The Very Hungry Caterpillar

 Written and Illustrated by: Eric Carle

Intended Grade Level: 2nd grade

Website created by:  Sarah Hanson

Background
Summary of the Book:
    The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is about a caterpillar that is hungry so he looks for some food.  He eats through many fruits each day.  But he is still hungry at the end of the week so he eats through a bunch of junk food.  Then he becomes big and fat and builds his cocoon.  Then when he comes out of the cocoon, he is a beautiful butterfly!

About the Author:
Eric Carle was born in Syracuse, New York in 1929.  When he was six years old he moved to Germany with his parents, where he attended school and graduated from the prestigious art school, the Akademie der bildenden Künste.  In 1952, Carle moved back to the United States, where he worked for the New York Times.  He then began writing and illustrating his own children's books, including The Very Hungry Caterpillar, which has been translated into more than 30 languages and sold over 22 million copies!  For more information on Eric Carle, visit his official website.

Materials Needed:

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar book

• pencil

• blank paper

• crayons or markers

*Before beginning the following activities, print off the rubric.  This will help you know what I am looking for when I grade your activities!

Pre-Reading Activities

*Before reading, print off this K-W-L chart and complete the first two columns.  Explain what you already know about caterpillars and butterflies in the first column on the left.  Then list what you want to know about caterpillars and butterflies in the second column in the middle.  Set the chart to the side; we will complete this chart later.

*Visit this website about caterpillars and butterflies.  Read through the website and answer the questions on this worksheet using the information from the website.

During Reading Activities

*Go to this online dictionary and look up five words from the book that you did not know or were difficult to read.  On your own paper, write the five words down and their definitions.

*Play this Word Wizard activity while reading the book.  Enter your name first and then click on "Begin."  Click on The Very Hungry Caterpillar book.  Unscramble the letters to make a word that fits the clue.  Use the book to help answer the "Mystery Clue" if needed.  When you have completed the activity, print off your results.  The word "print" will show up over The Very Hungry Caterpillar book.  Click on "print" and print off your results.

Post Reading Activities

*Find your K-W-L chart from the pre-reading activities and complete the last column, "What I Have Learned."  List things you have learned about caterpillars and butterflies from the book.

*After reading the book, use this writing paper (you'll have to print it off!) and write a story about caterpillars and butterflies.  Make sure to add a title and be creative with your story!

*Print off this diagram and color the pictures of the life cycle of a monarch butterfly.

*When you are finished, staple together all your activities with the rubric.  The rubric should be placed on top of the activities in order and handed into the teacher.

Other fun activities!

*Create this fun butterfly craft by using the art materials and following the directions.

*Put together this butterfly puzzle in record time!  Or challenge yourself with this caterpillar puzzle!

*Color this butterfly & caterpillar's food activity page and/or color this caterpillar and leaf activity page.  You can use them to illustrate a story you write or glue the pictures to a poster board to make a neat collage!