Be a Ladybug Detective – Life Cycle, Biomimicry, Inspiration for Ideas


By Sparking Children’s Thinkibility

Grades Kindergarten – 5th Biology, Visual art, Crtitical Thinking

Ladybugs are deliful creatures and they are found all over the world. There are 22-spotted yellow ladybugs and striped ladybugs.

There are also lots of things to be excited about when looking at the life-cycle of ladybugs. And many students love to think about the different stages.

In this booklet students are also asked to observe animals with the goal of getting inspiration for new ideas. Hopefully, these activities will make the learning fun and engaging.

When a ladybird flies it opens its wings that are under hidden under its elytra. The Elytra is the hard shell that protects the ladybird. The elytra are symmetrical. Every time a ladybird has finished flying it has to fold the wings back underneath the elytra.

This construction can be very useful when you are designing a helmet or playhat. Instead of always carrying a raincoat with you when you go for a bike ride, imagine that a raincover opens up like an umbrella under the helmet. Windshields blades could appear on the sunglasses, the ladybirds’ antenna inspired this idea.

We made a template that we used to sketch some design ideas for a ladybird helmet. Biomimicry is a great way to encourage children to draw and illustrate their ideas. Pastels were used on a black paper.

index

This package contains:

  1. Cards
  2. Can you identify the different stages?
  3. What is the connection between a larva and a ladybug?
  4. What do larvae and ladybugs eat?
  5. Fun Facts
  6. Metamorphosis Poem
  7. Ladybugs words – make your own dictionary
  8. Ask the larva Sparkling Questions about pupa and ladybugs
  9. Larvae are. . .
  10. Ladybugs are. . .
  11. Life cycle
  12. When is a ladybug a ladybug? Make a tally
  13. Can you fill in the different parts of the ladybug
  14. My Ladybug Gallery
  15. Ladybugs and aphids, and ladybugs everywhere
  16. Think diving for a ladybug detective – pest control
  17. Think diving for a ladybug detective – ladybugs wings
  18. Reflection – assessment
  19. How to use biomimicry in the classroom – VIsual art – Lady bug helmet

Link to STEM – Be a Ladybug Detective – Life Cycle, Biomimicry, Inspiration for Ideas

I would be delighted if you like to follow me on.

Follow the Sparking Children’s Thinkibility TpT Store

Follow the Sparking Children’s Thinkibility Blog

Follow the Sparking Children’s Thinkibility Pinterest

Follow the Sparking Children’s Thinkibility Facebook Page