It’s chilly outside ​in the Northeast, but spring is just around the corner, and that means it’s time to bring some nature literacy and animal life cycle research to our school’s library centers!
Every year, I look forward to introducing the ladybug terrarium center to curious students​ who may have limited experience with actual live animals. Showing students how to observe and research ladybugs through their life cycle ​fulfills two ​goals I’m passionate about:
- Introducing students to nature’s wonders, e.g. metamorphosis, and
- Teaching research and information fluency skills through inquiry.
My students are entranced by the ladybug larvae, and immediately start ​asking questions like “How come they aren’t red?”​ and “​​Why don’t they look like ladybugs?” With a little encouragement, they ​turn those questions into a highly engaging inquiry-based research process!
Here’s how it works:
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The Ladybug Research Center in action:
 What Your Students are Learning and Doing:
Students observe the ladybugs in a sealed terrarium. Students take notes about their observations, and think of at least 2 questions that they are curious about.
Then, students use library resources (both print and digital) to find the answer to their questions, and cite their sources. Citation requirements vary by grade level, but by 5th grade, ​1 or 2 complete citations in MLA format is appropriate.
Center ​Prep Tip: After I put the ladybugs in the terrarium, I put clear ​tape all around the edges and on the bottom to make sure there are no escapees. ​:)
How Students are Assessed:
Students hand in their Ladybug Research Notebook to the teacher-librarian or classroom teacher for grading or just for feedback.
Each research question could be worth 3 – 5 points: 1 point for the correct answer, 1 point for each resource (citation or just title, author, and/or web address), and 1 point for proving a resource’s reliability and trustworthiness.
What You (the Teacher-Librarian) are Doing:
During the library class, all you need to do is walk around the room to monitor student behavior and help students who have questions about the assignment. That’s probably no different than any other library class though. By staying mentally engaged ​throughout the class period, you can provide individualized support to students as they need it, and make accommodations for students with special needs on the fly.
What You Need (see Amazon Idea List):
- Ladybug Terrarium & Live Larvae from Insect Lore or Amazon (NOTE: The gift set product comes with models of each life stage, which ​will help students who learn ​best with hands-on, tactile experiences.)
- ​Small magnifying glasses for students to view the ladybugs up close (Target’s dollar bins sometimes has ​ladybug- or insect-themed ones ​in the spring.)
- Books about ladybugs at the center​ & ebooks, databases, and/or websites ​about ​ladybugs​ linked on your library website
- The Ladybugs Observation & Research PRINTABLE Center, OR the Ladybugs Observation & Research DIGITAL Center including center sign with directions to remind students, differentiated Ladybug Research Notebooks for students to record their research, and “How to Write a Resource Citation” help sheets
- Ladybug Larvae Refills from Insect Lore or Amazon – I recommend ​ordering ​new larvae every 3-4 weeks. The warmer your library gets, the faster the ladybugs will grow.
- Optional – Library Centers Management Tracking ​Booklets / Menus and Learning Badge Stickers, a printable booklet for each student that you can add stamps or stickers to,
OR Library Centers ​DIGITAL Menu / Tracker with Learning Badges, a digital way ​to track ​students’ progress through a center assignment and/or keep students accountable for their center choices using Google Classroom or Google Drive.
More Helpful Resources
My favorite print books about ladybugs
- “The Life Cycle of a Ladybug” by Colleen Sexton – ​but watch that call number!
- “Ladybugs” by Gail Gibbons – a classic and good details
- “Are You a Ladybug?” by Judy Allen – simpler text, but good for 2nd or 3rd grade
My favorite ebooks, apps, and databases
- “Life Story of a Ladybug” by Charlotte Guillain (Capstone interactive ebook)
- PebbleGo Animals / Animales database (Capstone) and World Book Online (Kids or Student)
- “Ladybug at Orchard Avenue” ​by Smithsonian Institute – read-aloud, interactive ebook app for Apple and Google Play​, great for using on library tablets​​​
Alternative ways to incorporate nature learning into library centers
If the thought of live animals in the library makes you cringe, try a window bird feeder if your library has a window, or use live stream videos of animals instead.
In addition to ladybugs, I also offer the Bird Watching and Research Center for students to learn more about our local birds. We tried a bird feeder outside our only window, but it was too close to the playground to attract any birds.
Instead students watched the Cornell Lab’s Bird Cams. They could choose a location that was close to us and observe local birds that they might see in their backyard, or they could view one from another state or country.
Animal Live Streams and Cams for Animal Research
- Cornell Lab‘s bird cams (many time zones) – cameras are marked as “live” or “off.”
- San Diego Zoo‘s live cameras (U.S. Pacific time zone) – some pre-recorded videos too!
- Smithsonian’s National Zoo animal webcams (U.S. Eastern time zone)
- Baltimore National Aquarium‘s livestreams (U.S. Eastern time zone)
- Houston Zoo‘s animal webcams (U.S. Central time zone)
- Kansas City Zoo‘s animal cameras (U.S. Central time zone)
- Maryland Zoo‘s live animal cams and feeds (U.S. Eastern time zone)
This is such an awesome idea! What a great way to make research more exciting for students!
Yes, my goal is always to make things more fun and exciting, especially when teaching research. We know it’s probably not our students’ first choice for activities, so I like to make it as engaging as possible.