Book Caterpillar Classroom Display

Make a caterpillar to display in the classroom or hallway showing each book that has been read. Parents can see the books the kids have been reading!

Materials:

• Construction paper in a variety of colors.
• Black permanent marker
• Titles of books that have been read to the class.

Plan:

1. Use something large and round to trace large circles on construction paper for the caterpillar’s body.
2. The first circle will be the caterpillar’s face. Create the eye, nose, and mouth, using wiggly eyes, a piece of material, foam circles, etc. Be creative! The more creative it is, the more the kids are going to like it.
3. Decide on a color pattern for your caterpillar, such as blue-red-orange-green, blue-red-orange-green.
4. Record the books read on the circles. Write the title, author and the date the book was read or finished. Make sure the kids underline the title of the book!
5. Have the students help keep up the color pattern. Always have the different colored construction paper circles cut out so if they read a book on their own they can add it to the caterpillar during the day.
6. Start the caterpillar by the door with his/her face and add circles to the pattern you have chosen. Go around all the walls in the classroom and vary the caterpillar by making it go up and down as if it is crawling. Discuss with the class that this caterpillar could get really big if everyone reads a lot of books. The caterpillar could even grow all the way out in the hallway and onto the other side of the hallway.
7. Every so many circles, cut out a leg for the caterpillar and stick it on the bottom. To make it stand out, use a color that is not in your pattern of circles.

Comments:

Any age of children will enjoy doing this project. It is a way to get them to work together on a special project. And, of course, it encourages them to read!! We all know reading is essential!! You could also vary this and have them make their own caterpillars for each student, but I like doing it as a group project. Have fun!!

By: Debbie Haren, Preschool Teacher

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