Caillou Connects with You!

Caillou Connects with You!
Video Clip: 01:05:20 – 01:06:49
Episode: #501 #1 – Caillou’s Cricket
Learning Objectives:
Students will observe behavior of live crickets and describe what they see and hear. Students
will ask questions about their observations. Students will understand a cricket’s natural
habitat is outdoors.
Inquiry Questions:
What does a cricket do?
Materials:
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Process:
A live cricket for each pair or group of students, readily available at
pet stores (inexpensively purchased by the dozen).
Large, clear plastic cup for each cricket, with perforated plastic wrap top.
1.
Show students the video clip of “Caillou’s Cricket.” Ask students what
Cailloudid with his cricket at the end of the day and encourage students to think about why Caillou released the cricket outside.
2.
Ask students what they know about crickets and what they want to know about crickets.
3.
Tell students we will get to know more about crickets by looking at them up close.
4.
Teacher will pair or group the students, then distribute the cups and allow students time to closely observe the cricket.
5.
As students observe crickets, teacher will guide observations with a
See-Think-Wonder “Thinking Routine.”
6.
Teacher asks: What do you see? Students respond with their observations of cricket body parts, movements, and behavior.
7.
Teacher asks: What do you think? Teacher encourages students to verbalize their thinking as they observe.
8.
Teacher asks: What do you wonder? Teacher encourages all questions about what students wonder about and want to know.
9.
Depending on student inquiries, teacher seeks ways for students to explore their questions:
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For questions about how crickets move, teacher places
crickets in a large cardboard box and students observe.
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For questions about what crickets eat, teacher provides students with small pieces of fruit to feed the cricket.
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For questions about behavior, teacher places several crickets in a larger clear container for further observations of interactions.
Wrap Up: At the end of the day, teacher reminds students that Caillou released his cricket
back to nature. Teacher asks: What shall we do with our crickets and why? Teacher will guide
students to understand that crickets live in nature and we can care for our crickets by releasing
them outside. Take children out in a safe environment to release crickets in nature, and observe
them as they hop away.
Extensions:
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Invite students to draw or paint their cricket.
Invite students to make a cricket with modeling clay.
Standards (California Preschool Curriculum Framework):
Science – Observes, investigates, asks questions about the world around him/her.
Social/Emotional – Empathy and Caring: Demonstrates concern for the needs of others.