A LESSON FOR THE BIG BUGS
Divide the group into five smaller groups and assign each group one of the words listed below. Read the story. After each of the words is read pause for the group to make the appropriate response.
| BEES | "Buzz, Buzz" |
| FROG | "Croak, Croak" |
| ANTS | "Hup, 2, 3, 4" |
| WOODS | (All sounds together) |
| MOSQUITOES | Bite, Bite |
This is a story about Billy and his family and their adventures in the WOODS __. One fine spring day, Billy's family decided it was a good day for a picnic in the WOODS __ where they could enjoy nature. They packed a nice lunch and left on their outing. As soon as they arrived at their destination, they picked out a nice spot to spread their picnic. Billy and his brother ran off to chase a FROG __. They heard some BEES __ gathering nectar, and watched some ANTS __ busy at work. They even awaited some MOSQUITOES __ and felt right at home with their nature friends.
When they got back to the picnic area, they began telling the rest of the family about the WOODS __; the BEES __; the ANTS __; the FROGS __ and even the MOSQUITOES __. Dad listened intently as he opened another sandwich and carelessly threw the wrapper on the ground. Their sister threw her soda can under a bush, and ran off to chase a FROG __ that hopped by. Mom threw her napkin on the ground and jumped up in disgust. "That does it!" she said. "The ANTS __ seem to have taken over our lunch!"
Dad stretched out for a nap and had just about dozed off when he heard sister scream. She had been stung by a BEE __. Mom took care of her, so Dad tried again to sleep. But this time the pesky MOSQUITOES __ would not leave him alone. Finally he announced they were all going home.
Billy said, "Why do we have to leave now?" Dad replied, "Well, Billy, it seems we aren't wanted by the WOODS __. We sure haven't been treated very well. The MOSQUITOES __ are eating me alive; the ANTS __ took over our lunch; and the BEE __ stung your sister." Billy said, "It seems to me that the WOODS __ and the MOSQUITOES __ and the ANTS __ and the BEES __ are trying to tell us something." "What's that?" asked Dad. "Well," said Billy, "just look around here and you will see that we haven't been very nice visitors in the WOODS __. Look at all the trash we've thrown around. It seems that we're the worst bugs of all -- litterbugs."
So the family started to clean up the mess and afterwards they all felt better. They took a nice walk through the WOODS __ listening to the sounds. They actually enjoyed the buzzing of the BEES __; the croaking of the FROGS __ and they even watched an army of ANTS __ at work. When they returned home they were tired, but happy that they had learned an important lesson that day. The worst kind of bug is a litter bug!
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