Official Jennifer Angus Activity Plans

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Teaching Materials “Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshoppers Feast” An exhibit organized by the North Dakota Museum of Art Rural Arts Program

ndmoa@ndmoa.com (701) 777-4195


Table of Contents Letter from the new Director of Education……………………………………………… 3 Introduction to the exhibition, “Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast”………… 4 About the Rural Arts Initiative…………………………………………………………… 8 The Elements of Art and Principles of Design………………………………………….. 9 Visual Thinking Strategies………………………………………………………………... 12

Jennifer Angus Artist’s Statement………………………………………………………… 14

Project: Reading Pictures………………………………………………………………… 17 Project: Exploring and Collecting……………………………………………………….. 21 Interesting Information about Cicadas…………………………………………………... 26 Project: Can You Draw what I see?........................................................................... 31 Project: The Colorful World of Insects………………………………………………….. 41 Project: Jennifer’s Collection, Where in the World?...................................................63 Project: North Dakota and Our Insect, the Ladybug…………………………………… 68 Project: Poetry and Insects……………………………………………………………….. 78 Project: “La Cucarachita Martina”………………………………………………………. 103 Project: Create Your Own Insect — with a Catch……………………………………… 115

Information about the Teacher Survey / Evaluation Form……………………………... 121

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Hello, My name is Matthew Anderson and I am the new Director of Education for the North Dakota Museum of Art. I am greatly looking forward to working with you to enhance the education component of NDMOA’s Rural Arts Program. Here’s the thing, I need your help. In the past we have provided teaching materials to accompany the traveling exhibitions. These teaching materials have included information about the exhibition, visual art lesson plans, integrated lesson plans, and other resources. At the exhibition, or available through request, is a survey. I ask that you please complete this survey and provide me any additional feedback as well. I want to know what I can do to make the Teaching Material as relevant for you and your class as possible. Each project/activity is aligned to North Dakota Department of Public Instruction’s Achievement Standards and Common Core Standards. Additional standards may also apply. The following projects are developed primarily for elementary grade levels, but many of the activities can be adapted for all grades. All activities were developed in conjunction with the North Dakota Museum of Art’s traveling exhibition “Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshoppers Feast”. —Matthew Anderson Director of Education North Dakota Museum of Art

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“Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast” Come take up your Hats, and away let us haste To the Butterfly’s Ball, and the Grasshopper’s Feast. —William Roscoe, 1802 About the Exhibit “Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast” is an exhibition by contemporary artist Jennifer Angus. She celebrates and connects us to the world by using insects as her subject matter and medium. In some cases this exhibit and its materials may encourage youth to make informed decisions regarding global and community responsibility and to realize the moral and ethical obligation we have in sharing our world with insects. At the very least, this exhibit may inspire the young artists, musicians or writers among us. “Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast” is an exhibition that travels as part of the Museum’s Rural Arts Initiative. The following materials help students make connections while they learn through the interaction with actual artworks. Students can practice abstract and concrete language and writing skills using insects as a theme as well as develop art skills while doing art activities. By conducting research, they will understand how artists form ideas and how important issues can be addressed by art. Images of insects have appeared in art and culture throughout the ages. Egypt: Scarab beetles, also called dung beetles, roll balls of animal dung across the ground and then bury them in underground nests. Thousands of years ago, the ancient Egyptians noticed this habit and associated it with the way the sun moves across the sky each day. Japan: In Japan, the dragonfly is a national emblem. In fact, Japan used to be called Akitsushima, or Dragonfly Island. The long, rainy summer season and numerous rivers and streams provide ideal living conditions for dragonflies, which spend the early stages of their life in the water. More than 190 dragonfly species can be found in Japan. China: Beginning in the T’ang dynasty (A.D. 618-907), the Chinese kept crickets in cages in their homes. At night they often placed the cage by the bed, so they could enjoy the crickets’ song. It is thought that the practice of keeping crickets began with women of the imperial palace and was later taken up by peasants, who viewed it as a graceful hobby. During the Sung dynasty (A.D. 960-1279), crickets were prized for their fierce fighting instinct, and cricket fights became a popular entertainment. By the Ming dynasty (A.D. 1368-1644), keeping crickets had become a scholarly pastime, with crickets serving as subjects for poems, stories, and academic research. Netherlands: Luscious peaches. Plump grapes. Succulent plums. The Dutch painter Abraham Mignon created a visual feast.

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Abraham Mignon, Still Life with Fruit, Foliage, and Insects. 1669. Oil on canvas.

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But take a closer look. That fruit isn’t as delectable as it seemed at first glance. In fact, a lot of it is beginning to rot, and the scene is teeming with bugs. Ants are crawling on the peaches. A furry caterpillar creeps along the branch of purple plums near a white butterfly. From behind the striped gourd, a grasshopper peers out. Hidden in the foreground shadows, a black and orange insect climbs onto a piece of broken stonework. Near some acorns in the background, a dozen inchworms dangle in the air or crawl along the branches. And besides all these insects, there are several snails slithering about. Why would an artist want to include rotting fruit and countless insects in a painting? For Dutch people in the seventeenth century, when this work was made, still-life paintings often had symbolic meaning. The spoiled fruit, damaged leaves, and crumbling architecture all refer to the idea that in time everything must pass away. The caterpillars and butterflies symbolize the life cycle. And many of the other insects are associated with decay. Still lifes that carried this message were known as vanitas (Latin for “vanity”) paintings. They were especially popular with the middle class in seventeenth-century Holland. Insects have also played a vital role in education. Science and exploration: In 1699, Maria Sibylla Merian set out for the exotic tropical country of Suriname, a Dutch colony in South America. For two years she studied Suriname’s insects in their natural habitat. She observed their metamorphosis as they developed from egg to adult. She recorded their eating habits and activities, collected specimens, and drew each stage of their life cycles. Here you see Merian’s study of the four stages of the White Witch moth’s life. First are the eggs, seen in the yellow egg sack attached to the tree. Caterpillars (the second stage) hatch from the eggs. Merian shows one crawling on a branch and eating the leaves. The caterpillar eats voraciously and then spins a silken cocoon around itself (shown next to the eggs). Now it has entered the third stage, called the pupa. The pupa metamorphoses into an adult moth, which then emerges from the cocoon. Merian painted two moths, one in flight and one resting on a leaf with wings folded to reveal the beautiful lavender coloring. Merian was known both as an entomologist (a scientist who studies insects) and as one of the finest botanical artists of her time. She was taught by her stepfather, a still-life artist, and was greatly influenced by other seventeenth-century Dutch still-life painters. Like them, Maria Sibylia, Moths, Caterpillar, and Foilage, from Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensiom. 1705. Hand Etching and Engraving

she paid close attention to detail. Her drawings and watercolors capture every feature of the insects she studied—the shimmering silkiness of a cocoon, each bristly hair of a caterpillar, the intricate patterns of a moth’s wings.

Merian painted over a hundred watercolors during her time in Suriname. When she returned 6


home, sixty of them were reproduced in her book Metamorphosis Insectorum Surinamensium (Metamorphosis of the Insects of Suriname). http://www.artsmia.org/education/teacher-resources/fivefacts.cfm?v=60 November 17, 2013 As you can see, insects have significantly influenced the way we interpret the world. From science to art, religion to philosophy, insects have been a part of the human experience worldwide.

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Using the Museum Rural Arts as a Resource Rural Arts Initiative The Rural Arts Initiative began in 2003 with the Museum’s first traveling exhibit Snow Country Prison: Interned in North Dakota. The Museum, recognizing the difficulty of bringing children to Grand Forks on the far eastern edge of the state, has made its goal to bring exhibits to rural communities. We invite each hosting community and its schools within a fifty mile radius to actively participate by attending the exhibition in their community, holding related events, and using the exhibit as a source for learning. Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast is the ninth traveling exhibit from Grand Forks. Previous exhibits included Interned in North Dakota: Snow Country Priso;, Shelterbelts; Introductions: Artists’ Self Portrait;, Jim Dow: Marking the Land; Animals: Them and Us; and Fantastic. To find out more about the Museum’s Rural program visit www.ndmoa.com or call 701-777-4195. Before You Visit the Exhibit Teachers are urged to prepare students by first helping them understand that our personal responses to what we see reflect individual opinions, and that it is always good to ask ourselves questions about what we see. We suggest that before you visit the exhibit you look at Visual Thinking Strategies. These are methods for interpreting what we see, and are included at the end of this document as well as interwoven in some of our activities. Practicing these strategies before your visit will offer students a chance to feel more comfortable in voicing opinions when they are at the actual exhibit or when involved with after-visit assignments. While at the Exhibit Remind students to be respectful towards the work by not touching it. In this case, taking photographs without a flash is permitted. Activities included in the lessons are designed to inspire discussion. For instance, you can meet at one image in the exhibit, using Visual Thinking Strategies as a guide, so that students can connect ideas and discuss what they will be seeing. Please help the Museum and the community by completing the evaluation at the exhibit and by signing our guest book. After Your Visit to the Exhibit These materials are designed for two basic age ranges, kindergarten through fourth grade and fifth through eighth grade. The activities may be altered and standards added to accommodate different grades and ages of children as you see fit. You may duplicate any information. If you would like further assistance or want to know more about the exhibit and its accompanying programs, the Museum or to making arrangements for an artist-in residence or traveling exhibit, contact Matthew Wallace, Director of Rural Arts at mwallace@ndmoa.com or call 701-7774195

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The Elements of Art and the Principles of Design Introduction Art is a form of communication. When looking at art everyone responds to the basic subject matter of the art, even if the art is of non-recognizable subject matter. For our purpose, let’s assume we are looking at an artwork with easily recognizable subject matter. A picture of a flower and a picture of a spider will receive two different interpretations. What makes up an artwork are the formal aspects of visual composition. In writing, the story is made of words and grammar. In artwork, the imagery is made of the elements of art and principles of design. Just like good literature is more than just the words tossed together, good art is more than just the elements. The organization of the words using grammar makes a compelling story. In art, the organization of the elements using the principles of design into a good composition make successful art. The use of design principles when using the visual elements is visual grammar. Learning about art is learning how to use the language of vision. As the visual language is practiced we become better at expressing ourselves and our ideas. The Elements of Art The elements of art are the basic building materials of visual art. In science, we have the periodic table of the elements. In art, we have the elements of design. 1) Color is light reflected off of objects. Color has three main characteristics: hue (the name of the color, such as red, green, blue, etc.), value (how light or dark it is), and intensity (how bright or dull it is). • White is pure light; black is the absence of light. • Primary colors are the only true colors (red, blue, and yellow). All other colors are mixes of the primary color. • Secondary colors are two primary colors mixed together (green, orange, and violet). • Intermediate colors, sometimes called tertiary colors, are made by missing a primary and a secondary color together. Some examples of intermediate colors are yellow=green, blue=green, and blue=violet. • Complementary colors are located directly across from each other on the color wheel (an arrangement of colors along a circular diagram to show how they are related to one another). Complementary pairs contrast because they share no common colors. For example, red and green are complements, because green is made of blue and yellow. When complementary colors are mixed together, they neutralize each other to make brown. 2) Texture is the surface quality that can be seen and felt. Textures can be rough or smooth, soft or hard. Textures do not always feel the way they look; for example, a drawing of a porcupine may look prickly, but if you touch the drawing, the paper is still smooth. 3) Space is the area between and around objects. The space around objects is often called negative space; negative space has shape. Space can also refer to the feeling of depth. Real 9


space is three-dimensional; in visual art, when we create the feeling or illusion of depth, we call it space. 4) Shape is a closed line. Shapes can be geometric, like squares and circles; or organic, like free-form or natural shapes. Shapes are flat and can be expressed in length and width. 5) Forms are the tree-dimensional shapes expressing length, width, and depth. Balls, cylinders, boxes, and pyramids are forms. 6) Line is a mark with greater length than width. Lines can be horizontal, vertical, or diagonal; straight or curved; thick or thin. Principles of Design Using the Principles of Design you can organize the elements of art. In science we use the elements of the periodic table to create different results. In literature we use letters to form and arrange words into a story. In art making, we use the Principles of Design to arrange the art elements into our final composition. Balance is the distribution of the visual weight of objects, colors, texture, and space. If the design was a scale, these elements should be balanced to make a design feel stable. In symmetrical balance, the elements used on one side of the design are similar to those on the other side; in asymmetrical balance, the sides are different but still look balanced. In radial balance, the elements are arranged around a central point and may be similar. Emphasis is the part of the design that catches the viewer’s attention. Usually the artist will make one area stand out by contrasting it with other areas. The area could be different in size, color, texture, shape, etc. Movement is the path the viewer’s eye takes through the work of art, often to focal areas. Such movement can be directed along lines, edges, shape, and color within the work of art. Pattern: is the repeating of an object or symbol all over the work of art. Repetition works with pattern to make the work of art seem active. The repetition of elements of design creates unity with the work of art. Proportion is the feeling of unity created when all parts (sizes, amounts, or number) relate well with each other. When drawing the human figure, proportion can refer to the size of the head compared to the rest of the body. Rhythm is created when one or more elements of design are used repeatedly to create a feeling of an organized movement. Rhythm creates a mood like music or dancing. To keep exciting and active, variety is essential. Variety is the use of several elements of design to hold the viewer’s attention and to guide the viewer’s eye through and around the work of art. 10


Unity: is the feeling of harmony between all parts of the work of art, which creates a sense of completeness. www.getty.edu People who can identify the elements of art and principles of design and evaluate their role in the composition of an artwork will better be able to understand the art and the artist. They will be better equipped to understand and evaluate artworks.

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Teachers, before you visit the exhibition… VISUAL THINKING STRATEGIES SUGGESTED PRACTICE FOR CLASSROOMS Look at art pieces in books, around your school, or even use nature as your source of discussion. What do you see? Have students point out specific things that they actually see. What is going on in this picture? Point out specific things that show this. What more is happening? Or what does this remind you of? Now answers may become a little more interpretive. What do you see that makes you think that? Point out specifics. Continue to ask, in different ways, “What more do you see?” or “What do you see that makes you say this?” Allow students to think, not rushing in too soon during silences. Repeat out loud what the student says trying not to change or interpret the idea. This allows students to clarify if they need to. It also gives other students a chance to hear what the original student has said. Refrain from making a judgment. Do not say “Good”, “ I like your answer” etc. You might say something like “ That is a different way of looking at this picture. I like how you thought so hard about this picture.” Treat each observation as important. Be prepared to follow a direction of thinking even if you feel you are getting a little ‘off track’. Students, if given time, will usually find their way back to the artist’s intent. If they do not, at least they will feel they have been given the license to investigate and interpret. This is a basis for developing good problem solving skills and a confidence in speaking. Not all art has to have an answer or solution. It is all right to continue on to discuss another piece without totally resolving the discussion.

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Students, while at the exhibition… Looking at Art with a Friend – Visual Thinking With a friend or two, choose one artwork to look at. Focus on it until you and your friends have discussed the questions below. Spend some time really looking and discussing the artwork using these questions, then pick another piece and begin again. Don’t be afraid to come up with your own questions. No answer is right or wrong. Look at one artwork for a time. What kinds of things do you see in this piece of art? What words would you use to describe this artwork? Can you come up with different or more descriptive words as well? What does this piece remind you of? How is this artwork similar or different from another artwork in this exhibit? What objects seem closer to you, or further away, if they do? What can you tell about the colors or tones in this artwork? Is it bright, happy or give you some other feeling? Point out the things make you say that? What title would YOU give this artwork? Explain why you gave it that title. What other titles might you give it? What sounds would this artwork make? Why do you think so? If you like or dislike this painting or artwork, why? What grade would you give the artist for this work? What are your reasons for your grade? If you DO like it, is that the only reason to give it a good grade? What if you don’t like it? Think about what the artist was trying to do or say, how long he or she spent making it, how creative the artist is, what the level of skill is.

