Year Two:

Here are some activity ideas to support your children with learning at home

about the topic of ‘Minibeasts’. We hope that you have been enjoying taking

part in other learning activities at home. The ideas are organised into year

groups.

Minibeasts What are minibeasts?

Minibeasts are small creatures like insects, spiders, worms and

snails. The scientific terms for them is ‘invertebrates’- a creature

without a backbone. Minibeasts have other structures which support

and protect them. Snails have shells, while spiders and other insects

have an ‘exoskeleton’ which is a hard casing on their outside. There

are lots of minibeast species in the United Kingdom.

Year Two ‘Minibeast’ themed Activities

Literacy:

Talk about what minibeasts do the children know? Look at pictures of

different types of minibeasts.

*Name and describe features of the

minibeasts e.g. How many legs? Can it

fly? What pattern does it have on

their body?

*Write a list of minibeasts.

*Talk about where can we find

minibeasts?

*(Go on a minibeast hunt: Refer to

topic activities below;)

Reading:

*Share ‘Minibeast’ themed rhymes and stories such as ‘Mad about

Minibeasts’ by ‘ Mad about Minibeasts’ by Giles Andreae and David

Wojtowycz . *The story is read aloud on website:

https://youtu.be/6oUEWJTcQaY

Name and talk about the different minibeasts from the

book.

What rhyming words can you hear when listening to the

rhymes?

Some other story examples are ‘Super Worm’ by Julia Donaldson, ‘Aaaaargh Spider’ by

Lydia Monks, ‘The Very Busy Spider’ by Eric Carle.

https://youtu.be/btctO8asZ3E

https://sarahgordy.com/gmedia/cbeebies_the_very_busy_spider_sarahgordy-

jpg/

Longer stories could include ‘James and the Giant Peach’ by Roald Dahl,

‘Charlotte’s Web’ by E.B White

*Talk about the minibeast characters from

the stories. Draw characters from the

stories. Write labels.

*Invent own super bug story character. Draw the character, think of a

name for your bug, write labels. Where could your bug live? Does it have a

family and friends? Write sentences to describe your bug.

*Invent a story using your invented character. Draw a story plan/map.

Write story ideas. Use nouns, verbs and adjectives within your own writing.

(Examples of these types of words are as follows;)

Noun: A noun is a word to name an object, subject, a person, a creature, a

place e.g. house, weather, ladybird, school, field,….

Adjective: An adjective is a describing word to describe a noun e.g. a

spotty ladybird, wet weather…

Verb: A verb is a doing word (action). It is a word to describe what

someone or something is doing e.g. run, spin, sleep, climb, jump, swim.

How do minibeasts move? Verbs (action words) may include crawl, wriggle,

scuttle, slide, scurry, fly, run, jump, scamper ..

*Write an acrostic poem about a minibeast; e.g.

Slowly, a rough snail moves along a branch and moves his tiny eyes

nibbling a green leaf because it is his favourite food

above the old wall the snail is hiding from the pouring rain

in the middle of the cold wet garden so he can stay dry

leaving a trail of sticky slime behind him

*You can use rhyming words in your poem if you would like e.g. snail, trail

*Find out facts about different minibeasts. Write a fact sheet about the

chosen minibeast. Describe where they live, what they eat…

Minibeast facts:

Name of minibeast:

Draw a picture.

Fact 1:

Fact 2:

Fact 3:

Minibeast Wordsearch Name ____________

Find the hidden minibeast words.

m s b e e t l e i s b f a o

i x m d h e s n y d o u s x

n m h a n t p b p r d j f c

i r e r m v i r s i y e a d

b o a d b u d o a b f s b k

e w d x e a e b w y g u q a

a l b c e t r i n d s o w n

s g f l y q e q c a d l t s

t a c z m o t h v l y d r x

k w l e g s a p j u h o h m

w b u t t e r f l y z o s l

o l f i n s e c t p k w i j

Here are the words to find:

ant minibeast

bee moth

beetle wasp

body worm

butterfly woodlouse

fly head

insect ladybird

legs spider

Maths:

Minibeast Number problem solving

1. There are 4 spiders in a cave. How many legs altogether?

Draw working out pictorially.

2. If an insect has 6 legs. How many legs will 3 insects have?

Draw, working out pictorially.

3. 15 ants plus 13 ants.

Write the number sentence. Show working out.

4. There are 23 bees in a hive. 11 leave. How many are left? Show

working out, write the number sentence.

5. There are 15 caterpillars. 8 turn into butterflies. How many are left? Show

working out, write the number sentence.

6. 24 ladybirds are hibernating in a cave. 13 more join them. How many altogether? Show working

out, write the number sentence.

7. Declan counted 14 woodlice. Lauren counted 22. How many woodlice altogether? Show working

out. Write the number sentence.

8. Alice had 26 worms in her garden. Alex had 10 more. How many did Alex have? Show working

out. Write number sentence.

Spider dot to dot.

*Read the story; ‘The Bad Tempered Ladybird’ by Eric Carle. Practise

telling the time.

Shapes: Use 2D shapes to create minibeast pictures.

2D Shapes:

Name and describe features of different 2D shapes: circle, square,

rectangle, triangle, hexagon, diamond, pentagon e.g. count how many sides, edges,

corners?

Can you make a minibeast using the 2D shapes?

Length:

*Thread pasta shapes/button on to string/wool to make caterpillars. Can you make a long

caterpillar? Can you make a short caterpillar? Compare lengths using longer than, shorter

than. What can you find in your home that is the same length as your caterpillar? What is

longer/shorter than your caterpillar? Measure using a centimetre ruler.

