While your kinders practice sorting throughout the day {and many times without even recognizing that they're using the skill!}, invite them to use their sorting and classifying know-how in this spring or summer math/science center activity. They'll have to put their problem solving hats on and get ready to make astute observations in order to put these unique bugs in the proper category. Best of all, students will be introduced to a new way of organizing data - a Venn Diagram! Here's how it works... Find a black and white clip art image online and use it to create bug sorting cards. Add spots in different shapes {we used circles, stars, triangles, and left others blank} or create different patterns and print the finished cards onto construction paper in various colors. On a scrap piece of bulletin board paper or wrapping paper, draw a large Venn Diagram, labeling each section with a specific variable your students must use when classifying the bug cards. In our activity, we included the headings "Pink", "Circle Spots", "Both" {where the pink and circle spot sections overlap}, and "None" {around the outside edges of the diagram}. Provided with the stack of bug cards and the Venn Diagram, invite your students to sort the cards into their appropriate categories. Because they're looking at both the color of the card and the shape of each bug's spots, this activity is certain to challenge their classifying skills!