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Jennifer Angus Artist’s Statement For more than 10 years, I have been creating installations composed of insects pinned directly to a wall in repeating patterns which reference both textiles and wallpaper. When viewers enter one of my installations, they are greeted with something they think they know, that is, a patterned wallpaper which could be in anyone's home. However upon closer examination, one discovers that it is entirely made up of insects. A tension is created by the beauty one observes in the pattern and the apprehension we feel toward insects. I know very few people who welcome insects into their home. In fact, we have a certain hysteria about them. Culturally, insects are a sign of dirtiness and disease. My work explores ideas of home and comfort. It alludes to the unseen world of dust mites, germs and bacteria, both friendly and not. My work also takes inspiration from the Victorian era, for it was a time of great collecting. For the insatiable Victorian collector, nothing was sacrosanct. The attention to intricate detail as well as the sheer number of insects comprising the work often overwhelms viewers. The result is a kind of Victorian fancy, for they are over-the- top environments in which the evidence of “horror vacui” (fear of empty space) is in full display. Perhaps you have walked on a warm summer evening and seen fireflies dancing in the sky. There is something magical about the sight, and one wishes one could be part of the festivities and the mystery. Such a desire may seem childish, and I note that indeed children’s literature is populated with wonderful six-legged characters such as the insect companions in James and the Giant Peach or the fabulously glamorous cockroach in La Cuchuracha Martina. In fact, what is considered the first children’s story in the English language which was not a moral tale or fable is The Butterfly’s Ball and The Grasshoppers Feast by William Roscoe dating from 1808. In the Victorian era, both adults and children were introduced to the natural world through a large number of educational publications in which insects were anthropomorphized so as to have greater appeal to the general reading public. I had often made a connection between my work and children’s literature because curiosity, imagination and magic are key ingredients. As children become adolescents and then adults, insects become dirty and repellent. Adults are often jaded. Rarely do we feel amazed in this busy world, but I do hope that those who take the time to visit one of my installations will simply walk in, say “Wow!” and for a moment experience that wonder they felt as a child. Beyond insects, what unites all of my projects is my interest in the narrative. For example, in 2004, I mounted an exhibition entitled Goliathus Hercules at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center. Goliathus Hercules is the name of the fictitious insect I discovered and collected! The name alludes to the Latin nomenclature insects are given, and obviously it is a very large and strong creature. The bigger the insect, the more awe and prestige it will garner. Goliathus Hercules was created with the body parts of other insects (in the great hoax tradition). Included in the exhibition was a diary I created as a record of the explorer's arduous jungle journey in the name of science and fame. Not coincidentally, the diary begins on April 1st. The story didn't seem finished there, and so I created a trilogy of episodic exhibitions entitled A Terrible Beauty. Each show or chapter has explored aspects of collecting from the viewpoint of the eccentric Victorian collector and furthered the story. As my work has evolved, I have been creating my own cabinets of curiosity in which Victorian poems about insects have been etched onto the backs of metallic beetles. In a larger cabinet type piece I used a set of old library card catalogue drawers to create narrative scenes in which insect armies battle in each drawer. Viewers can pull out a single drawer or if they pulled out five in a horizontal row they could see the entire narrative of that particular act. For me one of the most exciting parts of this work is that there is a sense of exploration. 14


As I provide no explanation or guidance to the viewer those who spend the longest with the work discover that pulling out multiple drawers at once creates the complete narrative. For some time I have been using beeswax. In my first works I created dioramas in which insects appear to enact scenes from famous fairy tales such as Sleeping Beauty and Hansel and Gretel. Typically a diorama creates a realistic scene. However in mine, the insects inhabited a monochromatic brown world of beeswax. The subdued landscape is both surreal and provocative. The dioramas inspired further works in which vintage style dollhouses were covered in wax along with the furniture too. Again insects appear to live and carry out activities in these spaces. The houses with their 6-legged occupants are reminiscent of the work of Walter Potter (1835-1918), the celebrated taxidermist whose Kitten Wedding included 20 felines taxidermied and dressed for the occasion. His Rabbit School saw 48 bunnies posed at desks and studiously note taking upon slates. As I mentioned previously children’s literature in particular often has animal characters that are anthropomorphized so that the reader can relate, thus giving both insight and empathy. Author Beatrix Potter turned the tables so that despite the fact that Peter Rabbit naughtily gorged himself on Farmer McGregor’s crops, the reader cheers for Peter rather than the aggrieved farmer. In her “Tale of Two Bad Mice,” the rodents create mayhem and destruction in a dollhouse, yet all is forgiven when they offer restitution of sixpence and a daily cleaning service. Similarly I seek to rehabilitate the image of insects and draw correlations between humans and members of this six-legged kingdom. The fear we have of insects is generally unwarranted. Their role in the environment is vital, whether it be in the pollination of flowers which in turn produce the fruits we so enjoy, or the decomposition of matter. They don’t deserve a blast of “Raid” or a beating with a flyswatter. It is perhaps worth mentioning that my first novel, In Search of Goliathus Hercules will be on bookshelves March 1 published by Albert Whitman & Co. of Chicago. http://www.albertwhitman.com/content.cfm/bookdetails/In-Search-of-Goliathus-Hercules The book considerably expands upon my original story of Goliathus Hercules. Ever so briefly the story follows our hero, Henri Bell, a boy who discovers he has the unique ability to speak to insects. From the title, you will understand that he sets about on a quest. Postscript There is often confusion as to whether the insects in my work are real. Yes, they are although they are dead and dried. The colours are their natural colour. I have not painted them. I have spent considerable time in Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand and Malaysia where most of the insects I work with come from. While none of these species are endangered it is important to note that their habitat is under assault. Unsurprisingly forests play second fiddle to human demands for agriculture and urbanization. Intellectually we recognize that forests are the lungs of the planet but not enough is being done to protect this precious resource. Virtually every insect on the endangered species list is there because of loss of habitat. Ever heard the saying that where there is one cockroach there are 100? Most species (but not all) reproduce at a tremendous rate. Collecting insects is ecologically sound if done in a thoughtful manner but unfortunately it is not always practiced. A number of butterflies and some beetles are now being farm raised with the express purpose of marketing to collectors. When I am able I use farmed insects. Many people who visit my exhibitions were never aware that such unusual insects exist. I hope that my exhibition will get them excited and perhaps they will be motivated to get involved with one of the many of the rain forest preservation projects out there. I would also like people to think about their own environment and behavior. How is urban and suburban encroachment affecting wildlife big and 15


small in your neighborhood? It is easy to take up the case of larger mammals, birds and fish but what about smaller creatures who have an important role in the ecosystem to play be it pollinating flowers or helping in the decomposition of various matter? Finally I want to say that I reuse and reuse the insects I have. After an exhibition I pin them on to foam boards and put them into boxes until the next exhibition. If something is damaged I always try to repair it before it gets thrown away and those beyond repair I give to children for further study.

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“Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast” Title of Project: Reading Pictures Grade Level: All Grades Integration: Visual Arts and Language Arts The pictures in this exhibit may be asking us to look at our world from another point of view. Let’s see if you agree. Remember there is no such thing as a wrong answer. BEFORE READING THE ARTISTS STATEMENT Look at Jennifer Angus’s framed pictures. What is happening in the picture? Point out what you see to make you think this. What more is happening in the picture? Point out what you see to make you think this. Why are the bugs dressed like people? Do you think the dressed up bugs are small or human size? What about the dried bugs in the picture? What are they doing? Are the dried bugs dressed up like people? Why? What are the printed bugs doing? What are the dried bugs doing? Do these framed pictures look new or old? What do you see that makes you say that? Does the scene take place in the past, present, or future? What do you see that makes you say that? Does the scene seem active or still? Do you imagine any sounds, smells, or tastes when looking at the pictures? Why? Do the individual pictures tell a story? Describe what you see that supports your idea. Do the pictures all together tell a story? Describe what you see that supports your idea.

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AFTER READING THE ARTIST STATEMENT How has reading the artist statement influenced what you see in the exhibition? Does the artist statement support the art work? Explain how. Do you think this exhibition looks like a collection from the Victorian age? What do you see that makes you say that? How did the Victorians contribute to scientific discovery? How does poetry relate to the insects? Can you think of any stories or poems about insects? Why are their words to poems etched on the backs of the beetles? What is language used for? What do language and insects have in common? If you were to change the title of the exhibition, what would it be? Why? Adding the Elements of Art and Principles of Design to the conversation: Looking at the pictures, can you find examples of the Elements of Art? How are the Principles of Design being used? Do some objects or shapes appear to be in front of others? How so? Can you find examples of pattern? Rhythm? Do you think the Elements of Art and/or the Principles of Design are being used effectively? How would you arrange the insects? Would you do anything different? Relationships to other curriculum: Do you see geometry and math at work? Look at the patterns on the walls. Do you see geography referenced here? Where are these insects from? Is this exhibition painting? Sculpture? Theatre? Why do you say that?

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Standards:

There are probably many more North Dakota Achievement Standards and Common Core Standard that can be met by this project. Some standards are listed below: North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Visual Art

Standard 2: • • • Standard 3: • Standard 4:

Structure and Function Students understand how works of art are structured and how visual art has a variety of functions. 4.2.1 Know the differences among visual art structures and functions 4.2.2 Know how expressive images cause different responses and communicate ideas 4.2.3 Use visual art structures and functions of works of art to communicate ideas Subject Matter, Themes, Symbols, and Ideas in Visual Art Students know a range of subject matter, themes, symbols and ideas. 4.3.1 Understand how a variety of subjects, themes, symbols and ideas are incorporated in a selection of works of art

Visual Art History and Culture Students understand visual arts in relation to history and culture. 4.4.1 Know that visual art has both a history and specific relationship to various cultures

• •

Merits of Visual Art Students understand the characteristics and merit of one’s own work of art and the works of art of others. 4.5.1 Know various purposes for creating works of art. 4.5.2 Know that works of art can elicit different responses

Standard 5:

Standard 6: • •

Connections Students make connections between the visual arts and other disciplines. 4.6.1 Know the similarities and differences between the visual arts and other art disciplines (performing arts, literature, practical arts) 4.6.2 Know connections between the visual arts and other disciplines in the curriculum. North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Science

Standard 8: • •

Students understand the history and nature of science. 4.8.1 Understand how people have used science throughout time 4.8.1 Understand the role of individuals and cultures in contributing to science Common Core Standards Reading: Informational Text (read the Jennifer Angus artist statement)

Grade 4, RI.1

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Grade 4, RI.2

Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.

Grade 4, RI.7

Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears.

Grade 4, RI.8

Explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text 19


Speaking and Listening Grade 4, SL.1

Grade 4, L.3

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on Grade 4 topics and text, building on other’s ideas and expressing their own clearly. Language Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely b. choose punctuation for effect c. differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussions)

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Title of Project: Exploring and Collecting Introduction: This show, “Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast”, has insects pinned to the walls. There are insects in drawers. There are insect drawings and insects dressed up like people. The insects are on display everywhere. Jennifer has over 30,000 insects in her personal collection. From this collection she makes her art. She collects insects from all over the world to make her art. Collecting the insects is part of her artistic process. The act of collecting is not unique to Jennifer. People collect all kinds of things. Why do we collect? - show off our collection o cars, jewels, and art - connect to a period in time or place o stamps, spoons, watches - connect to the team or celebrity o baseball cards, autographs, team memorabilia One thing that all collections have in common is that the objects being collected are desired. Integration: Visual Arts, Sociology, Language Arts Part 1: What is a collection? 1) Teacher, bring different objects that have something in common and make up a “collection.” For example, a collection of stones, books, fruit, pencils, etc., but display them out of order and with a few unrelated objects in the mix. Introduce students to the objects and ask them to group the objects together and make a collection. -orHave your class explore the classroom. Ask the students to imagine they are on a safari and are expected to explain their exploration adventure through the objects they are collecting. They are also going to have to explain or describe the location (classroom) through the objects they collect. Group the students into pairs or whatever works best for your class. - To display the collection you could use small boxes to hold the objects. You could also arrange the objects on a piece of paper, neatly labeling the objects. You could even use medium-size boxes to make pedestals for the objects. - please feel free to view the artwork of Jennifer Angus and Barton Benes for inspiration.

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This picture is of the recreation of the apartment of artist Barton Benes. Barton was an avid collector and his entire apartment was his showcase.

This picture is of a display of insects designed by Jennifer Angus. (The insect display in Barton’s apartment is one of Jennifer’s pieces.) 22


2) Have the students explain, verbally or through writing, the reason they are grouping certain objects into a collection. -What do the objects have in common? 3) Have the students write a description of the collection and present the collection to the class or to another class. E.g., each group could make it’s own display of the collection and present the information on a table for others to observe. No oral presentation necessary. -orThe group gives guided tour of the displayed collection. Some questions to address when presenting the collection: -How many objects are in the collection? -What is the purpose of the collection? -Date of the collection? -What can the public learn from the collection? Part 2: Student’s Personal Collections 1) Ask each student to bring in a small box filled with his or her favorite objects. Have students write their names on the bottom of the boxes. Put the boxes together and ask the students to try and guess which box belongs to the appropriate student. The point is to enforce that collecting is a form of personal behavior and identification. Written assignment or oral discussion: Option 1 – Ask students to write about or discuss their own collections. Option 2 – Ask students to write about or discuss another student’s collection. - How many objects are in the collection? - What is the purpose of the collection? - Date of the collection or objects in the collection? - What can others learn from the collections? Part 3: Researching a Collection 1) Homework assignments could be to ask parents, grandparents, or siblings about their “collections.” Written assignment or oral discussion: Present the information about the collection of their family member through an essay or oral presentation. - How many objects in the collection? - What is the purpose of the collection? - Date of the collection or objects in the collection? - What did they learn from the collection? - Did they learn anything new about their family or family member?

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North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Visual Art Standard 1: • • • Standard 2: • Standard 3: • Standard 4:

Media, Technique, and Processes Students understand and apply media, techniques, and processes. 4.1.2 Know the different techniques used to create visual art. 4.1.4 Know how different visual art materials, techniques, and processes cause different responses 4.1.5 Know how different visual art media, techniques, and processes are used to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories Structure and Function Students understand how works of are structured and how visual art has a variety of functions. 4.2.3 Use visual art structures and functions of works of art to communicate ideas Subject Matter, Themes, Symbols, and Ideas in Visual Art Students know a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas. 4.3.1 Understand how a variety of subjects, themes, symbols and ideas are incorporated in a selection of works of art

Visual Art History and Culture Know that visual arts in relation to history and culture Know that visual art has both a history and specific relationship to various cultures

• •

Merits of Visual Art Students understand the characteristics and merit of one’s own artwork and the artwork of others. 4.5.1 Know the various purposes for creating works of art 4.5.2 Know that works of art can elicit different responses

Standard 5:

North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Social Studies Standard 7: • • Standard 8: • • • •

Culture Students understand the importance of culture. 4.7.1 Understand the cultural diversity that exists among groups of people 8.7.2 Understand how culture influences gender roles, ethics, and ideology (Refer to the collections of males and females and find differences and similarities) Sociology and Psychology Students understand the basic concepts of sociology and psychology 4.8.1 Understand the basic elements of individual and group behavior and interaction 8.8.3 Understand how individuals and institutions influence each other 12.8.1 Know the process of personality growth and development 12.8.3 Understand the principles governing human behavior within social structures

Common Core Standards Reading: Informational Text Grade 4, RI.1

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text

Grade 4, RI.2

Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text. 24


Grade 4, RI.7

Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears Speaking and Listening

Grade 4, SL.1

Grade 4, L.3

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and text, building on other’s ideas and expressing their own clearly Language Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening. a. choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely b. choose punctuation for effect c. differentiate between contexts that call for formal English (e.g., presenting ideas) and situations where informal discourse is appropriate (e.g., small-group discussions).

