Pre-K: Tiny Homes for Tiny Garden Helpers
Pre-K students recently channeled their inner architects during Tinker Time with Mrs. Elizabeth Leddy by creating tiny homes for insects while learning about the important role bugs play in helping gardens grow.
As part of the project, students visited the bug hotels created by second graders in the Graland Pollinator Garden to gather ideas and learn more about the insects that help gardens thrive. Back in the Gates Invention and Innovation Lab, students used the book “Bug Hotel” as inspiration while designing and building homes for their own insects.
After selecting a plastic insect, each student created a home using a variety of materials before participating in a share-out where they explained their designs and the needs of their chosen insect.
The project is connected to Pre-K’s ongoing study of gardening and insects. Throughout the spring, students explored how plants grow, partnered with the Denver Botanic Gardens to plant flowers and vegetables on campus, learned how insects support healthy gardens through pollination and soil health, and raised and released butterflies and ladybugs as part of their classroom learning.
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After selecting a plastic insect, each student created a home using a variety of materials before participating in a share-out where they explained their designs and the needs of their chosen insect.
The project is connected to Pre-K’s ongoing study of gardening and insects. Throughout the spring, students explored how plants grow, partnered with the Denver Botanic Gardens to plant flowers and vegetables on campus, learned how insects support healthy gardens through pollination and soil health, and raised and released butterflies and ladybugs as part of their classroom learning.
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
