The Very Hungry Caterpillar Book

Target Grade: Pre-school

Subject(s): Language Arts, Art, and Science
Central Focus: Using sequencing, students will be able to retell the story The Very Hungry
Caterpillar.
Learning Standard(s):
1.A.ECa Follow simple, one-, two-, and three- step directions
1.A.ECc Provide comments relevant to the context
25.A.ECd Visual Arts: Investigate and participate in activities using visual arts materials
Time: 35 minutes
Key Vocabulary:
 First
 Second
 Next
 Finally
 Egg
 Caterpillar
 Chrysalis
 Cocoon
 Butterfly
Instructional Strategies Learning Tasks
Introduction During the introduction, the students
1. Sitting at a table, the teacher will tell will…
the students that today they will be 1. Students will tell the teacher
reading a book about a caterpillar. characteristics about a caterpillar.
2. Teacher will ask students if they know Students may mention that caterpillars
what a caterpillar is. eventually become butterflies.
3. Teacher will follow up with students While you are teaching the concept, the
by asking them what characteristics a students will…
caterpillar has. 1. Students will listen to the teacher read
Body the story.
1. Teacher will begin to read the book. 2. Students will also answer questions
2. Throughout the story, the teacher will the teacher asks as well as make
be asking questions to engage the comments during the story.
students in the reading. Some of the 3. Students will then retell the different
questions will include things such as events that occurred in the story, in
what stage the caterpillar is in, what order, using the words first, second,
the caterpillar is eating, what students next, and finally.
 think will happen to the caterpillar 4. Using crayons, students will draw on
next. This will help the students their paper the events that occurred in
review the story and start developing a the story and talk about it with their
concept of retelling the story in the peers.
sequence of beginning to end. 5. Students should be able to use words
3. Once the story is over, the teacher will such as egg, caterpillar, cocoon,
review with the students the events chrysalis and butterfly in their
that occurred in the story. The teacher explanation.
will explain and emphasize words
such as first, second, next, and finally Application of Learning Task
to have students retell the story. The 1. Students will stay seated at their tables
teacher will also review words such as when drawing the events that occur in
egg, caterpillar, cocoon, chrysalis, the story
and butterfly during the discussion. 2. Students should engage in the
4. The teacher will then explain to conversation and answer questions the
students that they will be making a teacher asks. Students can also make
book. comments to their classmates’ answers
5. The teacher will ask students what the 3. Once students are done drawing,
first picture should be. They will students will put their books together
encourage students to start at the and should be able to help the teacher
beginning. clean-up the art materials.
6. The teacher will then have students
draw on pieces of paper the events that
occur in the story to create a book.
7. The teacher will also draw on a sheet
of paper to allow students to reference
the teacher’s drawing.
Closing
1. Teacher will then ask students to
explain to them their drawings.
2. Once everyone is done talking about
their pictures, they will be putting
their book together using string.
Assessment/Evaluation
Students will be assessed using a checklist.
Accommodations:
 Autism: To accommodate this lesson for a student who is autistic and may not want to
draw, teacher will let the student utilize play dough to create the stages of the caterpillar’s
life cycle. This will also be a good way for the student to experience with fine motor
skills since students will have to shape the play dough in different ways.
 The Very Hungry Caterpillar Story Board
Target Grade: Pre-school
Subject(s): Language Arts and Nutrition
Central Focus: Using sequencing, students will be able to retell the story The Very Hungry
Caterpillar.
Learning Standard(s):
1.A.ECa Follow simple, one-, two-, and three- step directions
1.A.ECc Provide comments relevant to the context
25.A.ECd Visual Arts: Investigate and participate in activities using visual arts materials
10.B.ECa Organize, represent, and analyze information using concrete objects, pictures, and
graphs, with teacher support.
Time: 25 minutes
Key Vocabulary:
 First
 Second
 Next
 Finally
Instructional Strategies Learning Tasks
Introduction During the introduction, the students
1. Sitting at a table, the teacher will will…
follow up with the students on the 1. Students will be sitting in a group at a
book they read, The Very Hungry table
Caterpillar. 2. Students will make comments on
2. The teacher will then ask the students things they remembered happened in
if they can retell what happened in the the story
story. Teacher will encourage students 3. Students should mention things such
to utilize the words first, second, next, as the egg, the caterpillar coming out
and finally. of the egg, and the foods the
Body caterpillar ate prior to becoming a
1. The teacher will the explain to the butterfly. During the retelling of these
students that they will be retelling the events, students should use the words
story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar first, second, next and finally
using felt pieces While you are teaching the concept, the
2. The teacher will show students the felt students will…
board pieces and review with students 1. Students will call out the different felt
what each felt piece represents pieces that the teacher shows them
3. The teacher will then place all the felt 2. When a student is called, they will
board pieces on the table pick up the felt piece they think comes
 4. Teacher will take turns calling on next and say the name of the felt