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Some interesting information about Cicadas‌

Photo by Benjim via Shutterstock Cicadas are often mistaken for locusts, but they're actually more like leafhoppers or aphids. They are classified in the order Hemiptera -- a distinction given to all insects with piercing and sucking mouthparts. Entomologists have identified 1,500 different species of this mythical insect [source: Encyclopedia Britannica]. The average wingspan of a cicada is between 2.5 centimeters and 15 centimeters (1 and 6 inches), depending on the type. The periodical variety are notoriously bad flyers (good thing they don't have to pass a flying test!), and they often run into things, if they can get off the ground at all. Why should they run, after all, when there are so many of them hanging out at once? They have four wings, and when they're not flying they fold their wings back along the sides of their body. The glassy, transparent, longer forewing covers the shorter, opaque hind wing. A network of sturdy veins strengthens the two pairs of wings. Cicadas have three pairs of legs, all about the same length. Consequently, they aren't adept at jumping, though they do try. Large, compound eyes situated on each side of the head give them wide peripheral vision. Three tiny eyes on the top of the head (called ocelli) allow them to watch for predators from above. Small, bristle-like antennae are located just behind the ocelli. The cicada's mouthparts are enclosed in a long, thin, beak-like sheath. The sheath, called the labium, is retracted between the legs when the insect is not feeding. The labium contains four 26


needle-like stylets used for feeding. Cicadas feed by piercing the surface of plants with their stylets. They use them like a straw to suck up the sap from plants. The cicada's claim to fame (in case you literally haven't heard it) is its singing. The highpitched song is actually a mating call belted out by males. Each species has its own distinctive song that only attracts females of its own kind. This allows several different species to coexist. Cicadas are the only insects capable of producing such a unique and loud sound. Some larger species can produce a call in excess of 120 decibels at close range. This is approaching the pain threshold of the human ear! Smaller species sing in such a high pitch that it can't be heard by humans, but it may cause dogs and other animals to howl in pain. The apparatus used by cicadas for singing is complex. The organs that produce sound are called tymbals. This pair of ribbed membranes sits at the base of the abdomen. The cicada sings by contracting the internal tymbal muscles. This causes the membranes to buckle inward, producing a distinct sound. When these muscles relax, the tymbals pop back to their original position. Scientists still don't fully understand how this apparatus produces such extreme volume. Cicadas usually sing during the heat of the day. In addition to attracting a mate, the loud noise actually repels birds. The cicada's song is painful to the birds' ears and interferes with their communication, making it difficult for the birds to hunt in groups. Male cicadas in the same brood will stick together when calling in order to increase the total volume of noise. This reduces the chances of bird predation for the whole brood. Even cicadas must protect themselves from the volume of their own singing. Both male and female cicadas have a pair of large, mirror-like membranes called the tympana, which function as ears. The tympana are connected to an auditory organ by a short tendon. When a male sings, the tendon retracts, creasing the tympana so that it won't be damaged by the sound. After succumbing to the romantic ballads, the cicadas mate. Afterward, adult female cicadas lay eggs by piercing plant stems with their ovipositor. The ovipositor is an egg-laying spike located at the tip of the female's abdomen. The spike inserts the eggs into the slit created in the stem. The eggs eventually hatch into small, wingless cicadas known as nymphs. The nymphs fall to the ground and dig below the surface. If they're periodical cicadas, they will stay for 13 or 17 years, slowly growing into adults. The nymphs live on the sap from plant roots while they grow. They shed their skin at intervals throughout their life span. When the nymphs reach full size, they dig their way to the surface with specially adapted front legs that act as tiny shovels. They surface around nightfall in late spring or early summer. The nymphs then climb to higher ground and shed their skin for the last time. Now fully winged adult cicadas, they leave behind their old, empty, nymphal skin. Even though cicadas may land on you or bump into you, you don't have to worry about getting bitten or stung. Cicadas are harmless. They may cause some slowing of the growth of trees from the amount of sap the cicadas consume, but they won't cause permanent damage. The worst they will do is annoy you with their incessant singing.

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The life span of an adult cicada is short, as in a few weeks short. As mysteriously as they arrive, they will disappear. Most will be eaten by birds and other predators. Even the nymphs are not safe below the ground, as they're often preyed upon by beetle larvae and other ground-dwelling parasites. If you live to be 75 years old, you will only have about four opportunities in your life to hear the song of the Brood II cicadas. If you live in an infested area, you won't be able to miss it. But if you don't, it might be worth your time to go out of your way to hear one of nature's most powerful and elusive performers. Encyclopedia Britannica. "cicada." Encyclopedia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2013. (May 16, 2013) http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/117539/cicada http://science.howstuffworks.com/zoology/cicada.htm December 11, 2013

Cicada’s by the numbers‌

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/03/130329-cicadas-coming-sky-locustswarm-animal-science/ December 21, 2013 Photograph by Karen Kasmauski, Corbis

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This is an area where life science and mathematics intersect. The math comes in the form of a problem that the cicadas need to solve: how do you survive to reproduce before being eaten by predators? For some kinds of cicadas, the answer lies in adaptations. For example, the dog-day cicadas that are common in the South are fast fliers. Other species use camouflage to hide from predators. But the 13- and 17-year cicadas don't have any good defenses. They're slow, easy to spot, and apparently very tasty. So how are they going to live long enough to reproduce? This is where the prime numbers come in. Clay suggests that having a prime numbered life cycle keeps you out of synch with the life cycle of predators, which prevents any particular kind of predator from being too dependent on the cicadas for food. In other words, if you're a predator with a one-, two-, four-, or even eight-year life cycle, you're not going to get too used to catching cicadas that show up only once every 13 or 17 years. So evolution will select predators that target other kinds of prey. The problem of course, is that lots of cicadas get eaten anyway. But that's okay, as long as some of them survive to reproduce. That's why it's useful for the cicada brood to emerge all at once, instead of in drips and drabs: no matter how easy they are to catch, predators can't possibly eat them all. This is called the "predator satiety" theory—but you might also call it "safety in numbers." According to this theory, conformity is a good thing: cicadas with genes that make them emerge a little earlier or later than the pack would be spotted and eaten right away. Why such long life-cycles? Why 13 or 17 years, instead of the prime numbers 2, 3, 5, or 7? That may have to do with climate. During the Pleistocene epoch (over a million years ago), when these cicadas evolved, the eastern part of North America occasionally experienced very cold summers. That's bad for cicadas, which can't survive above ground when temperatures drop too low. Because of this, some scientists believe that evolution would have favored cicadas with long life cycles, because the more often you come out of the ground, the more likely you are to get smacked with a cold snap that wipes out your entire population. It's kind of like taking fewer trips on an airline that occasionally crashes. Another explanation for the prime numbers combines the issues of climate and predation. Mathematically speaking, cicadas with prime-numbered life cycles emerge less often with other cicada species that have shorter life cycles (again, because a prime number is divisible only by itself and 1). When broods emerge at the same time, they interbreed, and produce offspring with some life cycle in between that of their parents. These offspring are more likely to emerge at "off-peak" times, when few other cicadas are around, and therefore are more likely to get picked off. Or perhaps they developed shorter life cycles, which made them more likely to emerge during a cold season. The 13- and 17- year breeds, on the other hand, had less contact with other broods and stayed "pure." The more of them that emerged at the exact same time, the more of them survived to mate. Stragglers and early birds were eliminated, along with their genes. And over thousands of years, evolution honed these broods to emerge in overwhelming numbers, at precisely the same time, when few other cicadas threaten to dilute their gene pool.

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Now try and answer these questions: Why do cicadas have such long life cycles? What are two advantages of prime-numbered life cycles? Why do cicadas that can fly well or hide easily tend to have shorter life cycles? Suppose a predator with a 13-year life cycle were slowly introduced into an area with 13-year cicadas. What would happen? How might the cicada population eventually evolve and adapt? http://sciencenetlinks.com/science-news/science-updates/cicada-cycles/ December 17, 2013

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Project: Can you draw what I see? This project may work best after you attempt the “How to Draw a Cicada” project on page 39, at the end of this project. Have the students work in pairs. One student gets the picture of an insect , choose one from page 33-38. The other student gets a blank piece of paper and a pencil. The student with the picture of the insect is instructed to describe the insect they see. The other students attempts to draw the insect using only the description given by their partner. The person drawing the insect is not to see the actual drawing or to know the name of the insect they are drawing. They are only given a description by their partner. You may wish to set a time limit of 10 – 20 minutes per drawing. After this is done, hang up the picture and the drawing next to each other and see how closely the drawing resembles the picture. Discuss how effective the representation is. After the discussion, have the student pairs switch roles. Now, the person who was drawing becomes the person describing a different insect. Again, when the time is up, hang up the drawings next to the pictures. Have the accuracy of the drawings improved? Why or why not? Has visual communication improved? An example of historical depictions of a rhinoceros - imagined vs. actually viewed.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%BCrer's_Rhinoceros This is an etching of a Rhinoceros by Albrect Dürer done in the year 1515. He created this image from reports he heard from explorers. He did not actually know what a rhinoceros looked like. This image was widely accepted in Europe as an accurate depiction of a rhinoceros for over 200 years, until an actual rhino named Clara was toured as an attraction.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cla ra_1749_Oudry.jpg This is an oil painting of Clara the Rhinoceros painted by Jean-Baptiste Oudry, created in the year 1751. As you can see, the etching done by Albrect DĂźrer and the painting by Jean-Baptist Oudry look similar, but, there are some key differences.

The goal of this lesson is to reinforce the importance of being visually literate and to reinforce that what we believe shapes what we see, and vice versa. Discovery today is no different today than in the past, it’s healthy to have a good degree of skepticism and imagination when it comes to interpreting our world and the information we are given.

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Insect one: Cicada

http://static.ddmcdn.com/gif/cicada-sam.jpg December 21, 2013

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Insect two: Katydid

http://bugguide.net/images/raw/0QDRIQYRZQYR7QH0IQYRXQDRMQORXQFR0QYR7QTR MQJRP0K080K0U0YR60L0XQTR7QZ0I0ARZQTQ50.jpg December 21, 2013

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Insect three: Rhinoceros Beetle

http://www.cricketscience.com/images/P/durinPG22.jpg December 21, 2013

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Insect four: Grasshopper

http://idratherbewriting.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/grasshopper1.jpg December 21, 2013

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Insect five: Monarch Butterfly

http://monarch-butterfly.info/images/monarch%20butterfly%20photo%20(2).jpg December 21, 2013

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Insect six: Box elder Bug

http://www.insectsofalberta.com/boxelderbug.htm December 21, 2013

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North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Visual Art Standard 1: • •

Media, Techniques and Processes Students understand and apply media, techniques, and processes. 4.1.2 Know the different techniques used to create visual art 4.1.6 Know Use visual art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner

• • •

Structure and Function Students understand how works of art are structured and how visual art has a variety of functions. 4.2.1 Know the differences among visual art structures and functions 4.2.2 Know how expressive images cause different responses and communicate ideas 4.2.3 Use visual art structures and functions of works of art to communicate ideas

Standard 2:

Standard 6: • •

Connections Students make connections between the visual arts and other disciplines 4.6.1 Know the similarities and differences between the visual arts and other art disciplines (performing arts, literature, practical arts) 4.6.2 Know connections between the visual arts and other disciplines in the curriculum

North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Science Standard 1: •

Students understand unifying concepts and processes of science. 4.1.5 Understand relation between form and function

Students understand the basic concepts and principles of life science 4.4.1 Understand the characteristics of organisms

Standard 4:

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Project: The Colorful World of Insects Integration: Visual Art, Science, and Language Art (Sociology as well if you choose) Introduction: Looking at the insects in “Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast” do you notice all the different colors of the insects? Many people do. In fact, do you remember reading Jennifer’s Artist’s Statement where she tells us that none of her insects are painted? The insects in the show are all their natural color. What do you think are the reasons that insects are so many different colors? Why are some brown and some bright blue? It’s all about survival. Biologists recognize that there is usually an underlying rationale for the great diversity of shapes and colors found in the insect world. We may not know why a particular species has parallel ridges on the pronotum (the upper part of the thorax) or black spots on the wings, but we can be reasonably certain that this shape or color has contributed in some way, however small, to the overall fitness of the species. It is obvious that at least some of the colors and patterns serve a defensive function by offering a degree of protection from predators and parasites. These patterns, collectively known as protective coloration, fall into four broad categories: 1) Crypsis Insects that blend in with their surroundings often manage to escape detection by predators and parasites. This tactic, called cryptic coloration, involves not only matching the colors of the background but also disrupting the outline of the body, eliminating reflective highlights from smooth body surfaces, and avoiding sudden movements that might betray location. Obviously, this tactic loses much of its effectiveness if an insect moves from one type of habitat to another. Well camouflaged insects usually stay close to home or make only short trips and return quickly to the shelter of their protective cover. Many ground-dwelling grasshoppers and katydids, for example, have colors of mottled gray and brown that help them “disappear” against a background of dried leaves or gravel. On the other hand, closely related species that live in foliage are usually a shade of green that matches the surrounding leaves. The larvae of some lacewings improve their camouflage by attaching bits of moss or lichen from their environment onto the dorsal side of ther body.

The cryptic coloration of the Lichen Moth. 41


2) Mimesis Some insects “hide in plain sight” by resembling other objects in the environment. A thorn could really be a treehopper; a small twig might be a walking stick, an assassin bug, or the caterpillar of a geometrid moth; and sometimes a dead leaf turns out to be a katydid, a moth, or even a butterfly. This “mimicry” of natural objects is often known as mimesis. It goes far beyond imitation of plant parts: • Some swallowtail larvae resemble bird droppings, others have false eyespots on the thorax that create a convincing imitation of a snake’s head. • The likeness of a caterpillar can be found on the outer edge of many lepidopteron wings, perhaps serving to fool predatory birds that may peck at the wing margin instead of the butterfly’s body. • Many butterflies and moths have eyespots on the wings that emulate that face of an owl or some other large animal. • Slug caterpillars and had moth larvae look like hair balls or small furry mammals.

The Leaf Mimic insect Phyllium gigantuem.

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3) Warning Colors Insects that have an active means of defense (like a sting or a repellent spray) frequently display bright colors or contrasting patterns that tend to attract attention. These visually conspicuous insects illustrate aposematic coloration, a term derived from the Greek words apo- (from a distance) and sema (a sign or signal) – meaning “a signal from afar”. A predator quickly learns to associate the distinctive coloration with an “unpleasant” outcome, and one such encounter is usually enough to insure avoidance of that prey in the future. A few individuals will die as sacrifices, but for the species as a whole, it pays to advertise!

Monarch butterflies eat milkweed when they are larvae. The milkweed contains a chemical that makes the Monarch taste bitter. Birds have associated the bright colors of the Monarch to mean “do not eat.”

