Collecting Ants

Core Learning Experience + Supplies and Equipment

​Make an ant habitat.  Find an area that has lots of ants, scoop them up along with some dirt or sand, and transfer them to a purchased ant habitat or a clear plastic shoe box and punch air holes into the lid. Stuff cotton into the air holes and securely tape on the lid. Then cover the box with a dark cloth. Once a week, use an eyedropper to place a small about of jelly or honey mixed with water through one of the air holes. Remember to replace the cloth whenever you are not observing the ants. ​

Possible/Expected Discoveries

  • ​​Ants are insects that have 3 body parts (head, thorax, abdomen), 2 antennae and 6 legs.  Some have wings.
  • Ants have antennae, like many insects, to sense their surroundings.  Do we have antennae?  What do we use to feel and understand our surroundings?  (5 senses)
  • Like bees, wasps, and termites, ants live in groups called colonies.  Each ant has a job to do to support the existence of the colony.
  • What do the ants do in their environment? Explore books or your habitat to find this out, and discuss.

Extended Learning and Other Curriculum Areas

  • ​​Draw the outline of an anthill plus a few tunnels for each child.  The children make the ants living there.  Talk about “rooms” for the eggs, the larvae, pupae etc; the queen’s room; the soldiers protecting the nest; the workers, bits of food etc.
  • Finger print ants: dip fingertip in paint or stamp pad.  Print lots of ants with 3 touching body parts.  When dry, add 2 antennae, 6 legs on each.  Do some multiplication: Here we have 3 ants, with 6 legs each.  Let’s count and see how many legs altogether.
  • Make ant headbands with 2 pipe cleaners for antennae.
  • Create an ant with 3 sections of an egg carton.
  • Playdoh ants with toothpicks and pipe cleaners etc for antennae and legs.  Make and “environment” on a paper plate with dirt, leaves, bits of bead etc.
  • Sing “The Ants Go Marching One by One”

Activity Packs and Printables

Ants counting activity
Ants counting activity $1.50
Ants teaching poster.
Ants teaching poster. Print on cardstock to make into a puzzle.
Ant diagram
Ant diagram

Websites

https://www.kaplanco.com/product/143859/ento-tunnel-town-ant-habitat-kit(purchase an ant habitat)
http://www.themeunits.com/Ants_sci.html
http://research.amnh.org/entomology/social_insects/ants/ant_colony_cycle.html (teacher info and cool photos
Ants theme activities and free printables

Books

Ant Cities by Arthur Dorros
The Little Red Ant and the Great Big Crumb by Shirley Climo
Are You an Ant? By Judy Allen