Butterflies and Moths

Butterflies and Moths

By: Nic Bishop

Published by Scholastic, 2009

Captivating, Informational, Compare & Contrast, Visual, Circle of Life

Awards: 

• Booklist's 2009 Top Ten Sci-Tech Titles for Youth 
• Cybils Award Nominee, 2009
• Junior Library Guild Selection, 2009
• Booklist Editor's Choice, 2009
• School Library Journal Best Books of the Year, 2009
• Book Links Lasting Connections, 2009
• Chicago Public Library Best of Best List, 2009
• Capital Choice List, 2010
• Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Award - Honor Book, Transitional Non-Fiction, 2010

Summary:

Butterflies and Moths is the third installment in Nic Bishop's series of nonfiction children's books. He once again combines his writing talent and photography talent to produce a fascinating book for elementary aged children. This text does a great job of explaining the life cycle of butterflies and moths as well as they many differences between them. He also goes on to explain the habitats of some butterflies and moths, as well as certain adaptations and predators they have. With crystal clear, breathtaking images, students are introduced to the wonder and beauty of these amazing insects.

Reading Level: Grades 3/4

Suggested Delivery: Read-Aloud

Key Vocabulary: tinsel, hue, wingspan, spin silk, glands, prolegs, molt, predators, pupa, cocoon, metamorphosis, scales, compound eyes, antennae, thorax, proboscis, nectar, fertilize

3 Teaching Suggestions:

1. Use this text to teach students the life cycle of both butterflies and moths. Help them to understand the different stages that they must go through before reaching their adult form.
2. Use this text when teaching a science unit on insects. Have students compare and contrast butterflies and moths. Extend this by reading books about other insects and asking them to compare butterflies and moths to the them as well.
3. Use this text to monitor students understanding and comprehension of a nonfiction text. Ask them both literal and inferential questions to test both comprehensions.

Blue Morpho Butterfly

Before Reading: Prior to reading this text, activate the students' background knowledge. Ask students to share what they already know about butterflies and moths. List all that the students know on large chart paper or on the whiteboard. 

After this activity, show students the text that you will be reading them. Read the inside flap to them aloud. What new things do they think they will learn while reading this text? What are they hoping to learn from the text?

During Reading: Give each student a chart with these different categories listed for both butterflies and moths: Appearance, Diet, Habitat, Life Cycle, Adaptations, Predators (categories may be added). While the teacher reads the text out loud, ask students to gather information for each category and write it down in their chart.

Also, while reading, ask students to participate openly. Take a break after every page or so to allow students the opportunity to write down information in their charts as well as to ask any questions, especially regarding vocabulary. Take the time to discuss words that students do not recognize and help them to come to a reasonable definition. Keep a running tab of the vocabulary and create a list for students future reference.

After Reading: After reading, ask students if they have any remaining questions that they want answered about butterflies or moths. After all questions have been answered and any confusion clarified, students will be asked to expand their knowledge and gather further information about the habitat, diet, appearance, etc of a particular butterfly or moth. It can be a butterfly or moth that was listed in the book, or they can pick a new species entirely. After gathering as much research as possible about their butterfly or moth, have them share what they have learned with their classmates. Ask them to include a picture of their chosen insect as well.

Writing Activity: Students can either work individually or in pairs for this activity. Allow students to use their imagination and have them create their own adventurous story about either a butterfly or a moth. Have them describe "A day in the life of..." While they can be creative with this story, they must also take what they have learned from the text and apply it to their story. They must eat the proper food and live in the correct environment. Questions to help guide their reading will include: What do they eat? Where do they live? Make sure they are using information from the text as well as their own research to make it sound more realistic. However, allow room for some creativity, such as: Do they have friends? What do they do in their spare time?

2 Electronic Resources:

1. Butterflies & Moths: This link will bring you to a kid friendly website that has an abundance of printable worksheets for students. The worksheets that I found to be most helpful for teachers are the reading comprehension worksheets which can help students further understand the life cycle of butterflies and moths as well as the differences between butterflies and moths. Aside from comprehension worksheets, this website offers coloring pages, crossword puzzles, word searches, arts and crafts activities, and additional reading material about butterflies and moths.

   

   A Monarch Butterfly
   
   

2. Enchanted Learning: This website provides even MORE worksheets and printable activities for students. The information regarding butterflies and moths is broken down into a simple to navigate table of contents. All students would have to do is click on what it is they want to learn more about and they will be automatically taken to that information. One of the most helpful links on this site is the "Illustrated Butterfly Dictionary." There are over 300 entries about butterflies, moths and key terms.

   

   Luna Moth

Bishop, N. (2009) Butterflies and moths. New York: Scholastic Nonfiction