4) Mimicry If a distinctive visual appearance is sufficient to protect an unpalatable insect from predation, then it stands to reason that other insects might also avoid predation by adopting a similar appearance. This play, essentially a form of “false advertising,” was first recognized and described by Henry W. Bates in 1861. Today, it is commonly known as Batesian mimicry. Viceroy butterflies (mostly palatable to birds) are largely protected from predation because they resemble monarch butterflies (very distasteful). Many species of bee flies, flower flies, robber flies, and clear-winged moths are similarly protected because they mimic the appearance (and often the behavior) of stinging bees and wasps. Batesian mimicry is usually a successful strategy as long as the model and mimic are found in the same location, the mimic’s population size is smaller than that of the model, and predators associate the model’s appearance with an unpleasant effect.

Viceroy butterfly resembles the Monarch Butterfly. An example of Batesian mimicry.

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In 1879, Fritz Müller recognized that two or more distasteful species often share the same aposematic color patterns. Many species of wasps, for example, have alternating bands of black a yellow on the abdomen. This defensive tactic, commonly known a Mülllerian mimicry, benefits all members of the group because it spreads the liability for “educating the predator” over more than one species. In fact, as the number of species in a Mülllerian complex increases, there is a greater selective advantage for each individual species.

The Helliconius butterflies from the tropics of the Western Hemisphere are classic Mülllerian mimics. They all belong to different butterfly families and are all very distasteful to predators. They share common color patterns so that it’s easy for predators to learn that they all taste bad. Imagine if all of these butterflies tasted bad but each of them was a clearly different color. It would be hard for the predator to remember all the different color combinations that taste bad. Unlike Batesian mimicry, in which one harmless species adopts the appearance of another, Mülllerian mimicry is where harmful insects share common color patterns or traits.

Mimicry has been carried to extremes in some tropical Lepidoptera where both related and unrelated species resemble each other in size, shape, color, and sing pattern. Collectively, these butterflies (and sometimes moths) form mimicry rings that may include both palatable and unpalatable species. In South America, for example, long wing butterflies (family Nymphalidae) form a mimicry ring that includes at least twelve different species (including one moth). Although natural selection favors individuals in a population with the best camouflage or mimicry, it also favors the predator or parasite with the best prey-finding acumen. As a result of these competing interests, coevolution between predator and prey populations inevitably leads to an ongoing escalation of offensive and defensive measures – a scenario that Leigh Van Valen of Chicago 44


University describes as an evolutionary “arms race.” In order to survive in the arms race, both predator and prey must constantly evolve in response to the other’s changes. Failure to “keep up” concedes a competitive advantage to the opponent and may lead to extinction. The idea that perpetual change is necessary just to maintain the status quo has been coined the Red Queen’s Hypothesis. This name refers to a scene from the stories of Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll. In Through the Looking Glass, Alice meets a chess piece, the Red Queen. After r running hard to follow the Queen, Alice discovers that she has not moved from where she started. Asked about this paradox, the Red Queen replies, “Here, you see, it takes all the running you can do to keep in the same place.” http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/tutorial/Ecology/defense.html December 10, 2013 Science has always relied on visual representation to convey key concepts. While representation has varied from Audubon’s paintings to high-tech GPS imagery, illustration is about conveying information. The history of scientific illustration dates back to at least 500 AD, when there was a rising need to depict and record medicinal plants. Scientists/artists often used watercolors in combination with ink because of the clarity of the medium. The strength of illustrations is that they can clearly show what is hard to describe accurately with words. Illustrations can also bring out key points or details about a particular subject. For almost two thousand years illustrations have enhanced scientific communication by merging art and science. Activity: The Colorful World of Insects Part 1: Copying is the highest form of flattery… Look at the colored insects below. Study the color of the different insects. Using color pencils, see if you can color in the blank insects. Match the color as closely as you can. Now try the same color matching again, this time using markers. One last time, try the same color matching again – this time using watercolors. What are the differences you notice between using color pencils, markers, and watercolors? What coloring tool do you think would work best if you were documenting insects in the wild? Why?

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Aythia spectabile Thailand

Tosena splendida Thailand

Angamaina floridula Thailand

Tosena albata Thailand

Pompoina imperatorial Malaysia

CICADAS 47


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Part 2: Cryptic Coloration Earlier on we read about cryptic coloration. There are many different styles of cryptic camouflage and many animals that use it. Cryptic coloration allows an organism to match its background and hence become less vulnerable to predation or recognition by prey.

The Gumleaf Grasshopper is a master of Cryptic coloration. It’s brown color helps it blend in with the forest floor.

Step one – research different insects which use Cryptic coloration as a defense against predation. Step two – Draw your own imaginary insect which uses cryptic coloration to blend in with it’s environment. Write a description of your insect and how it’s cryptic coloration helps it to survive. For example: Think about all the windows that exist in cities. Imagine if there were an insect that’s body was made of mirror-like material and could cling to a window completely unnoticed.

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Part 3: Mimesis Earlier we read about mimesis as a form of insect camouflage. Mimetic insects hide by resembling objects in their environment.

The Treehopper, Umbonia spinosa, resembles a thorn.

The Emperor Moth, Saturnia pavonia, has large ‘eye’ spots on both fore- and hindwings, which perhaps emulate the face of a larger animal.

Step one – research different insects which use mimesis as a defense against predation. Step two – Draw your own imaginary insect which uses Mimesis to blend in with it’s environment. Write a description of your insect and how its mimetic shape and coloration help it to survive. For example: Think about all the plastic bags and wrappers that are littering our environment. What if there were a butterfly that would evolve to look like it had wrinkly plastic wings. Or, what if there were an insect that would make its nest look like a plastic bag stuck in a tree?

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Part 4: Warning Colors Earlier we read about warning colors as a form of insect defense. Aposematism (from apo- away, and semantic sign/meaning), perhaps most commonly known in the context of warning coloration, describes a family of antipredator adaptations where a warning signal is associated with the unprofitability of a prey item to potential predators. The warning signal may take the form of conspicuous colors, sounds, odors or other perceivable characteristics. Aposematic signals are beneficial for both the predator and prey, both of which avoid potential harm. This tendency to become highly noticeable and distinct from harmless organisms is the opposite of crypsis, or avoidance of detection. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aposematism December 13, 2013

This is the larva of the monarch butterfly; an example of aposematic coloration. There is no question of camouflage here. Rather this creature is advertising its presence.

Adult Monarch Butterfly. Birds not only avoid the larvae, but also the brightly colored adult.

The milkweed leaves on which it is feeding contain cardiac glycosides that are toxic to vertebrates. The chemicals remain in the body even after metamorphosis, so that adults are also unpalatable.

Step one – research different insects which use aposematism as a defense against predation. Step two – Draw your own imaginary insect which uses aposematism to defend itself. Write a description of your insect and how it’s aposematism helps it to survive. For example: Think about an insect that would need defense against flyswatters. Maybe this insect, when swatted at or struck, releases a chemical that smells horrible. Maybe it has a distinct color which we would learn means “do not swat.” 56


5) Mimicry: Batesian Mimics and M端llerian Mimics Earlier we read about two different forms of insect mimicry. Batesian and M端llerian mimics. Aposematism has been such a successful adaptation that harmless organisms have repeatedly evolved to mimic aposematic species, a pattern known as Batesian mimicry. Another related pattern is M端llerian mimicry, where aposematic species come to resemble one another. Batesian mimicry is a form of mimicry typified by a situation where a harmless species has evolved to imitate the warning signals of a harmful species directed at a common predator. It is named after the English naturalist Henry Walter Bates, after his work in the rainforests of Brazil. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Batesian_mimicry December 20, 2013 Batesian Mimics

North American Limenitis archippus TASTY AND DELICIOUS (to birds)

Wasp-mimicking Tiger Moth, Isanthrene crabroniformis (does not sting)

Monarch Butterfly or Danaus plexippus HIGHLY TOXIC (to vertebrates)

European Paper Wasp, Polistes dominulus (Stings) 57


Müllerian Mimics Müllerian mimicry is a natural phenomenon in which two or more poisonous species, that may or may not be closely related and share one or more common predators, have come to mimic each other's warning signals. It is named after the German naturalist Fritz Müller, who first proposed the concept in 1878. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%C3%BCllerian_mimicry December 20, 2013

The black and yellow coloring of bees and wasps is not deceptive coloration. It’s a warning color or color pattern. Predator have learned to associate this color pattern with prey that can defend itself. If each wasp was a different color and color pattern it would be too hard for the predators to remember which is harmful and which isn’t. Therefore, it’s to the advantage of the insects to all look alike and make it easy for the predator to remember that black and yellow mean danger.

Step one – research different insects or animals which use Batesian mimicry and which use Müllerian mimicry as a defense against predation. Step two – Draw your own imaginary insects which use Müllerian mimicry to defend themselves. Then, draw your own imaginary insects which use Batesian mimicry to mimic the Müllerian insect group you just drew. For example: Think about an insect that would need defense against a frog. What kind of defense could the insect use? How do frogs hunt? What would be a way the insect could communicate to the frog that it is not good to eat? What other tasty insects could take advantage of the “real” defense and use Basteian mimicry to defend themselves?

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Red Queen Hypothesis The Red Queen hypothesis, named after Lewis Carroll’s character who, in the book “Through the Looking Glass”, described her country as a place where “it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place.” In biology, this means that animals and plants don’t just disappear because of bad luck in a static and unchanging environment, like a gambler losing it all to a run of bad luck at the slot machines. Instead, they face constant change – a deteriorating environment and more successful competitors and predators – that requires them to continually adapt and evolve new species just to survive. Though the specific cause of declining originations and rising extinctions for these groups is unclear, the researchers concluded that an animal’s death was not just dumb luck. “Each group has either lost, or is losing, to an increasingly difficult environment,” Marshall said. “These groups’ demise was at least in part due to loss to the Red Queen – that is, a failure to keep pace with a deteriorating environment.” Marshall and former UC Berkeley post-doctoral fellow Tiago Quental found that the animal groups were initially driven to higher diversity until they reached the carrying capacity of their environment, or the maximum number of species their environment could hold. After that, their environment deteriorated to the point where there was too much diversity to be sustained, leading to their extinction. “In fact, our data suggest that biological systems may never be in equilibrium at all, with groups expanding and contracting under persistent and rather, geologically speaking, rapid change,” he said. http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/2013/06/20/the-red-queen-was-right-life-must-continuallyevolve-to-avoid-extinction/ December 20, 2013 Red Queen Hypothesis in Practice: The most obvious example of this effect are the "arms races" between predators and prey, where the only way predators can compensate for a better defense by the prey (e.g. rabbits running faster) is by developing a better offense (e.g. foxes running faster). In this case we might consider the relative improvements (running faster) to be also absolute improvements in fitness. However, the example of trees shows that in some cases the net effect of an "arms race" may also be an absolute decrease in fitness. Trees in a forest are normally competing for access to sunlight. If one tree grows a little bit taller than its neighbors it can capture part of their sunlight. This forces the other trees in turn to grow taller, in order not to be overshadowed. The net effect is that all trees tend to become taller and taller, yet still gather on average just the same amount of sunlight, while spending much more resources in order to sustain their increased height. This is an example of the problem of sub-optimization: optimizing access to sunlight for each individual tree does not lead to optimal performance for the forest as a whole. 59


In sum, in a competitive world, relative progress ("running") is necessary just for maintenance ("staying put"). In its emphasis on the stress that necessarily accompanies evolutionary development, the Red Queen Hypothesis is related to the generalized "Peter Principle". The “Peter Principle” was first introduced by L. Peter in a humoristic book (of the same title) describing the pitfalls of bureaucratic organization. The original principle states that in a hierarchically structured administration, people tend to be promoted up to their "level of incompetence". The principle is based on the observation that in such an organization new employees typically start in the lower ranks, but when they prove to be competent in the task to which they are assigned, they get promoted to a higher rank. This process of climbing up the hierarchical ladder can go on indefinitely, until the employee reaches a position where he or she is no longer competent. At that moment the process typically stops, since the established rules of bureaucracies make that it is very difficult to "demote" someone to a lower rank, even if that person would be much better fitted and more happy in that lower position. The net result is that most of the higher levels of a bureaucracy will be filled by incompetent people, who got there because they were quite good at doing a different (and usually, but not always, easier) task than the one they are expected to do. The evolutionary generalization of the principle is less pessimistic in its implications, since evolution lacks the bureaucratic inertia that pushes and maintains people in an unfit position. But what will certainly remain is that systems confronted by evolutionary problems will quickly tackle the easy ones, but tend to get stuck in the difficult ones. The better (more fit, smarter, more competent, more adaptive) a system is, the more quickly it will solve all the easy problems, but the more difficult the problem will be it finally gets stuck in. Getting stuck here does not mean "being unfit", it just means having reached the limit of one's competence, and thus having great difficulty advancing further. This explains why even the most complex and adaptive species (such as ourselves, humans) are always still "struggling for survival" in their niches as energetically as are the most primitive organisms such as bacteria. If ever a species would get control over all its evolutionary problems, then the "Red Queen Hypothesis" would make sure that new, more complex problems would arise, so that the species would continue to balance on the border of its domain of incompetence. In conclusion, the generalized Peter principle states that in evolution systems tend to develop up to the limit of their adaptive competence. http://pespmc1.vub.ac.be/REDQUEEN.html December 20, 2013 Discussion points for teachers… What are some ways people use our understanding of color patterns to influence our lives? One example is hunting camouflage. What are the various types of hunting camouflage that people can wear? What are the various patterns and their uses? Bright orange colors protect people but why don’t animals see the orange color? Or do they?

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Can you think of ways we use color to identify ourselves? What about uniforms? Team colors? What if one team member was wearing the uniform of another team to trick them? What kind of mimicry would that be? Can you think of groups of people that use colors as a warning? How about gang colors? Gangs usually don’t wear colors that blend into their environment, they wear specific color patterns which stand out as territorial warning to other people. What are all the ways you can think of that we use the color of what we wear to communicate to others?

with

Thinking about the imaginary insects that were created in the projects about cryptic coloration, mimesis, warning colors, Batesian mimicry, and Müllerian mimicry - how do these creatures address the Red Queen Hypothesis? Are these creatures in balance their environment? Are they destined for extinction? Can they adapt to survive in a world that’s changing at a rapid pace? One over-arching goal of these projects is to appreciate the complex nature of the Natural world and the importance of investigating our world. In learning about things as seemingly simple as the patterns of insects, that can lead to theories about evolution. Not only biological evolution, but also the evolution of other things as well – such as the evolution of economics. For example, the Peter Principle. North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Visual Art

Standard 1: • •

Media, Techniques and Processes Students understand and apply media, techniques, and processes 4.1.2 Know the different techniques used to create visual art 4.1.6 Know Use visual art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner

• • •

Structure and Function Students understand how works of art are structured and how visual art has a variety of functions. 4.2.1 Know the differences among visual art structures and functions 4.2.2 Know how expressive images cause different responses and communicate ideas 4.2.3 Use visual art structures and functions of works of art to communicate ideas

Standard 2:

Standard 6: • •

Connections Students make connections between the visual arts and other disciplines 4.6.1 Know the similarities and differences between the visual arts and other art disciplines (performing arts, literature, practical arts) 4.6.2 Know connections between the visual arts and other disciplines in the curriculum

North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Science Standard 1: • • •

Students understand unifying concepts and processes of science. 4.1.2 Understand that models help explain objects and ideas 4.1.4 Understand that change might occur in order to maintain a balance in a system 4.1.5 Understand relation between form and function

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Standard 2: • Standard 4:

Students use the process of science inquiry Use and integrate the science processes of observing, questioning, hypothesizing, and reflecting to investigate their world

• • •

Students understand the basic concepts and principles of life science 4.4.1 Understand the characteristics of organisms 4.4.3 Understand relations between organisms and environment 4.4.4 Know that changes in life forms have occurred over time

• •

Students understand relations between science and technology. 4.6.1 Know the various forms that technology can take 4.6.2 Distinguish how natural objects differ from those made by humans

• • •

Students understand the history of nature of science. 4.8.1 Understand how people have used science throughout time 4.8.2 Know the basic beliefs and attitudes that scientists share 4.8.3 Understand the role of individuals and cultures in contributing to science

Standard 6

Standard 8

If you are including writing lessons to aid in the projects you may meet Language Arts Standards as well.