students to name and place the felt piece. For example, if talking about
board pieces in order on the felt board the cake, the student will say “Next,
5. During this, the teacher will encourage the caterpillar ate a slice of cake”
students to use transitional words such 3. If students aren’t sure what comes
as first, second, next, and finally while next, the teacher will ask the other
they are placing the objects in order students if they can help their
6. Once students get to the part of the classmate out
story where food is talked about, the 4. Students should be able to identify the
teacher will also ask students if they different foods that may be good and
think that food is good or bad for the bad for the caterpillar
caterpillar Application of Learning Task
Closing 1. Students will review with the teacher
1. If some felt pieces are out of order, the the pieces on the felt board
teacher will prompt students with 2. If they come across a felt piece that
questions to see if they noticed the felt may not be in the correct order
piece not being in order. students will be able to work together
2. Teacher will then ask students to help to correctly place the piece in the right
put that piece in the correct order order
3. Once all felt board pieces are in order, 3. Students will follow along with the
the teacher will review with the teacher in the sequencing of the felt
students the order of the felt pieces to pieces to retell the story
retell the story
4. The teacher will also review with
students why certain foods were better
than others
Assessment/Evaluation
Students will be assessed using a rubric.
Accommodations:
 Speech: To accommodate this lesson for a student who is not able to speak or speaks very
little, the teacher will prompt the student with questions and give the student choices.
This will allow for the student to still be able to show what they know without the teacher
giving them the answers and not limiting the student because they aren’t talking. The
teacher will also observe the student to see that they can nod their head yes or no
depending on different situations.
 The Very Hungry Caterpillar Reader’s Theatre
Target Grade: Pre-school
Subject(s): Language Arts and Physical Development
Central Focus: Using sequencing, students will be able to retell the story The Very Hungry
Caterpillar.
Learning Standard(s):
1.A.ECa Follow simple, one-, two-, and three- step directions
19.B.ECa Coordinate movements to perform complex tasks
10.B.ECa Organize, represent, and analyze information using concrete objects, pictures, and
graphs, with teacher support.
Time: 30 minutes
Key Vocabulary:
 First
 Second
 Next
 Finally
Prep work:
 Set on the floor all the plastic food that will be represented throughout the story
Instructional Strategies Learning Tasks
Introduction During the introduction, the students
1. Sitting in a circle, the teacher will ask will…
students if they have enjoyed reading 1. Students will respond to the teacher
about The Very Hungry Caterpillar whether they’ve enjoyed the story
2. The teacher will then tell students they 2. Students will stand when instructed to
will have an opportunity to act out the do so
story While you are teaching the concept, the
3. The teacher will explain that as they students will…
read the story, the students will be 1. Students will respond to the teacher
able to represent different parts of the with what comes next in the story
story through different movements. 2. When instructed to perform a certain
They will point to the plastic food on movement, students will complete that
the floor to show them that there will movement
also be props 3. When a student gets called on, they
4. The teacher will then instruct the will respond the next event in the
students to stand up story. If they need additional help,
Body they will be able to ask a peer for help
1. The teacher will begin to read The 4. Students should utilize the words first,
 Very Hungry Caterpillar to the class second, next, and finally in the
2. At every major event of the story, the retelling
teacher will stop reading and ask Application of Learning Task
students what they remember comes 1. Students will again perform certain
next. movements when instructed to do so
3. The teacher will then continue reading 2. By now, students should be able to say
and instruct the students to make a what comes next without much
certain movement. For example, when teacher guidance
the teacher explains that the part of the
caterpillar coming out of the egg, the
teacher will get down with the
students and pretend to burst out an
egg and lay on the floor to show they
are a caterpillar
4. The teacher will continue doing this
for the rest of the story
5. At some points in the story, the
teacher will stop and ask certain
students what comes next in the story
6. When prompting students, the teacher
will explain and emphasize words
such as first, second, next, and finally
Closing
1. Once the story is over, the teacher will
put the book down and review with
students what happened in the story
2. Students will be asked to act out the
different events of the story. This will
be done at a faster pace then when
reading the book

Assessment/Evaluation
Students will be assessed using a rubric.
Accommodations:
Behavioral: If a student is acting up during instruction, the teacher will try to see what it is that is
causing the student to act up. If the child is seeking attention, the teacher may find ways to allow
that student to get the attention the need. For example, the teacher will assign the student a role
and if the student preforms that task, they teacher will redirect attention on that student for doing
a good job. If the student is refusing to participate, the teacher will encourage the student to use
props while they’re acting in order to engage the student in the activity.