TitleofLesson:BringingBookstoLife:TheVeryHungryCaterpillar.

Teachers:HalliAaron(Dance),MaryMcdonald(Theater),MaggieGorman(Music),Morwenna
ProbertBaker(visualarts)

LearningObjectives:
Studentswillreadthebook:
TheVeryHungryCaterpillar
Studentswilllearnhowtocollageandlayerwithrippedtissuepaper.
Studentswillgainanunderstandingofsymmetryandhowitisutilizedinart.
Studentswillseehowthefourartsarerepresentedintheunitplanforthebookbypracticingthesong,
creatingbutterflywingsbyrippedtissuepaper,practicingthelifecycleofacaterpillarandcreatinga
skitoftheeventsofthestory.
Studentswillutilizethefourartformstorepresentthebookbysingingaparodybasedonthebook,
exploringthechangeinthecharacter,creatingbutterflywings,andactingoutthestoryasiftheyarethe
veryhungrycaterpillar.
Studentswilllearnthelifecycleofacaterpillarbydancingthroughthecycle.
Studentswilllearnhowtocreateacharactertoactout.
Studentswilllearnthelifecycleofacaterpillarbyactingoutthestages.

WashingtonStateEALRs:
Vavrus,J.,&Banks,A.(2014,August1).TheWashingtonStateK12ArtsLearningStandards.
RetrievedFebruary23,2015,from
http://www.k12.wa.us/Arts/Standards/pubdocs/ArtsStandards.pdf#Standards

1.1Understandsandappliesartsconceptsandvocabulary.
1.2Developsartskillsandtechniques.
1.3Understandsandappliesartgenresandstylesfromvariousartists,culturesandtimes.
3.1Usestheartstoexpressfeelingsandpresentideasindance,music,theatreandvisualarts.

Rationale:Teachingstudentsthroughthefourartformsisnotonlyrewardingforthem,butwillhelp
themtolearnaboutaworkofliterature.Allowingthemtobringabooktolifeengagesthemandcan
encouragecuriositythroughexploringtheworkfurther.

InstructionalMaterials,Resources,andTechnology:
Book:
TheVeryHungryCaterpillar
Tissuepaper
Whitetagboard
Glue
Posterwithlifecycleofacaterpillar
Picturesoftheeggontheleaf,thefruitseaten,onegreenleaf,thecocoon,andthebutterfly
WorksheetforTheater(attachedtothisunitplan)
Website:
http://www.ericcarle.com/slideshow_collage.html


TIME

INSTRUCTIONALSEQUENCE

5minutes

Activatingpriorknowledge,sparkinginterest,andcommunicationlearning
targets:

ReadTheVeryHungryCaterpillar.
Discusswhatstudentsknowandhaveseenofcaterpillarsandbutterflies.
Explaintostudentsthattheywilllearnaboutabutterflyslifecycle

Unitsummary:
Inthisunit,studentswillbringabooktolife,
TheVeryHungry
Caterpilla
r,throughthefourartforms.Studentswillcreatewingsforthebutterfly,
dancethelifecycleofacaterpillar,actoutthestory,createtheirowncaterpillar
character,andsingaparodyof10littleindians.

2hours

2onehour
lessons

1. VisualArt:
Lesson#1
Read
TheVeryHungryCaterpillar
TalkabouthowEricCarlecreateshisartbyusingcollage.Hehandpaintspaperand
thenlayersthepapertoformtheimages.
Studentswilldiscusshowthistearingofthepapercreatesuniquelines,shapes,and
textures.
Studentswilltalkabouttheuseofcoloronthepagesthroughoutthebook.Including
howthecaterpillarisnotonesolidgreenbutrathermadeupofmanyshades.Thisis
formedbylayering.
StudentswillwatchtheslideshowonhowEricCarlecreatesthecaterpillar:
http://www.ericcarle.com/slideshow_collage.html
Studentswilllookatthebutterflyonthelastpageofthebook.
Studyhowthebutterflyswingsaresymmetrical.Symmetricalmadeupofexactly
similarpartsfacingeachotheroraroundanaxis.
Studentswillgetwhitetagboardandriptissuepaperandlayertocreatetheirown
butterflywings.

2.Theatre:
Lesson#1
Studentsphysicallyandvocallywarmupthebody,voice,andimagination.
Studentsactoutthebook:
Classchoosescharacters.Onepersonbeginsasthecaterpillar.Onebecomesanapple,
twopeoplebecomepears,threepeoplebecomeplums,etc.
Eachperson/groupdecideswhattheywillsayordowhenthecaterpillarcomestoeat
them.Example:Iamajuicygreenpear!AndthecaterpillarsaysGobblegobble
gobbleasheeatsit.
Thecaterpillarstartsactingoutacaterpillarandgoestoeachfoodandactsouteating
it.Whenastudentsgetseaten,theyattachontheendoftheleadcaterpillar.As
studentsattachtotheendoftheleadcaterpillar,hegetsbiggerandbigger.
Whenallthestudentshavebeeneatentheyhuddletogethertoactoutbeingina
cocoon.