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Project: Jennifer’s Collection, Where in the World? Where do the insects come from in the exhibition, “Butterflie’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast”? At the exhibition and here in this project, are pictures of some of the insects that Jennifer has collected and the countries the insects are from. Can you find the countries where the insects are from? On the blank map, color and label the countries when you find them.

Cicadas

Grasshoppers

Aythia spectabile – Thailand Tosena splendida – Thailand Angamiana floridula – Thailand Tosena albata – Thailand Pompoina imperatoial – Malaysia

Phymateus saxosus – Madagascar Sanaea intermedia – Thailand Lophacris cristata – Peru Titanacris Albipes – French New Guiana

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Weevils

Weevils

Leaf Mimic Insects

Eupholus schoenherri – Papua New Guinea Eupholus cuvieri – Irian Jaya Eupholus magnificus – Yapen Island Eupholus messagieri – Papua New Guinea Eupholus bennetti – Papua New Guinea Eupholus nickerli – Papua New Guinea Eupholus quinitaenia – Papua New Guinea

Phyllium giganteum – Malaysia Heteropteryx dilatata – Malaysia

If you would like to expand upon the project, you could have the students look up where to purchase insects online. Jennifer’s collections is primarily purchased online and through insect dealers she knows. The insects range from a few cents to upward of $25 a specimen.

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North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Visual Art Standard 1: •

Media, Techniques and Processes Students understand and apply media, techniques, and processes. 4.1.6 Know Use visual art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner

Students make connections between visual arts and other disciplines. Know connections between the visual arts and other disciplines in the curriculum

Standard 6:

North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Social Studies Standard 6: Geography Students understand geographic elements as applied to social studies. • 4.6.1 Read maps and understand how to use them • 8.6.1 Understand how to use geographic tools to describe and locate physical features and places

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Project: North Dakota and our insect, the Ladybug.

http://www.opsu.edu/Academics/SciMathNurs/NaturalScience/PlantsInsectsOfG oodwell/ladybird/ladybird.html December 30, 2013 Scientific Classification Kingdom: Animal Phylum: Arthropod Class: Insect Order: Coleoptera Family: Coccinellidae Genus: Hippodamia Species: Hippodamia convergens (Ladybug)

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Convergent Lady Beetle (Lady Bug) On March 15, 2011 Gov. Jack Dalrymple signed into law House Bill 1219, designating the Convergent Lady Beetle, commonly known as the ladybug, as the official state insect. He was joined at the ceremony by legislators and second grade students from Kenmare Elementary School, who were instrumental in passing the legislation. The students, who were from Tamara McNeiley's enrichment class, were studying ladybugs and learned that while 42 states had a state insect, North Dakota did not. They researched the ladybug and initiated the legislation designating the ladybug as the state's official insect. The students testified before the House and Senate Political Subdivisions committees in support of the legislation. "This legislation not only designates an official insect for our state, but also exemplifies the importance of having a voice and how each of us has the ability to affect change and have an impact on our state," Dalrymple said. "These students and their teacher, Mrs. McNeiley, represent the outstanding work that is going on in classrooms across our state, work that is instilling in our young people the skills and values to be tomorrow's leaders." In October 2009, the students contacted Rep. Glen Froseth, who supported them in their efforts to initiate the legislation. He signed on as the primary bill sponsor, along with Reps. Pat Hatlestad and Gary Kreidt and Sen. Karen Krebsbach. http://www.nd.gov/content.htm?parentCatID=75&id=State%20Insect December 30,2013

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Cool Ladybug Facts: 1. What do ladybugs eat? A. Ladybugs eat Aphids. Aphids are soft-bodied insects that suck the juices out of plants. If you have roses in your garden, you have seen aphids. Aphids also come in a variety of colors, and not all ladybugs like all the "flavors" of aphids. Ladybugs will also feed on scale insects and plant mites. 2. Are ladybugs poisonous? A. No. Ladybugs are not poisonous to humans. However, they can have toxic effects on some animals. Ladybugs have a foul odor which deters some predators from eating them, and their bright colors also help as a deterrent. In nature, red and orange, are warning colors that indicate to another animal or insect that the potential "lunch item" might not be a good choice. 3. Ladybug Infestation! Ladybugs are In my HOUSE! Why? A. They have probably been hibernating under the siding of the house or apartment and the warmer temperatures have caused them to emerge - it's just that they are going in the wrong direction. You would think that they would be trying to get out of the house, but they are coming in. It happens. This happens because of the variation in temperatures from the interior of the home verses the outside temperatures. Hippodamia convergent ladybugs (North Dakota’s official state insect) congregate together in the fall to hibernate. These ladybugs can be found most often in the upper elevations of the Sierra Nevadas, Rocky, Appalachian, and Blue Ridge Mountains and other mountainous areas throughout the United States and Canada. This ladybug prefers to winter around rock out croppings, under forest debris, in tall grassy areas and under tree bark. 'Tis the season! Ladybugs are looking for a place to hibernate. They are attracted to light-colored homes, usually older homes, and they are attracted to heat that the homes reflect. Once ladybugs have penetrated the home though, they are hard to get rid of.

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Ladybug Infestation. They can infest your house in the winter instead of finding a home outside. Photo by Drobincorvette

Ladybugs release pheromones, it is sort of like "perfume" to attract other ladybugs. They use pheromones as a means of communication during mating and hibernation. Insect pheromones are very powerful. They can be detected by others up to a 1/4 mile away. This helps ladybugs find each other and it lets future generations know of a good place to "camp out" for the winter. The pheromones don't go away easily. The chemical "scent" can remain year after year, and not only on the outside of a structure, but also within the walls, where ladybugs tend to hide before emerging into your home. So, scrubbing pheromones off a house is a BIG task, if not impossible. The yellow stuff you might see from time to time is their blood (hemolymph). It, too, contains pheromones and it stains. You can see the yellow blood when you hold a ladybug and it gets scared. This is a normal reaction to stressful situations called reflex bleeding. Releasing some of its blood is one way the ladybug can protect itself. The blood smells bad and signals to a predator that this ladybug is not a good lunch choice. To prevent ladybugs from getting in, make sure all cracks around windows, doors, clap boards, pipes, ect. are sealed up. Some extermination companies offer this service, sometimes called inclusion. This, too, is no small project, and may cost a small fortune, but it's worth it. Especially if you don't like ladybugs joining you for dinner.

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5. Once the ladybugs are in my house, will they eat anything? A. No. Ladybugs don't eat fabric, plants, paper or any other household items. They like to eat APHIDS. Aphids are very small, but very destructive pest that feed on plants. (If you have rose bushes, you have probably seen aphids.) Ladybugs, while trying to hibernate in your house, live off of their own body fats. They, also, prefer a little humidity. But our homes are usually not very humid during the winter. In fact, they are rather dry causing most of your ladybug guests to die from dehydration. Occasionally, you might witness a ladybug in your bathroom getting a drink of water. Now, that's a smart lady! 10. We found ladybug eggs at our house. They hatched! What can we expect to see and how can we care for them, so that we can watch the life cycle? A. Wow! This is a very exciting time at your house!!!! Depending on the species, and the temperatures, the ladybug larva can hatch out of the egg in 410 days. When the larva hatch out, they are so incredibly small, you will not want to move them or touch them. Depending on the species again, the first food of the larva is to eat the egg case that they just hatched out from. After that anything is fair game, including the other larval siblings. You may also notice that the egg cases (if left) have turned white and dried out. After two days, bring aphids to the larva in the bug box, the smallest aphids possible. And often. Don't add water quite yet. The larva could drown if over sprayed. They will get enough moisture from the aphids. After about four days, you will probably begin noticing the changing. They are growing and shedding the first of several skins. This process is called "in-star". Because insects have an exoskeleton (outside skeleton), when the larva grow, they have to basically bust out of the exoskeleton to get bigger. The soft exoskeleton that is revealed dries and hardens, protecting the larva once more until it has grown too big on the inside once more. This happens about 5-7 times in the larval stage, depending on the species and the amount of food available. After about 10-14 days, the larva will affix itself the a stable structure to begin the metamorphosis, the process by which the larva of an insect completely transforms in appearance into the adult form of the species. This process can take 7-14 days depending on temperature, type of species, the amount of food eaten during the larval stage and humidity. In other words, a lot of varying factors. When the adult ladybug emerges from the pupa, it is in a very vulnerable state. The ladybug's body is very soft and wet as the new exoskeleton still must dry and harden. The colors and spots look dull, but once it is dry the colors are bright and the ladybug will present the world with its new life.

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11. Do ladybugs build their own home? A. No. Ladybugs reside where insect pest populations are high. Such as in crop fields, gardens, and in the canopies of trees. 12. How do ladybugs protect themselves? A. Nature has uniquely designed a warning system of colors. Red, yellow and black are colors that warn predators that the insect they are about to eat might not be a good lunch choice. The colors can warn of danger such as poisonous, bad taste, or the ability to defend itself against the predators. Colors can also camouflage and warn when there is nothing about the insect that is harmful. Ladybugs can also protect themselves by playing dead. By pulling their legs up "turtle-style�, and typically release a small amount of blood from their legs. (This is called reflex bleeding.) The bad smell and the apparent look of death usually deter predators from their small ladybug snack. After the threat of danger has passed, the ladybug will resume its normal activities. 13. Can I keep a ladybug as a temporary pet? A. Keeping a ladybug as a pet to observe will be fun. You can house your ladybug in a bug box or terrarium. Keep the foliage moist, or place a damp paper towel inside so the ladybug can get a drink. You can feed your ladybug moistened raisins or other sweet, non-acidic fruits. This will help maintain their fat reserves until you are ready to release the ladybug in spring 14. What is the yellow stuff coming from the ladybug? A. Ladybugs can excrete some of their blood as a defense, which is mentioned above. It is yellow and smells bad. There is that "color" defense again and it does smell quite unpleasant. 15. How did the ladybug get its name? A. In Europe, during the Middle Ages, insects were destroying the crops, so the Catholic farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary for help. Soon the Ladybugs came, ate the plant-destroying pests and saved the crops! The farmers began calling the ladybugs "The Beetles of Our Lady", and they eventually became known as "Lady Beetles!" The red wings represented the Virgin's cloak and the black spots represented her joys and sorrows. They didn't differentiate between males and females.

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16. Are all ladybugs girls? A. No. There are boy ladybugs and girl ladybugs. It's almost impossible for the average person to tell them apart. 17. What are boy ladybugs called? A. Boy ladybugs are called ladybugs, too. 19. What are ladybug babies called? A. Ladybug babies are the larva. They look like little black and orange alligators with small spikes.

Convergent Ladybug – North Dakota’s official insect http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/NE/converge nt_lady_beetle.html January 3, 2013

20. Are there different kinds of ladybugs?

A. Yes. There are hundreds of different kinds all over the world. There are about 500 different kinds in the United States and nearly 5000 world wide. They come in all different colors, too. Reds, yellows, orange, gray, black, brown and even pink. 21. What animals and insects prey upon the ladybug? A. There are lots of animals and insects that prey upon ladybugs. Some insecteating birds, like martins, swallows, swifts and crows. Insect-eating insects prey on ladybugs like dragonflies, assassin bugs, parasitic wasps, and ants. Other predators include tree frogs, anoles, parasites, fungus and mites. Ladybugs certainly have their shares of problems! 74


23. Do the spots tell you how old they are? A. No. Different ladybugs have different numbers of spots. Some have no spots while some have as many as twenty four. Ladybugs generally complete their life cycle within one year. The spots are with them all their life. They don't get more spots as they get older, nor do they lose spots. 25. What are the life cycle stages of a ladybug? A. Egg, Larva, Pupa, and Adult. The first three stages vary from 7-21 days each depending on the weather, and food supplies. The adult stage lasts between 3-9 months depending on weather, length of hibernation, food supplies and, of course, predators. 26. Why are ladybugs considered a "beneficial" insect? A. Ladybugs feed on aphids and other soft-bodied insects that feed on plants. The ladybug feeds on these pests as the adult ladybug and as the larva. One ladybug can eat as many as 50 aphids a day. Now, that's a hungry lady! Even More Fun Facts: • Because Ladybugs eat lots of aphids and other pest insects, many gardeners and farmers use them for pest control instead of chemicals. • A Ladybug can lay up to 1000 eggs in its lifetime. • Not all Ladybugs have spots. • Ladybugs will clean themselves after a meal. • Ladybugs come in many colors like pink, yellow, white, orange and black. • Over 300 types of Ladybugs live in North America. • Ladybugs make a chemical that smells and tastes bad so predators won’t eat them. • Ladybugs hibernate in large groups in cold weather. • Many countries consider a ladybug to be a sign of good luck. • Ladybugs are actually beetles, so sometimes are called LadyBeetles. • The bright colors of Ladybugs warn birds that they don’t taste good. • The spots on a Ladybug fade as they get older. http://www.ladybuglady.com/LadybugsFAQ.htm January 2, 2014

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Quiz: 1) What is North Dakota’s official state insect?

2) What is the name of the ND governor who signed the official ND state insect law?

3) What is the date the governor signed Bill 1219 into law?

4) What is the name of the elementary school that initiated the legislative process to declare an official insect of North Dakota?

5) What is the primary food source for ND state insect?

6) What do North Dakota’s state insects eat?

7) How does North Dakota’s state insect protect itself?

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8) Why is the North Dakota state insect sometimes found in your house?

9) How do I keep North Dakota’s state insect as a pet?

10) How did North Dakota’s state insect get its name?

12) What are the three stages of the lifecycle of North Dakota’s state insect?

13) Bonus: Draw a picture of North Dakota’s official state insect.

