Mealworms

We've "adopted" a new pet into our schoolroom: mealworms. Honestly, the idea of having them anywhere in my house creeps me out. I half expect these creatures to somehow escape their case and find their way into my cabinets. It can happen. It happened to my husband's meal worms.


The mealworms were received well by the children. They all think of them as being these cool creatures. Okay, bugs require a full fledged screaming fit in my house. M won't even go upstairs if she sees a bug. She will stand in front of me, my eyes raging with the ludicrous refusal of a 7 year old to my orders, and tremble and cry if she sees a stink bug. But, the beetles and worms in a cage are cool. Dos she not think these things are bugs?

But I guess I should feel fortunate because have you ever tried to teach an obstinate 7 year old? It's not fun.

The mealworms are part of K's Calvert 4th grade curriculum. However, metamorphosis was discussed with all grade levels. I do my best to incorporate all three grade levels science into the "whole classroom" as a group activity. K didn't have much 2nd grade science because she excelled through that grade level. I always worried about the speed in which she did it. Would the information retain itself? Now, because I am doing science across the grade levels, I am not so worried. What she may have missed in her own 2nd grade "class" she will catch when we do it again. Repetition is the best way to learn. We're always toting to the girls: practice, practice, PRACTICE! when it comes to their instruments.


In my school room, I currently have three different levels (not counting the toddler)K4, 2nd and 4th grade. I love this grade separation because it works well for peer-to-peer teaching. What G doesn't get now, I truly feel because she is exposed to it early on, she will understand better when she is in 4th grade and has to do all the extensive writing worksheets. I know I didn't quite understand literature in high school, but once studying in college, what my high school teachers were saying suddenly made sense.

Starting the science observation was easy. Our kit came with the cage, food, and supplies needed to do what they expected of the children. First, we discussed the stages of metamorphosis and read the book Mealworms by Adrienne Mason. This books is good for all ages because it has pictures--G didn't get bored, a blessing. It came with K's Calvert mealworm kit.

K's curriculum has no other requirement than she needs to record her observations of mealworms for several weeks. I asked her what she's recording, and she says there's nothing really to record new. This didn't satisfy me. I was disappointed by the curriculum's lack of taking advantage of the mealworm kit. It's a purchase that truly should be taken advantage of or it would be a wasted lesson. So, I searched the web and found a curriculum that was thorough on observing and experimenting with the mealworms. It's the first thing the two older girls do in the morning. I find this amusing. I used this curriculum for the two older children. Finding an appropriate curriculum for G, who is in K4 was a lot more difficult. I knew I wanted to make a booklet or cut & paste sheet. So, I printed a life cycle worksheet from two different sites. G will have to color, cut & paste (her favorite thing) worksheet 1 onto worksheet 2. We then cut out worksheet two and make a book. Underneath, I wrote down a "story" she relayed to me about each picture. She is involved in all other experiments with the older girls, but she won't have to do the recording and extensive writing they have to do.