Arlington:
First Step
Preschool

7377 Chateau
Parma Hts, OH 44130

Supervisor of Special
Education at First Step:

 
Ms. Joanna Quandt

phone: 440-885-8645
fax: 440-842-9832

Director of Special Education
at Central Office:

Mrs. Michele J. Nolan

phone: 440-885-8799

Story of the Month
Story Kit Available at First Step Library

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Summary:  The story of the life cycle of a butterfly, from a tiny egg, to caterpillar, cocoon, and finally a beautiful butterfly, told in simple terms. This story also includes a variety of foods to talk about, and is a great starting point for learning about healthy and not-so-healthy foods. The time line of the story presents the days of the week and opportunities for children to count to five.

Hints for Reading Aloud

As you read the book aloud to your child, pause to allow him/her to count the pieces of fruit on each page. After your child is familiar with the story, encourage him/her to “read” the repetitive chorus, “but he was STILL hungry”. Pause before completing predictable sentences and allow your child to “fill in” the missing words, such as “On Friday he ate through….”. 

Activities

• Recall the sequence of a caterpillar’s life. Help your child recall the sequence that was depicted in the story, using words like first, next, before, after, and last. Help your child recall important parts of the story in order. For example,  “First there was the tiny egg, next it was a very tiny caterpillar, after it ate a lot of food it was a big fat caterpillar, then it built a cocoon. The caterpillar stayed inside before it became a butterfly. The last thing that happened was that it was a beautiful butterfly.

• Count the different types of fruit. Compare quantities: were there more strawberries or plums, for example. 

• Make caterpillars. Use cut out construction paper circles to make a caterpillar: Talk about the colors and the patterns that your child makes with the colors.

• Draw. Help your child trace and color circles (it’s O.K. if they don’t turn out to look like circles!), and to link them together to make caterpillars, it he/she is able.

• Cook together. Make a Fruit Salad for the family using the fruits that The Very Hungry Caterpillar ate. Use the book to make a shopping list, shop together for the five different fruits. Read the recipe together. Your child can help you clean the fruits, place the fruits into the bowl after an adult cuts them, and stir the fruits together. When you serve the salad to the family, encourage your child to tell everyone the ingredients of the salad.

Very Hungry Caterpillar Fruit Salad

1 Apple
2 Pears
3 Plums
4 Strawberries
5 Oranges

Wash your hands. Wash fruit. After a grown up cuts the fruit, put the pieces in a bowl. Mix. Eat and enjoy!

Help promote literacy in early childhood. Please visit the
Cuyahoga County Public Library