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Project: Poetry and Insects There are many kinds of poetry: Some poems make us laugh Some poems make us think Some poems are short or funny Some poems are long and serious Some poems rhyme Some poems do not rhyme The important thing is that a poem has emotion or a strong message or feeling. In order for our poems to carry the most meaning, we should learn about how words add to the meaning of a poem. Verbs (Action words) If you are talking abut a big train engine, you might use words such as “charging along the tracks” instead of “going” on the tracks.” Finding interesting action words (verbs) to help make a poem interesting. Think of words that mean the same as the words below to make them more exciting: Walk Talk Run Sleep Similes and metaphors: “Similes” are used in many poems. Similes compare one thing to another that are similar. You will usually see words such as “like” or “as” in a poem that uses similes. Strong as an ox Light as a feather Yellow as sunshine Changing like weather A metaphor is a technique which doesn't describe something as being like something else, it says that the things are the same. i.e. instead of saying that the car was like a tortoise (which is a simile) you say the car was a tortoise. They are still comparing one thing to another. In simpler terms, a metaphor compares two objects/things without using the words "like" or "as". One of the most prominent examples of a metaphor in English literature is the All the world's a stage monologue from “As You Like It”: All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances; —William Shakespeare, As You Like It, 78


Other examples of metaphors are: My brother was boiling mad. (This implies he was too angry.) The assignment was a breeze. (This implies that the assignment was not difficult.) It is going to be clear skies from now on. (This implies that clear skies are not a threat and life is going to be without hardships.) The skies of his future began to darken. (Darkness is a threat; therefore, this implies that the coming times are going to be hard for him.) Her voice is music to his ears. (This implies that her voice makes him feel happy.) http://literarydevices.net/metaphor/ December 30, 2013 Part 1) Action words, Metaphors, and Similes… This activity might be best if done before visiting the exhibition. Divide your class into groups of 2 – 5 children, or work together as a class. Have a group pick and agree upon a particular word about a characteristic such as sleepy, happy, sad, confused or some other emotion. The other group or the rest of the class finds five different descriptive words or phrases that represent that emotion. Example: If your group decides upon “mad,” the other group or class might say words or phrases such as: furious, fiery, angry, stormy or raging. Find more expressive descriptions of the words listed below. You can always come up with some of your own. Adjectives — Find five different words that mean the same as each of these: Angry: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

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Lazy: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Slow: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Energetic: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Happy: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

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Jealous: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) Grateful: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

Finish the phrase using a simile. 1)

As big as a:

2)

As tired as a:

3)

Cold like a:

4)

My love is like a:

5)

Brave as a:

6)

Strong as an:

7)

Easy as:

8)

Different as:

9)

Fits like a:

10)

Bright as a:

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Finish the phrase using a metaphor. 1) Love is a: 2) This old car is a: 3) The sky is a: 4) Her home was a: 5) George is a: 6) She has a heart of: 7) You are my: 8) My father is a: 9) Life is a: 10) A _______ of snow fell today.

Finish the phrase with the opposite word. 1) Hot and: 2) Peace and: 3) Black and: 4) Hard and: 5) Big and: 6) Empty and: 7) Slippery and: 8) Silent and: 9) Rich and: 10) Envious and:

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Part 2) Poems about Insects Below is the poem “The Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast” by William Roscoe. What words are used by the poet to make you envision the insect or its environment? “The Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast” – William Roscoe, 1808 Come take up your Hats, and away let us haste To the Butterfly's Ball, and the Grasshopper's Feast. The Trumpeter, Gad-fly, has summon'd the Crew, And the Revels are now only waiting for you. So said little Robert, and pacing along, His merry Companions came forth in a Throng. And on the smooth Grass, by the side of a Wood, Beneath a broad Oak that for Ages had stood, Saw the Children of Earth, and the Tenants of Air, For an Evening's Amusement together repair. And there came the Beetle, so blind and so black, Who carried the Emmet, his Friend, on his Back. And there was the Gnat and the Dragon-fly too, With all their Relations, Green, Orange, and Blue. And there came the Moth, with his Plumage of Down, And the Hornet in Jacket of Yellow and Brown; Who with him the Wasp, his Companion, did bring, But they promis'd, that Evening, to lay by their Sting. And the sly little Dormouse crept out of his Hole, And brought to the Feast his blind Brother, the Mole. And the Snail, with his Horns peeping out of his Shell, Came from a great Distance, the Length of an Ell. A Mushroom their Table, and on it was laid A Water-dock Leaf, which a Table-cloth made. The Viands were various, to each of their Taste, And the Bee brought her Honey to crown the Repast. Then close on his Haunches, so solemn and wise, The Frog from a Corner, look'd up to the Skies. And the Squirrel well pleas'd such Diversions to see, Mounted high over Head, and look'd down from a Tree. Then out came the Spider, with Finger so fine, To shew his Dexterity on the tight Line. From one Branch to another, his Cobwebs he slung, Then quick as an Arrow he darted along, But just in the Middle,—Oh! shocking to tell, From his Rope, in an Instant, poor Harlequin fell.

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Yet he touch'd not the Ground, but with Talons outspread, Hung suspended in Air, at the End of a Thread. Then the Grasshopper came with a Jerk and a Spring, Very long was his Leg, though but short was his Wing; He took but three Leaps, and was soon out of Sight, Then chirp'd his own Praises the rest of the Night. With Step so majestic the Snail did advance, And promis'd the Gazers a Minuet to dance. But they all laugh'd so loud that he pull'd in his Head, And went in his own little Chamber to Bed. Then, as Evening gave Way to the Shadows of Night, Their Watchman, the Glow-worm, came out with a Light. Then Home let us hasten, while yet we can see, For no Watchman is waiting for you and for me, So said little Robert, and pacing along, His merry Companions returned in a Throng. After reading: After reading this poem and discussing the words and phrases that make you envision the insects and their environment you may wish to ask the students to draw the pictures that came to mind while reading this poem. They can draw any picture they like or you may wish to have them focus on one stanza at a time. After they are done drawing their images you may wish to compare them to the images from the actual published poem below. We all interpret words and phrases in different ways. Jennifer Angus’s exhibition “Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast” is based from the poem by William Roscoe. Below is that poem as published in 1808 complete with pictures: The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Butterfly's Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast, by Mr. Roscoe This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: The Butterfly's Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast Author: Mr. Roscoe Commentator: Charles Welsh Release Date: March 20, 2007 [EBook #20860] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BUTTERFLY'S BALL *** Produced by Irma Špehar, David Garcia and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)

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PRICE ONE SHILLING.

THE BUTTERFLY'S BALL,

AND THE

GRASSHOPPER'S FEAST.

By Mr. ROSCOE. ILLUSTRATED WITH ELEGANT ENGRAVINGS.

LONDON: Printed for J. HARRIS, Successor to E. NEWBERY, at the Original Juvenile Library, the Corner of St. Paul's Church Yard. 1808. Printed on Hand-made Paper, bound in characteristic style, with uncut edges, price Half-a-Crown,

GOODY TWO-SHOES A FACSIMILE REPRODUCTION OF THE

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EDITION OF 1766 WITH AN INTRODUCTION GIVING SOME ACCOUNT OF THE BOOK AND SOME SPECULATIONS AS TO ITS AUTHORSHIP BY CHARLES WELSH

"The facsimile of 'Goody Two-Shoes,' which Mr Welsh has edited, and Messrs Griffith and Farran published, might be classed among the Christmas books of the season, but it deserves more extended notice, as reproducing a volume which, if hardly known to the present generation, ranks among English Classics. Mr Welsh deserves hearty thanks for the trouble he has taken in producing this neat little volume."—Athenæum. "We are sure that many who are no longer in their youth will be pleased to see it."— Queen. "A very quaint little book."—Punch. "Notwithstanding the difficulties of type, the cramped pages that will not keep open, and the hideous woodcuts so faithfully reproduced, we have seen more than one child reject the latest picture book of Mr Caldecott or Kate Greenaway, with its purple and gold, for the hodden grey of 'Goody Two-Shoes.'"—Pall Mall Gazette. GRIFFITH & FARRAN, Successors to Newbery & Harris, WEST CORNER OF ST PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, LONDON.

☞ A few copies are done up in an exact reproduction, by hand, of the original flowery and gilt Dutch pattern, price Five Shillings.

THE BUTTERFLY'S BALL AND THE

GRASSHOPPER'S FEAST BY MR ROSCOE A FACSIMILE REPRODUCTION OF THE

EDITION OF 1808 WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY CHARLES WELSH

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GRIFFITH & FARRAN Successors to Newbery & Harris WEST CORNER OF ST PAUL'S CHURCHYARD, LONDON FIELD & TUER, YE LEADENHALLE PRESSE, E.C. MDCCCLXXXIII

INTRODUCTION. Early in the present century John Harris—one of the successors to the business of "Honest John Newbery," now carried on by Messrs Griffith & Farran at the old corner of St. Paul's Churchyard—began the publication of a series of little books, which for many years were probably among the most famous of the productions of the House. Now, however, according to the fate which usually overtakes books for children, nearly all of them are forgotten or unknown. The first book in this series which was known as Harris's Cabinet was "The Butterfly's Ball," and was published in January 1807. This was followed in the same year by "The Peacock at Home" (a sequel to "The Butterfly's Ball"), "The Elephant's Ball," and "The Lion's Masquerade;" and then (prompted no doubt by the success of these, for we learn on the publisher's authority that of the two first 40,000 copies were sold within twelve months) Mr Harris brought out a torrent of little books of a like kind, of which the titles were: "The Lioness's Ball," "The Lobster's Voyage to the Brazils," "The Cat's Concert," "The Fishes' Grand Gala," "Madame Grimalkin's Party," "The Jackdaw's Home," "The Lion's Parliament," "The Water King's Levée;" and in 1809, by which time, naturally enough, the idea seems to have become quite threshed out and exhausted, the last of the Series was published; this was entitled, "The Three Wishes, or Think before you Speak." 87


Of this long list of books a few of the titles are still familiar, and one of them, "The Butterfly's Ball," may certainly claim to have become a Nursery Classic. It is still in regular demand; the edition now in sale being illustrated by Harrison Weir; it has been published in various forms, and has figured in most of the collections of prose and verse for the young that have been issued during this century. Probably to the minds of hundreds of people past middle age few lines are more familiar than the opening couplet— "Come take up your hats, and away let us haste To the Butterfly's Ball and Grasshopper's Feast"—

and many no doubt by a little effort of memory could repeat the whole poem. Hardly less famous were the three books which next followed in order of issue—"The Peacock at Home," "The Elephant's Ball," and "The Lion's Masquerade." Their original size was 5 by 4 inches, and they were issued in a simple printed paper wrapper. It is of these first four books that the reprint is here given, and in order to present both pictures and text with greater effect this reprint has been made upon considerably larger paper; the text and illustrations are fac-simile reproductions of originals from the celebrated Flaxman collection recently dispersed at a sale by Messrs Christie, Manson, & Woods, when Mr Tuer, to whom I am indebted for their loan, became their fortunate possessor. "The Butterfly's Ball" is not a reproduction of the first edition, which, as will be shown later on, would be considered by those who are familiar with the poem as incomplete. Moreover, the illustrations in the edition here presented are obviously by the same hand as that which embellished the other three books, and it was felt that for these reasons it would possess a greater interest. "The Butterfly's Ball" first appeared in the November number of the Gentleman's Magazine, where it is said to have been written by William Roscoe—M.P. for Liverpool, the author of "The Life of Leo X.," and well known in the literary circles of his day—for the use of his children, and set to music by order of their Majesties for the Princess Mary. When the verses were subsequently published in book form, the text and pictures were engraved together on copperplates. An edition, with pictures on separate pages, appeared early in the next year, which is the one here reproduced. In this edition there are many variations from the previous one. The allusions to "little Robert"—evidently William Roscoe's son—do not occur in the former, and many slight improvements, tending to make the verses more rhythmical and flowing, are introduced. The whole passage, "Then close on his haunches" (p. 7) to "Chirp his own praises the rest of the night," &c. (p. 10), is an interpolation in this later edition. It is, I believe, certain that the verses were written by Roscoe for his children on the occasion of the birthday of his son Robert, who was nearly the youngest of his seven sons. No doubt when they were copied out for setting to music the allusions to his own family were omitted by the author. A correspondent of Notes and Queries—who is, I believe, a niece of the late Sir 88


George Smart—says, in reference to the question of the setting of the verses to music, that— "The MS., in Roscoe's own handwriting, as sent to Sir G. Smart for setting to music, is in a valuable collection of autographs bequeathed by the musician to his daughter. The glee was written for the three princesses—Elizabeth, Augusta, and Mary—daughters of George III, and pupils of Sir George, and was performed by them during one of their usual visits to Weymouth."

"The Peacock at Home" and "The Lion's Masquerade" were, as the title-page puts it, written "by a Lady," and we should most likely have remained in ignorance as to who the lady was if there had not been published in 1816 another little book of a somewhat similar character, entitled "The Peacock and Parrot on their Tour to discover the Author of 'The Peacock at Home,'" which, the Preface tells us, was written immediately after the appearance of "The Peacock at Home," but from various circumstances was laid aside. "In the opinion of the publishers," the Preface goes on to say, "it is so nearly allied in point of merit to that celebrated trifle that it is introduced at this late period." The book relates in verse how the peacock and parrot— "... far as England extends Then together did travel to visit their friends, Endeavour to find out the name of our poet, And ere we return ten to one that we know it."

After long travelling— "A path strewed with flowers they gaily pursued, And in fancy their long-sought Incognita viewed. Till all their cares over in Dorset they found her, And plucking a wreath of green bay-leaves they crowned her."

In a footnote is added, "Mrs Dorset was the authoress of 'The Peacock at Home.'" Mrs Dorset, according to a note by Mr Dyce which appears on the fly-leaf of a copy of "The Peacock at Home," in the Dyce and Forster Collection at South Kensington, was sister to Charlotte Smith. Their maiden name was Turner. The British Museum Catalogue says Mrs Dorset also wrote "The Three Wishes, or Think before you Speak," which is the last on the list of books inHarris's Cabinet. (See p. iv.) It seems to be clear that the same lady wrote "The Lion's Masquerade" as "The Peacock at Home," for in "The Lioness's Ball" (a companion to "The Lion's Masquerade") the dedication begins thus— "I do not, fair Dorset, I do not aspire, With notes so unhallowed as mine, To touch the sweet strings of thy beautiful lyre, Or covet the praise that is thine."

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I regret that I am unable to offer any conjecture here as to the "W. B." who wrote "The Elephant's Ball:" the same initials appear to an appendix to an edition of "Goody Two Shoes," published some time before 1780, but this may be a coincidence only. Besides the interest and merit of these little books on literary grounds, these earlier editions are especially noteworthy because they were illustrated by the painter William Mulready, and the drawings he made for them are amongst the earliest efforts of his genius: they were executed before he had reached man's estate. It is not a little curious to observe in this connection how many artists who have risen to eminence have at the outset of their career been employed in illustrating books for children; it would indeed appear that until comparatively recent years the veriest tiro was considered capable of furnishing the necessary embellishments for books for the nursery—a state of things which, we need not say, happily does not obtain in the present day. Notwithstanding this, however, these and many other little books of a bygone time abound in instructive indications of the beginnings of genius which has subsequently delighted the world with its masterpieces. In connection with Mulready and children's books it may be interesting to note that in 1806 a little book called "The Looking Glass" was published, said to be written by William Godwin under the name of "Theophilus Markliffe." This work is the history and early adventures of a young artist, and it is known that it was compiled from a conversation with Mulready, who was then engaged in illustrating some juvenile books for the author, and the facts in it relate to the painter's early life. It contains illustrations of the talent of the subject done at three, five, and six years old, which are presumed to be imitations of Mulready's own drawings at the same ages. I cannot more fitly close these few words of Introduction than by quoting the quaint and curious announcement with which Mr Harris was wont to commend these little books to the public. "It is unnecessary," says he, "for the publisher to say anything more of these little productions than that they have been purchased with avidity and read with satisfaction by persons in all ranks of life." No doubt the public of to-day will be curious to see what manner of book it was that was so eagerly sought after by the children of the early days of the present century, and interested in comparing it with the more finished but often showy and sensational productions of our own time. C. W. LEYTONSTONE, September 1883.

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THE

BUTTERFLY'S BALL, AND THE

GRASSHOPPER'S FEAST. BY MR. ROSCOE.

LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. HARRIS, SUCCESSOR TO E. NEWBERY, AT THE ORIGINAL JUVENILE LIBRARY, CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCH-YARD. 1808. Field & Tuer, Ye Leadenhalle Presse, London.

