Colors of Insects

ELEPHANT TALK Gravity All Around

Colors of Insects

Colors of Insects

By Laura Purdie Salas

Capstone , A+ Books, 2011

ISBN #9781429652551

Nonfiction

Grades K-2

"More than half of all animal species on Earth are insects. Look at them closely. You'll see amazing things, like big, round eyes and glow-in-the-dark bellies! Sharp pincers, see-through wings, hairy legs, and glossy shells. And their colors are out of this world!"

What a fun way to present colors to young children. This book takes a typical early childhood concept and elevates it to the fascinating world of science. The theme of the different colors is conveyed with familiar and not so familiar insects in a brilliant, three-quarter page spread. These up-close photographs present the color and the inset text box adds a short, interesting fact about the insect depicted.

The vocabulary in the text is supported by context clues and the bright pictures. Back matter includes a glossary, more reading, Internet FactHound site, and an index. This would make a great read-aloud book for story time or one a budding scientist reader will love. I can picture a science loving child reciting some of the specific, fascinating facts. And it's a fun idea!

Activity 1

Create a color chart and list the colors used in the book. Under each color, write the insect from the book. Then look up more insects and add them to the color chart, or create your own category and add animals (or plants, flowers, etc.) that fit in that color's category. This would be a good way to introduce classification: use grouping by fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, or the invertebrate groups.

Here are some interesting facts about animal colors in detail.

National Geographic has excellent animal photos.

Activity 2

Look up animal camouflage and protective coloration to find out how animals use color to hide or stay safe.

Investigate animal camouflage here.

Capstone's Colors of the Ocean by Laura Purdie Salas is another book that can help introduce colors. It's in a series that is sure to hold the interest of any reader.