Bugs and Backyard Dwellers Unit Study Digital Download

Ahhhhh!!! This Bugs and Backyard Dwellers Unit sure was something to create!!! 🐞🪱🐛🦋🐌🦗

Rebecca and I thought this one over so so hard because I really wanted to do a unit study that incorporated all the little bugs and fun creatures my kids catch in our yard all summer long! But it proved to be a challenge and we ourselves learned about the differences in bugs and insects and all the different classifications of these cute little critters!😅

After much pondering and researching, we came up with a sweet little way to incorporate some of our favorites into a one wonderful unit study!🙌🏼

This study is so much fun and has elements for all ages!

Rebecca did such a great job once again writing the info for this packed-full unit!

There are plenty of fun, creative activities in this unit study. My favorite thing is the field guide!😍

The field guide was wild to create but so so worth it!

There is a full version with all the wonderful info in it, and there’s also a blank version of the guide for older kids to use to log bugs as they find them! This would be a great summer project! Have them find the bugs and try to remember the info to fill in from their full field guide. They can try to write down the 5 facts from memory....so many great ways to engage their minds and have fun doing it while they are out of school!🤍

Making the Field Guide:

Supplies:

- one piece of card stock for cover

- regular paper for the pages

- a washcloth (folded over two times)

- a stapler that opens all the way

Printing:

Remember, all printers are different. So it’s hard for me to tell you exactly how to print front and back. Get to know your printer and how it prints front and back. Some do it automatically, some have to do it manually.

I actually prefer to manually feed my pages because I have control over exactly what’s printing! So that is always my suggestion!

To print manually, you’ll notice that I included a zip file that has the field guide booklet individual pages. This is the easiest thing to use to see by file name exactly what page you are printing. For example, one file will say “field-guide-B-front” and another will say “field-guide-B-back”. You would simply print the “field-guide-B-front” first, then put it back into your print (knowing which side and direction your printer will print on) and then print “field-guide-B-back”. Do this for all the pages.

Assembling:

If you print the pages and lay them down in order of printing, you should have them in order for folding and stapling. If for some reason they get out of order, you can easily figure it out by looking at the page numbers.

Now, you will want to individually fold each page before assembling, since it is impossible to get a sharp crease trying to fold a stack of papers. After folding the crease on all the paper, stack them (along with the cover) in the appropriate order.

Lay the twice-folded washcloth on a flat surface in front of you. Then lay your creased and stacked pages down centered with the inside crease down on top of the washcloth. The cover page should now be facing up. Then take a stapler that opens up all the way and line it up to staple straight down on the center of the spine, then the top and bottom. The washcloth underneath keeps the prongs of the stapler from folding over. You’ll then flip the booklet over and with a ruler or something firm, fold over the prongs of the staples.

That’s it! It’s much simpler than it seems! If you learn better by watching, stay turned to my IGTV this week as I’ll be demonstrating this there for you! But it’s super easy, you can do it!

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This is a digital download only. You will receive an email after purchase with a 24 hour link to download the PDF file. You will NOT receive a physical product with your purchase.

You may not share the file with anyone. You cannot reproduce, resell, or reuse these cards in any way for any physical or digital product. These are for your personal use only.