*Can you make a penny worm using 1p coins? Count how many 1p coins that make your

worm? Use other coins too to find totals. Make long and short penny worms.

Minibeast Symmetry:

Topic Activities:

*Explore and find out where minibeasts live? Go on a minibeast hunt in the garden or

during your daily walk with an adult.

* Minibeast hunt check sheet attached below. (Refer to woodland trust for other

Minibeast activity ideas.)

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2019/04/minibeast-hunt/

*Where are the Minibeasts hiding? Look under stones, behind the plant pot, under

the dry leaves, What’s hiding in the grass? What can you see? What can you find

in the soil? *If you have a magnifying glass, use it to look carefully at the

different minibeasts that you can find. Are there any minibeasts flying around?

*Listen can you hear the minibeasts making any sounds? e.g. bees buzzing.

Remember to look at the minibeasts but leave them in their habitat (home).

Minibeasts are living creatures and we need to look after them.

*Make a bug hotel to leave out in your garden. Use materials such as empty

plastic container, dry leaves, twigs that you have to use at home. Keep looking

outside and your hotel may get some bug visitors!

Instructions for how to make a bug hotel: Refer to website:

https://www.rspb.org.uk/fun-and-learning/for-families/family-wild-

challenge/activities/build-a-minibeast-

hotel/?channel=paidsearch&gclid=EAIaIQobChMItvLJtNGN6QIVyYjVCh3-

cwiwEAAYASAAEgKVpfD_BwE

https://www.redtedart.com/simple-bug-hotel-for-kids/

*Take photographs of the minibeasts that you may find in your garden or those

which visit your bug hotel. Use the camera to zoom in to look at the

detail/pattern on the minibeasts. What can you see?

*When it has been raining go outside and explore what minibeasts have been

visiting your garden? Look for snails, slugs and worms, frogs! Dig for worms with

an adult! Watch the birds search for worms when it is raining. Remember to wear

gardening gloves and wash your hands afterwards. Use recycled materials such as

a plastic container, empty bottle. Fill container with soil to make a

wormery.http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/gardening_with_children/homegrownproje

cts_watchworms.shtml

*Minibeast hunt sheet.

*Read the story ‘The Very Busy Spider’ or

‘Aargh Spider’ as mentioned in the Literacy

activities.

*Go on a spider web hunt: Look inside your home and outside. Can you see any

spiders in their web? Look at the pattern and detail of a spider web. Remember to

look at the spiders but do not touch.

*Draw own webs using a ruler; What shape is the web? Use PVA glue and glitter

to decorate the lines of the web. Draw a picture of a spider; cut out and attach

to web.

*Find out facts about ‘Bees’. Look at photographs of real bees. How do bees make

honey? https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/class-clips-video/geography-ks1-how-honey-

is-made/z7j76v4

*Draw a picture of a bee. Write facts about the bees. Write sentences to

describe how bees make honey.

*Make honey sandwiches.

*Draw patterns on the bee.

*Snail art: Look at the art work of the famous artist: ‘Henri Matisse’ based on ‘Snails’.

https://www.tate.org.uk/kids/make/cut-paste/collage-matisse-snail

*Use the picture as a focus; Can the children use coloured paper to cut out pieces to make

their own snail picture? Explore using other art materials e.g. paint, colouring pencils or

felt tip pens.

*Draw/ Paint snail spiral patterns. Cut out spiral snails to make mobiles.

*Use playdough to roll out worm shapes and coil to make snails.

*Read the story; ‘The snail and the whale’ by Julia Donaldson.

Talk about the journey that the snail went on. Can you find a

snail outside? Look for real snail trails

in the garden.

*Find out facts about snails e.g. Giant

African Snail.

*Find out facts about other different minibeasts. Watch Minibeast adventures with Jess

on Cbeebies.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/shows/mini-beast-adventure-with-jess

*Make a minibeast mobile: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/makes/presenters-minibeast-

mobile

*Use old socks to make minibeast puppets.

Minibeast themed cooking activities:

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/user/23650/recipe/simple-

butterfly-cakes

Use fruits to make minibeasts!

*Music activities: Sing some Minibeast action songs and rhymes. Refer to BBC Bite size

Music: Year 2 : Daily Lessons: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zjcwqp3

Daily Activities: Year 2:

*It is valuable if children continue to practice learning Phonics (Letters and Sounds).

Please refer to Letters and Sounds teaching activities on the school website;

https://www.hampnurseryandinfantschool.co.uk/homelearning/Lesson-Schedule-for-

Summer-1.pdf

Further activities to support the children with learning letters and sounds can be found at;

http://www.letters-and-sounds.com/

Practice reading the common exception words which can also be found on the school

website. https://www.hampnurseryandinfantschool.co.uk/newsletters/2020/Year-2-

Common-Exception-Words.pdf

Reading books and sharing stories with an adult is great practice to encourage their

reading skills. https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/help-child-learn-age-6-7/

Practice handwriting skills: to develop letter formation.

Maths: Practical daily counting, adding and subtraction activities. Solve number problems.

Play number games.

P.E: Keep active with a daily walk or taking part in online P.E activity sessions e.g.

https://www.thenational.academy/online-classroom/pe#subjects

Take part in physical challenges for the month of May! Refer to school website;

https://www.hampnurseryandinfantschool.co.uk/assets/may20/MayChallenge.pdfBe creative

and take part in lots of interesting things to make. Refer to our themed planning ideas on

the school website.

*Make a Lego creation: (Lego creation challenge attached.)