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Bugs In Our Backyard is aimed at kids of all ages. When the project first began, had small children. And like many kids, they were fascinated by insects. As a biologist, I was often frustrated by the inaccuracy of many diagrams and drawings for kids about insects. These animals live beside us, and one of my goals with Bugs In Our Backyard is to demystify bugs and give people a better understanding of them. This process starts by just getting a better idea of what you’re looking at when you see an insect.
My son, Rowan, has been drawing things since he could hold a pencil. He never liked coloring, but always drew in pencil. One day I asked him if he would help out Bugs In Our Backyard by drawing a number of insects in exciting poses. We worked with Serena Graham to find a set of drawings that should appeal to a wide range of kids. The result is the new Bugs In Our Backyard coloring book.
This book is provided under a creative commons license. It is free to download, print, copy and distribute for any educational or non-commercial purpose. There are 19 pages of insects and other interesting animals to color, plus information on insect anatomy, life cycles, and suggestions for accompanying lessons. Each page includes sentences about the insects designed for beginning readers. At the bottom of each page, more detail is available for teachers or older students. The sketches are simple enough for young children, but maintain enough accuracy that these drawings reflect how these animals really look and their behaviors in nature.
I hope kids of all ages will find the pages engaging!
