The Bugliest Bug by Carol Diggory Shields - Teaching Ideas

This is a darling book about teamwork and confidence. The book starts with a call for a bugliest bug contest.  All the bugs gather showing off their talents and beauty, all except one, Dilly. Dilly believes that she is too "plain" to even be considered the "bugliest bug". As Dilly watches all the bugs strut their stuff, she notices something odd about the judges. She yells a warning, but is too late, all the bugs are captured. Instead of doing nothing Dilly goes over to the captured bugs and gets them to all work together to free themselves. As the bugs work to escape, their captors retreat. Dilly has helped save all the bugs. The bugs are so grateful they name her the "Bugliest Bug" of them all.

There are so many activities you can create to go with this book. Below are some reading skills and strategies with questions and ideas. You could use this book to lead into an insect/spider lesson or a character lesson about confidence in yourself or how teamwork can be a good thing. I have created a cause and effect freebie for you and your students it is posted below.

I hope you enjoy this book as much as I do.

Reading level: 3.0

Theme: Teamwork, confidence

Genre: Animal Stories          

Suggested Vocabulary: slithered, swarmed, clever, billowed, swayed, flittery, jittery, gossamer strings, curtsied, shifty, glinting, arachnids, squadron, bombardier

Reading skills and strategies:

• asking questions - {possible questions before} What does bugliest mean?  {possible questions during} What are arachnids? What do the arachnids want to do to the bugs? {possible questions after} Why did the bugs choose Dilly to be the bugliest bug?
• author's point of view - Third person
• author's purpose - entertain {evidence} The story is told in rhyme. Bugs don't talk. Bugs don't have contests. All these things are silly and make an entertaining story.
• beginning, middle, end - {most important event from beginning} All the bugs were going to a contest. {most important event from middle} The arachnids tricked the bugs and captured them. {most important event from end} Dilly encouraged the bugs to work together to escape from the arachnids.
• cause and effect - Why were the bugs going to the stage? because they wanted to be in the contest. Why did Dilly think she couldn't win the contest? because she thought she was a plain bug. Why did Dilly think the judges were odd? because their wings were tied to the backs with gossamer strings. Why did Dilly yell "We've been flim-flammed, bamboozled, distracted."? because she saw that the judges were really arachnids. Why did the arachnids put a net over the bugs? because they wanted to eat the bugs.  Why did the arachnids run away? because the bugs all worked together to get out of the net. Why did the bugs choose Dilly to be the bugliest bug? because she helped save all the bugs.
• characterization - describe Dilly {looks like, feelings, thoughts, character}
• classify & categorize - classify and categorize bugs and all their parts.
• compare & contrast - bugs and spiders.
• connections - {possible text-to-self connections} Being in a contest. Being picked as a winner of something. Working as a team to accomplish something.Thinking you are plain.
• drawing conclusions & inferencing -  How would you describe Dilly's character?{text clues} Dilly wouldn't enter the contest because she thought she was plain. Dilly figured out the judges were arachnids. {my conclusion} I think Dilly is shy but very smart.
• fact & opinion - {facts} Bugs have six legs. Spiders have 8 legs. All insects are bugs. An Insect has three body parts; a head, thorax, and abdomen. A spider has only two body parts. {opinions} Butterflies are beautiful. Spiders are scary. All butterflies are colorful. Dragonflies are the coolest bugs. All bugs are gross.
• plot - the turning point or climax in the story is when the arachnids capture the bugs in a net.
• predict - What does bugliest mean? Who do you think will win the contest? Why are the judges wearing wings tied on with gossamer strings? Will the bugs escape? What will happen to the arachnids?
• problem & solution - {problem} The bugs have been captured. {solution} Dilly gets the bugs to work together to escape.
• sequencing -  A contest to be the bugliest bug is about to begin. All the bugs go to the stage. The bugs show their talents and beauty. Dilly notices the judges wings tied on with strings. Dilly yells at the bugs that the judges are arachnids. The arachnids drop a net on all the bugs. Dilly gets the bugs to work together. The arachnids scuttle away. The bugs are free. The bugs name Dilly the bugliest bug of them all. 
• story elements - list title, author, character's, setting, beginning, middle, end, or problem & solution.

Click on the picture to download this Cause & Effect Activity for FREE!

A printing tip...make sure under size options you choose "Actual Size".

Happy reading!