list of words.

firefly activities, firefly crafts, lifecycle of a firefly, firefly games, firefly word find, firefly poems, firefly photographs* My Y5s and grandchildren loved making the magical “Night Wash” watercolor craftivity, which you can also do with your students' names.

* “Have You Seen A Firefly?” and “If I Were A Firefly” are quick, easy and fun writing prompts, with covers to make class books.

* While the “Help Save The Fireflies” (Cause & Effect or Persuasive) writing prompt is great for older kiddos. 

firefly activities, firefly crafts, lifecycle of a firefly, firefly games, firefly word find, firefly poems, firefly photographsOne of my personal favorite crafts, is the jar filled with fingerprint fireflies.  We do this after reading the story 10 Flashing Fireflies, by Philemon Sturges. 

For extra pizzazz cut the jar lids out of aluminum foil. The mommies of my Y5s especially loved this "You light up my life with love" keepsake craft. 

I've included a bookmark with that sentiment that kiddos can also color.

* Finally, the ”Wishing a bright student a glowing year/summer” bookmarks are a quick & inexpensive little something you can give your students at the end or beginning of the year.

I attach a glow-in-the-dark bracelet as a special gift.  You can buy a pack of 10 at The Dollar Store. 

To celebrate summer and all that parents and teachers do for children, I'm pricing this 244-page whopper at just $6.95.  I truly hope you enjoy it as much as I did creating this labor of love.  Click on the link to take a look: Firefly Fun.

orange you glad end of the year treat, treat bags for school, back to school treat bagsToday's featured FREEBIE ("Orange You Glad ...") is an end or beginning of the year treat that you can give your students. Hope you find it useful.

orange you glad end of the year treat, treat bags for school, back to school treat bagsWell that's it for today. TGIF and time for some super-fun in the sun.

Wishing you a relaxing and enjoyable rest of the school year as you count down the days. 

"The roots of education are sometimes bitter, but the fruit is sweet." -Aristotle


firefly activities, firefly art project, firefly booklet

I've Got A Little Light And I'm Gonna Let It Shine!

Do you study fireflies?  I think you'll enjoy the following activities!

Click on the link to view/download the entire Firefly Packet or click on the separate links below.  

Almost every night that my husband Daniel and I are out walking with our puppy, Chloe, we are amazed at the “dance of the fireflies”. 

As a child I enjoyed catching “lightning” in a jar and then letting these amazing insects go before they died. I was simply fascinated at their ability to illuminate.

Firefly Art:

firefly bookmark, firefly art projects, firefly activities, lifecycle of a firefly, firefly science, firefly activities, firefly lessons, firefly bulletin board, life cycle of a firefly, science ideas for early elementary, insect ideas, science centers, firefly booklet, firefly crafts, firefly art project, firefly centers, firefly activities, 1. Print off my “You light up my life with LOVE.” bookmark, color it and leave it in a special place for that special someone to find.  Click on the link to view/print the firefly bookmark.

wax paper winged firefly, firefly art project, life cycle of a firefly, firefly science, firefly booklets, firefly activities, firefly lessons, firefly bulletin board, life cycle of a firefly, science ideas for early elementary, insect ideas, science centers, firefly booklet, firefly crafts, firefly art project, firefly centers, firefly activities, 2. Run off copies of my wax paper winged firefly.  Students cut out their brown firefly and glue a yellow "glow" tip to the end.  Add wiggle eyes with glue dots.  Cut a black pipe cleaner in 1/2. Make it into a V.  Scotch tape the V to the back of the firefly.  Curl each end around a pen to make antennae.  Accordion fold an 11x5 sheet of wax paper, round the edges, fold in the middle and staple to the center of the firefly.  Cute as is, or hot glue to a clothespin. 

Click on the link to view/print wax paper-winged firefly.

3.  Buy a package of Popsicle sticks that look like ice cream spoons.  Paint the rounded side with neon yellow paint and then a coat of glow-in-the-dark paint.  Paint the upper part light brown. 

Add wiggle eyes and tissue paper wings.  If you twist a ½ piece of pipe cleaner around the middle and make it into a ring, you’ve just made yourself a finger puppet; or hot glue a clothespin to the back, add a magnet and hang on your refrigerator to leave love notes to light up someone’s life!

jar of fireflies, firefly keepsake jar art project, fingerprint fireflies, firefly activities, firefly lessons, firefly bulletin board, life cycle of a firefly, science ideas for early elementary, insect ideas, science centers, firefly booklet, firefly crafts, firefly art project, firefly centers, firefly activities, life cycle of a firefly, firefly science4. Print off my template and make a firefly keepsake jar by dipping your index finger in bright yellow paint, and then making firefly bodies by pressing your fingerprint all over your bug jar. 

Let the prints dry and then brush on glow-in-the-dark paint with a Q-tip.  Add wings with a white pencil or crayon. Put  an aluminum foil lid on the top and you have “lightning in a jar!”