Teacherwillcountdownfrom5andasstudentsputontheirbutterflywingsandburst
outofthecocoon.
Studentsactoutbeingabutterfly.

Lesson#2

Studentsreceiveworksheet:Creatingyourcaterpillar.
Studentsfilloutworksheet.
Eachstudenthastwothreeminutestoactouttheircharacterinfrontoftheclass.
Teacherhostsacaterpillarparty.
Eachstudentattendsthepartyastheircharacterandhastosocializewithdifferent
caterpillars.

3.Music:
Lesson#1
Afterreadingthebookstudentswillsingasongaboutthecaterpillar.
Theteacherwillbeginwithawarmupthatwillgetthemindsandbodiesreadyto
sing.
Teacherexplainsthatitisveryimportantfortheaudiencetounderstandwhatweare
singing.Sowearegoingtowarmupourfacesandmouthssothatwecansingour
wordsveryclearly.
Teacherwillsaytonguetwistersandthestudentswillrepeatitonce,thentryandsay
itthreetimesfast.

PeterPiperpickedapeckofpickledpeppers.

Roundandroundtheruggedrocktheraggedrascalran.

BettyBotterboughtabitofbitterbutter.
Allstudentsrepeatthetonguetwisters.
Nexttheteacherexplainswhataparodyis.Parody:a
pieceofwriting,music,etc.,
thatimitatesthestyleofsomeoneorsomethingelse.
Teacherasksstudentsiftheyhaveeverheardthesong10littleindians.Thensings
thesongforthosewhohavent.
Teacherexplainsthatthestudentswillbesingingaboutwhatthecaterpillardoesin
thebook.
Teachermodelseachverseandthenhasstudentsrepeat.(Lyricsonaworksheet.Not
necessaryforstudentstohavethough.)
Aftersingingthrougheachversewiththeteachermodeling,everyonesingstheentire
songthrough.Encouragecreatingmovementstothesong.

Lesson#2

4.Dance/creativemovement:
Lesson#1
Studythecycleofacaterpillar:littleegg,tinycaterpillar,verybigcaterpillar,cocoon,
butterfly.Developmovementsforeachstepinthecycle.Workinacircletoimprove
movementswithcritiquesfromtheclass.

Lesson#2

Studentspracticeaselectedstepinthecycleandthenperformasagroupintheorder
thecyclegoes.Discussafterperformancewhichpartsofdancewereusedbyeach
group.

Closure:
Classdiscusseswhattheylearnedaboutcaterpillars
Classrelateswhattheyknowofthecycleofacaterpillartootheranimals(beetles,
humans,etc)
Studentssharetheirthoughtsonwhattheylearnedanddiscusstheirfavoritepartsof
learning
TheVeryHungryCaterpillar
throughthe4arts.

PossibleExtensions:
ReadotherEricCarlebooks
Singotherparodies
Createdifferentcollages.

Worksheet:Creatingyourcaterpillar

Pleaseanswerthefollowingquestionshavefunwithitthecrazier,thebetter!Oneortwosentencesare
enoughforeachanswer.

Whatdoyou,asacaterpillar,lookliketoothers?

Whatisyourfavoritefoodasacaterpillar?

Whatdoyouplanondoingwhenyoubecomeabutterfly?

Howdoyoumovearound?

Whatmakesyouaspecialcaterpillar?

Whatisyourcaterpillarname?

Drawyourcaterpillar.

TheVeryHungryCaterpillarSong:

OnSunday,onelittleegg.OnSunday,onelittleegg.OnSunday,onelittleegg.Outcomesa
caterpillar!

OnMonday,oneredapple.OnMonday,oneredapple.OnMonday,oneredapple.Thatswhata
caterpillareats.

OnTuesday,twogreenpears.OnTuesday,twogreenpears.OnTuesday,twogreenpears.Thatswhat
acaterpillareats.

OnWednesday,threepurpleplums.OnWednesday,threepurpleplums.OnWednesday,threepurple
plums.Thatswhatacaterpillareats.

OnThursday,fourredstrawberries.OnThursday,fourredstrawberries.OnThursday,fourred
strawberries.Thatswhatacaterpillareats.

OnFriday,fiveoranges.OnFriday,fiveoranges.OnFriday,fiveoranges.Thatswhatacaterpillar
eats.

OnSaturday,toomuchfood.OnSaturday,toomuchfood.OnSaturday,toomuchfood.Thatswhata
caterpillareats.

OnSunday,onegreenleaf.OnSunday,onegreenleaf.OnSunday,onegreenleaf.Thatswhata
caterpillareats.

Inhiscocoonhegoestosleep.Inhiscocoonhegoestosleep.Inhiscocoonhegoestosleep.Thats
whatacaterpillardoes.

Outcomesabutterfly.Outcomesabutterfly.Outcomesabutterfly.Isntthatagreatsurprise.

From:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GumJ3qMlYFQ