Sequencing The Very Hungry Caterpillar

Subjects:

Language Arts, Math, Music, Science

Grades:

K, 1, 2

By – Jane Slotnick

OBJECTIVES:

 students will be able to sequence any set of events in the correct order
 students will be able to use the concept of ordinal numbers to help organize story events
 students will be learn the meaning of new vocabulary words
 students will listen for a purpose
 students will use a graphic organizer to arrange story events
 students will summarize story events
MATERIALS:

 “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” book

 Sentence strips
 Handouts
 Scissors
 CD of the instrumental version of “Up on the Housetop”
 Puzzles of butterfly life cycle
 Photographs of people in various stages of life
 Glue
 Pencils
 Crayons
 Poster with the butterfly version of this song

PROCEDURE:
 1. Introduce the idea of sequencing. Ask the children if they know what it is or why it is important.
Illicit that sequencing is the order of events in a story or in our lives. Sequence is important
because it helps us to comprehend the story or situation.
2. Give an example about getting ready for school. We don’t come to school in pajamas and then
brush our teeth. There is a specific order in which we carry out our tasks. This is the same idea
when we read a book. Understanding the order of events helps us understand the story.
3. Before you read the book, introduce a few vocabulary words that you think the students should
know (lay, emerges, chrysalis, and beautiful). Ask the students to define these words and give
them examples of sentences to help them figure out each vocabulary word and its meaning.
4. Introduce the book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and ask if the students are familiar with the book.
Look at the cover and a few pages and ask the students what they think the story will be about.
Tell the students to look out for main events and the order in which they occur.
5. Read the story aloud. Help the students realize that there is an order in the story when it comes to
the days of the week. Also, have the students engage in the story and have them say the last
sentence on each page which is “but he was still hungry”.
6. Use guided practice to have the children create sentences based on the growth of the caterpillar.
The sentences will be the following

-A little egg lay on a leaf.

-The tiny caterpillar emerges from the egg.

-A tiny caterpillar eats and grows.

-A chrysalis forms around the caterpillar.

-He turns into a beautiful butterfly.

CONCLUSION:

-The order of actions is important because it helps us to organize the events that happen in a story and in
our lives. By understanding the connection and order of events, we better understand the situation or
story. Introduce a song that goes to the tune of “UP on the Housetop”. Listen to the CD and sing the song
as well as read the words. This song organizes the stages of the butterfly life cycle. The lyrics are:

First comes a butterfly lays an egg

Out comes a caterpillar with many legs

Oh see the caterpillar spin and spin

A little chrysalis to sleep in

Oh oh oh look and see

Oh oh oh look and see

Out of the chrysalis

My oh my

Out comes a pretty butterfly.

-Using music to teach concepts is especially good for many students with learning disabilities. I use music
very often in my classroom to teach many concepts. Students who have difficulty with spoken language
often seem to learn more easily through music.

INDEPENDENT/ GROUP PRACTICE:

Four different activities will be available for students to practice sequencing events from the story.
Working with a partner or small group will be encouraged so that the students can think out loud and
learn from each other.

Activity 1: Students will cut out the four main events from the story, glue them in correct order, and write a
sentence below each picture stating what is happening.

Activity 2: Students will cut sentences and put them in the correct order and draw a picture.

Activity 3: Higher functioning students will have a blank organizer and be asked to draw the picture and
write the sentence for the picture.

Activity 4: if there are blind students in your classroom, he/she will be asked to put manipulatives of the
food from the story in the correct order.

When the students are finished they will be asked to read their sentences to a peer for reciprocal
teaching. Then several students will be asked to read their sentences or show their pictures to the class.
Modifications for the struggling students include listening to the story with the book in front of them. Braille
version and tape would be available for the blind student.

HOMEWORK:

Several activities are available depending on the students’ abilities.

Activity 1: Based upon getting ready for school in the morning, students will cut out the pictures and put
them in correct order and write a sentence for each picture.

Activity 2: Students are asked to read a passage about getting ready for school. Students will rewrite the
sentences in the correct order.

Activity 3: The blind student will be asked to read a passage in Braille and tape record the five main
events in the story in sequential order.
It is important to differentiate instruction because children learn differently and there are visual, auditory,
and kinesthetic learners in every classroom so it is vital to have a variety of learning techniques.

Homework worksheet:

Name: ______________________

Cut pictures. Glue in order. Write a sentence for each picture.

1.

2.

3.

4.
Name: _______________________

Draw a picture and write a sentence for each of the main events in the story.

Be sure the events are in the same order as the story.

1.

2.

3.
4.

Homework

Name: _____________

This is a story that is not in order. Read the story and rewrite it below in the correct order.

1. Mom and I wait for the bus to take me to school.

2. I brush my teeth before I go downstairs for breakfast.

3. Mom gives me cereal and milk to eat.

4. I wake up in the morning and get out of bed.

5. I pick out my clothes and get dressed.

1.___________________________________________________________________________
________

2.___________________________________________________________________________
________

3.___________________________________________________________________________
________

4.___________________________________________________________________________
________

5.___________________________________________________________________________
________

Sentences:
He is a beautiful butterfly.

The chrysalis forms.

A tiny caterpillar emerges from the egg.

The egg lay on the leaf.

1.___________________________________________________________________________
________

2.___________________________________________________________________________
________

3.___________________________________________________________________________
________

4.___________________________________________________________________________
________
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