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THE

BUTTERFLY'S BALL. Come take up your Hats, and away let us haste To the Butterfly's Ball, and the Grasshopper's Feast. The Trumpeter, Gad-fly, has summon'd the Crew, And the Revels are now only waiting for you. So said little Robert, and pacing along, His merry Companions came forth in a Throng. And on the smooth Grass, by the side of a Wood, Beneath a broad Oak that for Ages had stood,

92


Saw the Children of Earth, and the Tenants of Air, For an Evening's Amusement together repair. And there came the Beetle, so blind and so black, Who carried the Emmet, his Friend, on his Back. And there was the Gnat and the Dragon-fly too, With all their Relations, Green, Orange, and Blue. And there came the Moth, with his Plumage of Down, And the Hornet in Jacket of Yellow and Brown; Who with him the Wasp, his Companion, did bring, But they promis'd, that Evening, to lay by their Sting. And the sly little Dormouse crept out of his Hole, And brought to the Feast his blind Brother, the Mole.

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And the Snail, with his Horns peeping out of his Shell, Came from a great Distance, the Length of an Ell. A Mushroom their Table, and on it was laid A Water-dock Leaf, which a Table-cloth made.

94


The Viands were various, to each of their Taste, And the Bee brought her Honey to crown the Repast. Then close on his Haunches, so solemn and wise, The Frog from a Corner, look'd up to the Skies. And the Squirrel well pleas'd such Diversions to see, Mounted high over Head, and look'd down from a Tree. Then out came the Spider, with Finger so fine, To shew his Dexterity on the tight Line. From one Branch to another, his Cobwebs he slung, Then quick as an Arrow he darted along, But just in the Middle,—Oh! shocking to tell, From his Rope, in an Instant, poor Harlequin fell.

95


Yet he touch'd not the Ground, but with Talons outspread, Hung suspended in Air, at the End of a Thread. Then the Grasshopper came with a Jerk and a Spring, Very long was his Leg, though but short was his Wing; He took but three Leaps, and was soon out of Sight, Then chirp'd his own Praises the rest of the Night. With Step so majestic the Snail did advance, And promis'd the Gazers a Minuet to dance.

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But they all laugh'd so loud that he pull'd in his Head, And went in his own little Chamber to Bed. Then, as Evening gave Way to the Shadows of Night, Their Watchman, the Glow-worm, came out with a Light.

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Then Home let us hasten, while yet we can see, For no Watchman is waiting for you and for me, So said little Robert, and pacing along, His merry Companions returned in a Throng.

END OF THE BUTTERFLY'S BALL.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Butterfly's Ball and the Grasshopper's Feast, by Mr. Roscoe

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BUTTERFLY'S BALL ***

*****

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Part 3: WORDS MAKE IMAGERY (Haiku poetry) One short poem form is called a haiku. Most contemporary types of Japanese haiku usually contains 17 syllables, and often, but not always, is divided into three lines of 5, 7, and 5 syllables. Though definitions vary regarding what is included in a haiku, its subject is usually drawn from nature or a seasonal theme and it often consists of comparisons. A haiku is most often divided into two parts, the first line a fragment, and the other two lines a phrase. A haiku is a close look at something that is made important by using very few carefully selected words. It is often very much a "picture poem." Below are examples of haiku poems. “Ant Farm” – Abigail M. Parker Ants in black armor Patrol the hibiscus leaves Flocks of aphids graze. “Centipede” – Jeff Geiger Hundred-legged shape Slithers across the pavement Searching for it's prey “Bee” – Jeff Geiger The hive works as one Pollinating and building Living for the queen “untitled” – Dave Russo all the insects I’ve killed–waiting in the other world “untitled” – Kobayashi Issa Don't kill that poor fly! He cowers, wringing his hands for mercy “Frozen” – author unknown below zero night long overdue fly, frozen dead on windowsill

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Activity: On an 8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper, illustrate the poem that speaks the strongest to you. Use a pencil or pen. You may wish to use coloring media as well, such as markers, crayons, color pencils, or paints. What are media or tools do you think would be best to illustrate this haiku? Do you see the scene in color or black and white? After the illustrations are done discuss the work. Do the drawings show that the children understand what is happening in the poems? Point out the different ways that the children interpreted the poems. Have the children talk about the parts of the poems that they chose to illustrate in their drawings. Part 4: Haiku and you… It’s up to you now. Review what you have learned about descriptive writing and writing Haiku poems. Think of an insect that speaks to you the most. Maybe it’s not your favorite insect; maybe it’s the one that you’re the most afraid of. Maybe it’s the insect that reminds you of a particular season, time, or place. Write a poem about that insect and illustrate the poem. You may wish to have the class present their poems by reading them out loud or posting them in the class for review.

Flip Mode… Now that you are getting more comfortable with understanding the integration with words and images try and flip the method. Instead of writing first and illustrating second – which is a backwards way of how we actually view the world, try and draw a picture of an incest in a scene or habitat. Now, write a haiku poem about your picture. Typically the way in which we experience the world is that we see first and describe later.

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North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Visual Art Standard 1:

Media, Techniques and Processes Students understand and apply media, techniques, and processes. 4.1.2 Know the different techniques used to create visual art 4.1.5 Know how different visual art media, techniques, and processes are used to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories 4.1.6 Know Use visual art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner

• •

Structure and Function Students understand how works of art are structured and how visual art has a variety of functions. 4.2.2 Know how expressive images cause different responses and communicate ideas 4.2.3 Use visual art structures and functions of works of art to communicate ideas

• •

Standard 2:

Standard 3: • Standard 5: • • Standard 6: •

Students know a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas. 4.3.1 Understand hos a variety of subjects, themes, symbols and ideas are incorporated in a selection of works of art Students understand the characteristics and merit of one’s own artwork and the artwork of others. 4.5.1 Know various purposes for creating works of art 4.5.2 Know that works of art can elicit different responses Connections Students make connections between the visual arts and other disciplines. 4.6.1 Know the similarities and differences between the visual arts and other art disciplines (performing arts, literature, practical arts) 4.6.2 Know connections between the visual arts and other disciplines in the curriculum Common Core Reading Standards for Literature

Grade 4, RL.1

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.

Grade 4, RL.2

Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text

Grade 4, RL.3

Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions)

Grade 4, RL.5

Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text Reading Standards: Foundational Skills

Grade 4, RF.3

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words

Grade 4, RF.4

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

Reading Standards for Informational Text Grade 4, RI.7

Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears 101


Writing Standards Grade 4, W.1

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

Grade 4, W.1

Write narratives* to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences.

Speaking and Listening Standards Grade 4, SL.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacherled) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Grade 4, SL.2

Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

Grade 4, SL.3

Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points.

Grade 4, SL.4

Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

Grade 4, SL.5

Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

Language Standards Grade 4, L.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Grade 4, L.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Grade 4, L.3

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Grade 4, L.4

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Grade 4, L.5

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Grade 4, L.6

Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).

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Project: “La Cucarachita Martina” Another folk story that Jennifer Angus mentions in her Artist’s Statement is “La Cucarachita Martina.” There are different versions of this folktale. • La Cucarachita Martina – Puerto Rico • La Cucaracha Martina – Cuba • La Cucaracha Martínez – Colombia • La Cucarachita Mandinga – Panama They all have the same moral lesson, which you will discover after reading. Another name for a “moral story” is a “fable”. A Fable is a short story that usually is about animals and that is intended to teach a lesson. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fable December 21, 2013 A key word in understanding Fables or Moral stories is anthropomorphization. To anthropomorphize is simply to give human characteristics to non-human things or animals. Anthropomorphization is one of the most basic ways we learn about our world. Jennifer Angus uses this concept in her exhibitions by dressing up the insects and having them enact human scenes. One of the goals of anthropomorphization is to create empathy and understanding. You may wish to skip to the English version if you are not teaching Spanish. The English version is located after the Spanish version.

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Spanish Version (En Espanol) LACUCARACHITA MARTINA Y EL RATONCITO PÉREZ Adaptada de la folclórica puertorriqueña, "La Cucarachita Martina", por Rosario Ferré Narrador: Había una vez una cucarachita muy bonita que vivía en el campo. Sus ojos eran negros y su piel morena. Todo el mundo la llamaba la Cucarachita Martina. La cucarachita era muy buena ama de casa, y la suya brillaba como una tacita de oro. Un día mientras barría el patio de su casa se encontró un objeto redondo. Cucarachita: ¿Qué será esta cosa redonda? ¡Ah es una moneda! ¿Qué voy hacer con esta moneda? ¡Ah, ya sé lo que voy hacer! Me compraré un traje nuevo. No, no, un traje vale más que esta moneda. ¿Qué voy a comprar con esta moneda? Compraré un par de zapatos. ¡Ah, no, no! Un par de zapatos vale más que esta moneda. Ya sé, compraré una caja de polvo. Eso si que me hace falta. (La cucarachita va al pueblo a comprar el polvo) Narrador: Esa tarde cuando la Cucarachita regresó a su casa, se bañó, se empolvó toda, y se puso su mejor vestido. Martina se veía lindísima. Tenía una amapola en el pelo y la cara bien empolvada. Entonces se sentó a tomar el fresco en el balcón de su casa. Cucarachita: ¡Si ratoncito Pérez pasara y me viera, estoy segura que me invitaría a bailar con él esta noche! Narrador: Al rato atravesó la calle muy elegante el Señor Gato, todo vestido de negro porque iba camino de unas bodas. Cuando la vio tan bonita, el Señor Gato se acercó al balcón, y recostándose en los balaustres, se atusó los bigotes con un gesto muy aristocrático y dijo: Gato: Buenas tardes, Martina. ¡Qué bonita estás hoy! Esta noche hay baile. ¿Quieres bailar conmigo? Cucarachita: Tal vez, Gato Pardo, tal vez. Pero, ¿cómo me hablarás mientras bailemos? Gato: Yo maullaré "¡MIAOU, MARRAOUMAUMIAOUU, MIAOUUMIAOUU! Yo mando aquí, y arroz con melao". Cucarachita: ¡Ay no, por favor, Señor Gato! Eso si que no, porque me asusta. ¡Váyase lejos de aquí, antes de que llame a los guardias! Narrador: Y el Señor Gato salió corriendo lo más rápido que pudo. Al rato cruzó la calle el Señor Perro, con su abrigo acabadito de cepillar porque iba camino de una boda. Viéndola tan bonita, se arrimó al balcón y se rascó el lomo contra los balaustres varias veces. Irguió entonces las orejas como si fuese un perro de casta y dijo: Perro: ¡Muy buenas tardes, Martina! ¡Pero que reguapa está usted hoy! Esta noche hay baile. ¿Quieres bailar conmigo? Cucarachita: Puede ser. Pero primero tiene que decirme, ¿cómo me hablarás mientras bailemos?

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Perro: ¡Cómo no, Cucarachita! Enseguida le enseño. Yo ladraré: "¡JAUJAUJAUJAU! !JAUJAUJAUJAU! Yo mando aquí y arroz mamposteao". Cucarachita: ¡Ay no, por favor, Señor Perro! Aléjese de mi lado. Es usted muy chabacano y con tanto escándalo me va a asustar a los invitados. Narrador: Y el Señor Perro se fue muy triste. Al rato pasó el Señor Gallo, con su plumaje muy limpio y vestido muy elegante, se arrimó al balcón y dijo: Gallo: ¡Buenas tardes, Martina! ¡Pero qué preciosa está usted hoy! Te invito a bailar conmigo esta noche. Cucarachita: Puede ser, pero primero dígame, ¿cómo me hablarás mientras bailemos? Gallo: Mi voz será como una caja de música, Maritna. Yo cantaré: "KIKIRIKII, yo mando aquííí, KOKOROKOOO, aquí mando yo!" Cucarachita: ¡Ay no, por favor! ¡Apártese de mi lado! Narrador: Señor Gallo tristemente se alejó . Y en un santiamén apareció el grillo saltarín al lado del balcón de la casa. Grillo: Muy buenas tardes, Martina. ¡Qué bella estás hoy! Te invito a bailar esta noche. Cucarachita: Todo depende, Grillo Saltador, ¿sabes? ¿Cómo me hablarás mientras bailemos? Grillo: Eso es muy fácil. Yo te diré: "CHIRRÍ , CHIRRÍ. Soy dulce como un pirulí. CHIRRÍ, CHIRRÍ, CHIRRÍÍÍÍ". Cucarachita: ¡Ay no por favor! Apártese de mi Señor Grillo, es usted muy chillón. Narrador: Al Señor Grillo se le bajaron las antenas de la pena. Poco después apareció el Señor Chivo con sus cuernos muy brillosos y su barba muy peinada. Chivo: Buenas tardes, Cucarachita. ¡Qué Hermosa estás hoy! Esta noche hay baile: ¿Quieres bailar conmigo? Cucarachita: Todo depende Chivo. ¿Cómo me hablarás cuando bailemos? Chivo: No es difícil yo te diré: "BE, BEEE, BEEEEEEEE hay que benbé BE BEEEEEE, ¡Qué bueno es!". Cucarachita: ¡Ay, no, no Señor Chivo, usted está muy equivocado! Salga de aquí, con usted no quiero bailar. Narrador: El Chivo se alejó muy triste. A lo lejos, se oía coqui, coqui, quiquíquí. Era un coquí pequeño y pálido que se acercaba al balcón. Coqui: Buenas tardes, cucarachita que linda estás hoy ¿Quieres bailar conmigo en el baile está noche? 105


Cucarachita: Quizás…..Pero dime ¿cómo me hablarás mientras bailemos? Coqui: Yo te cantaré, "COQUI-I-I, COQUI-I-I, COQUI-QUI-QUI-QUI". Cucarachita: Hay no, no, creo que sí me hablas así, me desmayaré allí. Narrador: El coqui salió de allí cantando bajito qui-qui. En eso apareció en el balcón de la casa muy elegante y vistoso un cerdito primoroso. Cerdito: Buenas tarde Martina que preciosa estás hoy. ¿Quieres ir al baile conmigo? Cucarachita: No sé. Pero dime antes, ¿cómo me hablarás mientras bailemos? Cerdito: "OINC, OINC, OINC, que alegre me ponga cuando te veo a ti, OINC, OINC, OINC." Cucarachita: Hay no, hay no con ese oinc, oinc me asustaré. Y salga de aquí antes que el lodo me salpique los pies. Narrador: El cerdito salió con su rabito entorchado. En eso se vio una lucecita azul. Era el cucubano que impresionado con la belleza de la cucarachita y se acercó a ella. Cucubano: Buenas tardes Cucarachita. ¡Qué brillante está! ¿Quieres ir al baile conmigo? Cucarachita: Bueno, Bueno ¿Cómo me hablarás mientras bailemos? Cucubano: No te diré nada, solo te alumbraré con mi lucero. Cucarachita: Ay no, Ay no que me cegarás con esa luz. Narrador: Al cucubano se le apagó su lucecita. Inesperadamente apareció un elegante y apuesto águila que viajó desde el norte al enterarse del grandioso baile. Se había enterado que Martina había rechazado a todos sus pretendientes. Pensó que con su maravilloso plumaje la conquistaría. Águila: Good evening, Martina. What a tropical beauty I see in front of me! Would you make me the happiest eagle and go with me to the Fiesta? Cucarachita: ¿Qué, qué? No pik inglés! ¿Cómo U pik mi español cuando bailes conmigo? Águila: We don’t need words. I will sweep you off your feet and show you the fifty shinning stars. Cucarachita: Ay no, Ay no, no me barra los pies o haga un show con estrellas chinas! ¡Por favor, salga tan rápido como sus grandísimas alas puedan llevarle! Narrador: El águila se fue volando bajito. A lo lejos se escuchaba… Ratón(cantando): Cucarachita Martina, Cucarachita Martina, quieres bailar, quieres bailar. El ratoncito Pérez te viene a invitar, te viene a invitar. 106


Narrador: La Cucarachita lo vio acercarse, se arregló sus antenitas y se sentó derechita. El Ratoncito Pérez estaba vestido con una camisa blanca y mahones recién planchados, y en la cabeza llevaba puesto un sombrero de paja, adornado con una hermosa pluma roja. Ratón: ¡Buenas tardes, bella dama! Qué elegante y bella está usted hoy. ¿Me haría el honor de acompañarme al baile esta noche? Cucarachita: A lo mejor: ¿Cómo me hablarás mientras bailemos? Ratón: Te diré muy despacito: "¡CHUI CHUI CHUI ! ¡Así te quiero yo a ti!" Cucarachita: ¡Ay, qué lindo y qué fino! ¡Me gusta cómo haces, Ratoncito Pérez! Sí, quiero ir al baile contigo. Narrador: La Cucarachita Martina y El Ratoncito Pérez bailaban juntos toda la noche. La vida de Martina cambió el día que descubrió la moneda cuando estaba barriendo. Su descubrimiento no fue solamente de una moneda sino un hallazgo del amor puro. Ella se dio cuenta que el ratón le gustó a ella por si misma y no solamente porque llevaba polvo en su cara. El ratón siempre prestaba atención a la cucarachita Martina pero los demás animales solamente se aceraron después de puso el polvo en su cara. La moraleja que aprendimos en el cuento es que nuestros amigos son los que nos aprecian por quienes somos.

