Materials Needed:
- A simple picture book about plants or specifically carnivorous plants (e.g., "Venus Flytraps!" by Cecilia Pinto Bishop - adapt as needed for level)
- Large chart paper or whiteboard
- Markers or crayons
- Construction paper (green, red, brown)
- Safety scissors (adult supervision required)
- Glue stick
- Letter 'P' flashcard
- Sight word flashcards ('the', 'is', 'a', 'eat', 'bug')
Lesson Activities:
1. Introduction: What's a Chomping Plant? (5 minutes)
Ask the student: "Have you ever heard of a plant that eats bugs? That sounds silly, doesn't it? But some plants actually do! They are called 'carnivorous plants'. Can you say CAR-NI-VOR-OUS? That's a big word! It means meat-eating, but these plants usually eat tiny bugs." Show pictures from the book (if available) or simple drawings of a Venus Flytrap or Pitcher Plant.
2. Read Aloud: Plant Power! (10 minutes)
Read the selected picture book aloud. Use an engaging voice. Point to the words as you read them. Emphasize words starting with 'P' like 'plant' or 'pitcher'. Pause to ask simple questions like, "What did the plant just catch?" or "What color is this part of the plant?"
3. Letter Focus: 'P' is for Plant! (10 minutes)
Show the letter 'P' flashcard. "This is the letter P. It makes the 'puh' sound. Plant starts with P! Can you make the 'puh' sound?" Look through the book together again and find all the uppercase 'P's and lowercase 'p's you can spot. Have the student trace a large 'P' on paper or the whiteboard.
4. Sight Word Hunt: Bug Bites! (5 minutes)
Lay out the sight word flashcards ('the', 'is', 'a', 'eat', 'bug'). Read each word aloud clearly. Say: "Let's find these words in our story!" Look through a page or two of the book together and have the student point to the words when they see them. For an extra challenge, ask them to find the word 'eat' or 'bug'.
5. Craft Time: Make a Venus Flytrap! (15 minutes)
Help the student create a simple Venus Flytrap craft.
- Cut out two green leaf shapes (like ovals with a pointed end) from construction paper. These are the 'traps'.
- Cut a thin brown strip for the stem.
- Cut small red 'trigger hairs' or simple red shapes for inside the traps.
- Glue the stem onto a larger piece of paper.
- Glue the two green trap shapes at the top of the stem, slightly open like a mouth.
- Glue the red pieces inside the trap shapes.
- Optional: Draw some little bugs near the plant!
6. Wrap-up & Review (5 minutes)
Look at the craft and the book. Ask the student: "Tell me one thing you learned about carnivorous plants today." Praise their efforts and display their craft proudly. Briefly review the letter 'P' sound and the sight words learned.