Singalong Saturdays: The Click Beetle Song

There are so many things to learn in Hot Toast Music Co.’s songs each week. Let’s learn together and make discoveries! Each week’s Singalong Saturdays will include ways to connect ideas in the songs to fun at-home activities you can do together as a family. Simple activities are multidisciplinary and appropriate for a wide variety of learners. They include storytime, artmaking, science explorations, film suggestions, discussion prompts, and more!

This week’s song is inspired by the music that can be found right outside your door: Bugs! There are so many bugs that live in our gardens- what bugs live in your garden?

Singalong!

Storytime! Up in the Garden, Down in the Dirt

Download Activity Guide

Play Along: The Click Beetle Song

Watch the song, and sing along! (https://youtu.be/te-6IMR0P0c)

Join Ms. Jenny and read Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt by Kate Messner (https://youtu.be/9QT6o0oyk0s)

Use this website to identify bugs you find outside: (https://www.insectidentification.org/bugfinder-start.asp)

Watch this video to learn more about the noises different insects make: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EO1IGi83LGg)

Talk about it!

Bug are so important to our Earth. They do big jobs that a lot of times, we don’t even see! Ask yourself these questions are you explore bugs and insects further!
⦁ What is your favorite bug?
⦁ Why do you think bugs make noise?
⦁ Can you name a few ways that bugs help the Earth?

Creative Challenges: Buggy Bonanza!

Make bug noises with a buzzing noise maker! This project creates a noise that is very similar to mosquitoes. Give it a try!

What you will need:

• A large popsicle stick
• Scissors
• Sticky foam
• String
• Wide rubber band
• One notecard

Steps:

1. Start by cutting two of the corners off the alongside of the notecard.
2. Next, take the notecard to cover half of the width of the popsicle stick. Use the sticky foam to attach the corners of the notecard to the stick. Leave some of the stick foam hanging off the edge.
3. Cut a 3-inch piece of string.
4. Fold over the remaining stick foam while placing the string under just one side. Fold the remaining sticky foam over the stick on the other end (one end will not have string; the string is only attached at one end)
5. Take the rubber band and stretch it length wise over both stick ends
6. On the end with the string, tie the ends of the string together so that it makes a loop.
7. Then, spin! Listen to the cool noise it makes!

Build a Hotel for Bugs!

Bugs are so wonderful for our gardens and essential in helping plants grow! Use materials you may already have around your house or in the recycling bin to make an outdoor Bug Hotel! Bug hotels provide a new place for bugs to live if they have lost their natural habitat, it also increases the population of beneficial bugs in your own garden.

Materials for this project are wide ranging, but suggested items are below. Make sure you use items that are biodegradable and will not hurt the environment.

What you will need:

• cardboard tubes
• cut up pieces of cardboard
• dried grass, leaves, and twigs
• cardboard box

Steps:

1. Start by arranging your hotel “rooms” in the box so you know where each piece will fit.
2. Next, you will take your natural materials and make them fit into each compartment. I used sticks for the thin long tubes, and paper sacks to take up more space in the larger tube. Get creative and see what found materials you think bugs would like!

Download Activity Guide