Click on the link to view/print the firefly keepsake jar templates.

This is a great activity to do after reading 10 Flashing Fireflies.  I only put 7 fireflies in this blue Ball Jar, but if you do this as a follow up to that story, have children do 10 fingerprint fireflies.

5.  Cut 5x7 rectangles of yellow construction paper.  Cut out the template of my firefly out of cardstock and trace around it with a yellow crayon on the yellow construction paper.  Place a Dixie cup of diluted black tempera paint in the middle of the table.  You should have enough tempera so that the paper will get covered, but enough water so that the water-paint mixture will bead up on the waxed crayon and reveal the firefly and not paint opaquely over it. 

Have children “wash” paint over their entire middle of their paper. 

I do this activity after I read Eric Carles’ book The Very Lonely Firefly. I tell my students: “OK let’s go find some more firefly friends for this firefly.” I ask them: “When do fireflies come out?” They respond: “At night.” So I tell them: “The sun is shining on this paper.  It is bright yellow.  You have to make night come by painting it black, so that the fireflies will come out.”

They are amazed to see their firefly appear!

6. For an adorable firefly bulletin board done with Christmas lights click on the link. 

Firefly Language Arts Activities:

Firefly Bibliography: "What do we see in the summer night? Ten flashing fireflies burning bright!" Click on the link to view/print other firefly books that I recommend. I've highlighted in yellow my favorites. Click on the link to view/print a copy of my firefly bibliography.

{amazonWS:itemId=1558586741}

 

123 Count Fireflies With Me: Read, trace, write, count, and then cut and glue the group of fireflies to the matching numbered boxes.  Have students use a yellow bingo dot marker to fill in the appropriate amount of dots in the squares.

For an easy reader counting booklet click on the link. Firefly counting booklet.

Don’t be “bugged” by the –ight words! Get a jump-start for fall and study them with my cute lightning bug flashcards.  Click on the link to view/print them.  Make the cards even more fun, by painting the letters with glow-in-the-dark paint!  Firefly flashcards

firefly word fan, firefly activities, firefly art projects, firefly science actiities, firefly activities, firefly lessons, firefly bulletin board, life cycle of a firefly, science ideas for early elementary, insect ideas, science centers, firefly booklet, firefly crafts, firefly art project, firefly centers, firefly activities, firefly life cycle fan, life cycle of a firefly fan, firefly activities, firefly art project, firefly science activities, firefly activities, firefly lessons, firefly bulletin board, life cycle of a firefly, science ideas for early elementary, insect ideas, science centers, firefly booklet, firefly crafts, firefly art project, firefly centers, firefly activities, Click on the link to view/print a firefly fan book of trace and write the firefly vocabulary words & a firefly life cycle fan book. Firefly Fan Books 

Cut out the strips, punch a hole in the middle of the bottom. Put the pages together with a brass brad so they unfold like a fan and you have a cute way to review words and science!

Click on the link to TRACE and put the -ight words in ABC order. Firefly skill sheet.


Print off my lightning bug silly story poem, hang it in your room, turn off the lights and pretend you’re a lightning bug and read it in the dark by pointing at each word with a flashlight. Firefly story poem + notes home.

Click on the link to make a firefly class book.

Click on the link for my firefly prose poem.  For another cute lightning bug poem click on the link.

Math Practice:

If you’re teaching summer school and doing fireflies with your students, or home schooling, clink on the link to view/print a firefly graph.

 123-Count fireflies with me skill sheet. Click on the link to view/print firefly counting skillsheets + an addition subtraction skill sheet.

life cycle of a firefly, firefly art projects, firefly science projects, firefly activities, firefly activities, firefly lessons, firefly bulletin board, life cycle of a firefly, science ideas for early elementary, insect ideas, science centers, firefly booklet, firefly crafts, firefly art project, firefly centers, firefly activities, life cycle of a firefly, firefly life cycle wheel, firefly art project, firefly science activity, firefly activities, firefly lessons, firefly bulletin board, life cycle of a firefly, science ideas for early elementary, insect ideas, science centers, firefly booklet, firefly crafts, firefly art project, firefly centers, firefly activities,  

Etc.

For a firefly life cycle wheel, click on the link.

For a fact sheet on fireflies and a firefly to label and color, click on the link.  Firefly stuff

For a "bright student" firefly certificate of praise, click on the link.

For some awesome firefly photographs of real fireflies, click on the link.

I hope you enjoy these fun firefly activities, and I hope you get to see some real fireflies this summer! 

firefly activities, firefly lessons, firefly bulletin board, life cycle of a firefly, science ideas for early elementary, insect ideas, science centers, firefly booklet, firefly crafts, firefly art project, firefly centers, firefly activities, As always, if you have a firefly activity you do with your children, I’d enjoy hearing from you. diane@teachwithme.com

Feel free to PIN anything you feel might help or interest others.

Until next time try saying this tongue twister: Fifty-four fireflies friskily flitted frantically from the frog’s ferocious feast!