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English Version MARTINA THE COCKROACH AND PÉREZ THE RAT Adapted and translated from Rosario Ferré’s version of the Puerto Rican folklore about "La Cucarachita Martina" Narrator: Once upon a time there was a beautiful cockroach that lived in the countryside. Her eyes were black and her skin brown. Everyone called her Martina the cockroach. The cockroach took very good care of her house, and it shined like a cup of gold. One day while sweeping the patio of her house she found a round object. Cockroach: Hhhmmmm? What could this round object be? (as she wipes off the dust) Ahha, it’s a coin! What am I going to do with this coin? Ah yes, I already know what I’m going to do! I will buy myself a new dress. No, no, a dress costs much more than this coin. Hmmm? What am I going to buy with this coin? I will buy a pair of shoes. Oh, no, no! A pair of shoes is worth a lot more than this coin. Ahha! I know, I will buy myself some face powder. This is something I don’t have. (the cockroach goes to town to buy a powder puff) Narrator: That afternoon when Martina returned to her house, she took a bath, powdered herself all over, and put on her best dress. Martina looked stunning. She had a flower in her hair and her face was beautifully powdered. Then she went to sit on her balcony to get some fresh air. Cockroach: If Pérez the rat passes by and sees me, I’m sure he will invite me to dance with him tonight! Narrator: At that moment, Mr. Cat very elegantly crossed the street. He was all dressed in black because he was on his way to a wedding. When he saw how beautiful the cockroach looked, Mr. Cat approached her balcony. He leaned on the banister, twisted his whiskers in a very aristocratic manner and said: Cat: Good afternoon, Martina. How beautiful you look today! There is a dance tonight. Would you like to dance with me? Cockroach: Perhaps, Mr. Cat, perhaps. But, how will you talk to me while we dance? Cat: I will meow, "Meow, MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWW, MEOWMEOWMEOWMEOW, MEOOOOWMEEEEEOOOOOOW!" Cockroach: Ah no, please, Mr. Cat! I don’t like that, why in fact it scares me. Leave and go far away from here, before I call the police. Narrator: And Mr. Cat left running as fast as he could. At that moment, Mr. Dog crossed the street with his coat freshly combed because he too was on his way to a wedding. Seeing the cockroach looking so beautiful, he leaned over the balcony and scratched his back against the banister. He perked up his ears as if he were a dog of class and said: Dog: A very good afternoon to you, Martina! But how lovely you look today! Tonight there is a dance. Would you like to dance with me? 108


Cockroach: Maybe. But first, you have to tell me how you will talk to me while we dance. Dog: Of course I will show you, Martina! I will bark like this "RUFF, RUUUUUUUFFFFFFFFFFFF, RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUF, RUFFRUFFRUFF!" Cockroach: Ah no, please, Mr. Dog! Get away from me. You are very rough and with so much noise you’re going to scare all the others at the dance. Narrator: And Mr. Dog left very sad. But at that moment, Mr. Rooster passed with his feathers very clean and very elegantly dressed. He came close to the balcony and said: Rooster: Good afternoon, Martina! But how pretty you look today! I want to invite you to dance with me tonight! Cockroach: Maybe, but first tell me; how will you talk to me while we dance? Rooster: My voice would be like a music box, Martina. I will sing: "COCKADOODLE DOO I LOVE YOU!" Cockroach: Oh no, please! Leave my side right now! Narrator: Mr. Rooster left very sadly. And then in the time you can make the sign of the cross, the grasshopper appeared and hopped right next to the balcony of the house. Grasshopper: A very good afternoon to you, Martina. How gorgeous you look today! I would like to invite you to dance tonight. Cockroach: You know, it all depends, Mr. Grasshopper. How will you talk to me while we are dancing? Grasshopper: That’s very easy. I will say to you "PRRR, PRRRRRRRRR, PRRRRR, I’m sweet like candy, PRRR, PRRR". Cockroach: Aye no, please! Leave now Mr. Grasshopper, you sound too whinny. Narrator: Mr. Grasshopper’s antennas lowered because of embarrassment. A little later, appeared Mr. Goat with his brilliant horns and his beard very combed. Goat: Good afternoon, cockroach. How strikingly beautiful you look today! Tonight there is a dance: Would you like to go with me? Cockroach: It all depends Goat. How will you talk to me when we dance? Goat: That isn’t difficult. I will say to you: "BEEEEH, BEEEHHHH, BEEEEEEEEH, BEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHH! You are so beeeeeeaaaaautiful." Cockroach: Aye, no, no Mr. Goat, you are very mistaken! Go away from here, I do not want to dance with you! 109


Narrator: The goat left very sad and disappointed. From a far, ribit, ribiiit, riiiiiibit, rrrrrrrrrrrrribit, was heard. It was a small pale frog that approached the balcony. Frog: Good afternoon, cockroach! How cute you look today! Would you like to dance with me at the dance tonight? Cockroach: Perhaps, but first tell me: How will you talk to me while we are dancing? Frog: I will sing to you, "RIIIBIT, RRRRRRRIBIT, RIBBBIT, BIT, BIT, BIT." Cockroach: No, no, I believe if you talk to me that way I will faint. Narrator: The frog left from there singing softly, "bit, bit". And in that moment, a very cute pig appeared at the balcony of the house. He was very elegant and good-looking. Pig: Good afternoon, Martina! How precious you look today. Would you like to go with me to the dance? Cockroach: I don’t know. First tell me how you will talk to me while we dance. Pig: "OINK, OINK, OINK, how happy you make me when I see you, OINK, OINK." Cockroach: Oh no, oh no, with that oink, oink, you will certainly scare me. Please get out of here before all that mud splashes my feet. Narrator: The pig left with his twisted tail. And in that moment a little blue light was noticed. It was a firefly that was impressed by the cockroach’s beauty so he too approached her. Firefly: Good afternoon, Cockroach. How stunning you are! Would you like to dance with me? Cockroach: Maybe, but how will you talk to me while we dance? Firefly: I will not tell you anything; I will only illuminate you with my light. Cockroach: Oh no, oh no you will blind me with that light of yours. Narrator: The firefly’s light died out. Suddenly, an elegant and handsome eagle appeared who had just traveled from the north for the grand dance. He had been informed that Martina had rejected all the candidates for the dance. He thought that with his marvelous feathers he would win her over. Eagle: Good evening, Martina. What a tropical beauty I see in front of me! Would you make me the happiest eagle and go with me to the fiesta? Cockroach: ¿Qué, qué? No pik inglés! ¿Cómo U pik mi español cuando bailes conmigo? Eagle: We don’t need words. I will sweep you off your feet and show you the fifty shining stars. 110


Cockroach: Oh no, oh no, don’t sweep my feet. Please leave as fast as your great wings can carry you! Narrator: The eagle flew away slowly. But from afar you could hear….. Rat (singing): Cockroach Martina, Cockroach Martina, do you want to dance, do you want to dance? Pérez the rat came to invite you, came to invite you. Narrator: The cockroach saw him approaching, so she fixed her antennas and sat up straight. Pérez the rat was dressed with a black shirt and recently ironed pants, and on his head he wore a straw hat, decorated with a beautiful red feather. Rat: Good afternoon, gorgeous maiden. How remarkably dazzling you look today! Will you do me the honor of accompanying me to the dance tonight? Cockroach: Maybe, but how will you talk to me while we dance? Rat: I will slowly say to you, "EEE, EEE, EEE, that’s the way I love you!" Cockroach: Oh, how beautiful and how fine! I like the way you talk to me, Pérez the rat. Yes, I want to go to the dance with you. Narrator: Martina the cockroach and Pérez the rat danced together all night long. Martina’s life had changed the day she discovered the coin when she was sweeping. Her discovery wasn’t only of the coin, but of a pure love. She realizes that the rat likes her for who she is and not just because she wears powder on her face. The rat always paid attention to Martina and because of that she wants him to ask her to the dance. All the other animals only approach her after she puts powder on her face. The lesson that we learn from this story is that our friends are those who appreciate us for who we are. http://pan.intrasun.tcnj.edu/501/projects/Muserlian/LaCucarachita.htm December 21, 2013 The story “La Cucarachita Martina” has many different characters. As a class activity you may wish to assign your students parts to read or even create a small play. You could also make puppets and create a classic puppet play. Character list: Narrator Cockroach Cat Dog Rooster Grasshopper

Goat Frog Pig Firefly Eagle

Rat

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If you choose to make puppets, you may wish to use the simple ‘paper bag’ method.

http://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/mbagbaldeagle.htm December 21, 2013 This website also has instruction and template for the “eagle” puppet. But, be creative. All you really need is a paper lunch bag and imagination.

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North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Visual Art Standard 1:

Media, Techniques and Processes Students understand and apply media, techniques, and processes 4.1.2 Know the different techniques used to create visual art 4.1.5 Know how different visual art media, techniques, and processes are used to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories 4.1.6 Know Use visual art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner

• •

Structure and Function Students understand how works of art are structured and how visual art has a variety of functions. 4.2.2 Know how expressive images cause different responses and communicate ideas 4.2.3 Use visual art structures and functions of works of art to communicate ideas

• •

Standard 2:

Standard 3: • Standard 5: • • Standard 6: •

Students know a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas. 4.3.1 Understand hos a variety of subjects, themes, symbols and ideas are incorporated in a selection of works of art Students understand the characteristics and merit of one’s own artwork and the artwork of others. 4.5.1 Know various purposes for creating works of art 4.5.2 Know that works of art can elicit different responses Connections Students make connections between the visual arts and other disciplines. 4.6.1 Know the similarities and differences between the visual arts and other art disciplines (performing arts, literature, practical arts) 4.6.2 Know connections between the visual arts and other disciplines in the curriculum Common Core Reading Standards for Literature

Grade 4, RL.1

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text

Grade 4, RL.2

Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text

Grade 4, RL.3

Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions).

Grade 4, RL.5

Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text Reading Standards: Foundational Skills

Grade 4, RF.3

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words

Grade 4, RF.4

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension Speaking and Listening Standards

Grade 4, SL.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacherled) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly

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Grade 4, SL.2

Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally.

Grade 4, SL.3

Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points.

Grade 4, SL.4

Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace.

Grade 4, SL.5

Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes.

Language Standards Grade 4, L.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Grade 4, L.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Grade 4, L.3

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Grade 4, L.4

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Grade 4, L.5

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Grade 4, L.6

Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).

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Project: Create Your Own Insect — With a Catch… The overarching goal of Jennifer Angus’s artwork in exhibition “The Butterfly’s Ball and Grasshopper’s Feast” is that she wants us to appreciate the insects that share the world with us. Or is it us that shares the world with them? In order to open the doorway for appreciation she uses artistic methods of color and pattern to draw us into the exhibition. She also uses anthropomorphization to help us empathize with the insects. She displays the insects in pseudo-scientific ways to reference the excitement of exploring the unknown. Using a variety of techniques she gives us permission to use our imagination to gain understanding, something she claims we had no trouble using when we were children. Using the power of our imagination and the information resources we have available today, here is the final project. Create your own insect, but with a catch that’s described below: Here are the things you will need to think about and address: What are the common characteristics of an insect? Insects can be distinguished from other arthropods by the number of legs and distinct body parts. If you see an animal that has six legs and three main body parts (head, thorax and abdomen) you are looking at an insect. Many insects, but not all, also have wings and antennae. Also, insects are invertebrates. They wear their skeletons on the outside of their bodies. Checklist: Six legs – used for locomotion. Head – contains the brain, antennae, compound eyes, and mouthparts. Mouthparts – highly specialized for manipulating and consuming their food Antennae – used to feel and sometimes to help see Thorax – The thorax is the locomotion part of the insect. The six legs are connected to the thorax and if the insect has wings, they are also attached here. Wings – (if applicable) one or two pairs. Sometimes they can fly, sometimes not. Abdomen – The abdomen is the third body part and is the place where reproductive organs are found as well as the place where most of the breathing, digestion and blood circulation takes place. Many insects have additional parts that are unique to them. Usually these parts are necessary because of the habitat in which the insect lives, including the food it eats and it’s predators.

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Here is the catch — Think of an insect that must live in a particular environment on earth that is almost entirely human made. For example, what about an insect that’s only found in schools, or office buildings, or factories? After you have decided what type of human made environment the insect lives in how will the insect survive? What food does it eat? Because of that, what mouthparts does it have? Does it have predators? Does it need a defense? Because of that, what coloration and size is it? What is its reproductive cycle? Many eggs? Just a few? A nest? Does it hide its eggs or lay them in vast numbers? Does it need to cling to walls? What kinds of legs does it need? Does it need to fly? Does it need to sing? Most importantly… How does it live sustainably within its environment? Or does it? Is it invasive? Will it overtake its environment and in turn cause its own extinction? After you have thought about these questions and have an image of your insect in mind, begin to create your illustration. Keep in mind that as your illustration develops it may change as you go. Your final project will include a fully rendered illustration of your insect and a description that answers the questions above. It will also include the name of your insect and the date you created it. After you have created your illustration and a scientific description write a Haiku poem about your new creation.

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Example of scientific illustrations of insects‌

http://www.mnh.si.edu/onehundredyears/profiles/George_Venable.html December 22, 2013

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4209926544_ce7fd10833.jpg December 22, 2013 117


Name of Insect: ___________________________________________ Date: __________________ Habitat: Size from head to abdomen: Size of wings (if applicable): Coloration: Predators: Defense: Food: Reproductive cycle: Sound: Other important information: Haiku:

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North Dakota’s Achievement Standards: Visual Art Standard 1:

Media, Techniques and Processes Students understand and apply media, techniques, and processes. 4.1.2 Know the different techniques used to create visual art 4.1.5 Know how different visual art media, techniques, and processes are used to communicate ideas, experiences, and stories 4.1.6 Know Use visual art materials and tools in a safe and responsible manner

• •

Structure and Function Students understand how works of art are structured and how visual art has a variety of functions. 4.2.2 Know how expressive images cause different responses and communicate ideas 4.2.3 Use visual art structures and functions of works of art to communicate ideas

• •

Standard 2:

Standard 3: • Standard 5: • • Standard 6: •

Students know a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas. 4.3.1 Understand hos a variety of subjects, themes, symbols and ideas are incorporated in a selection of works of art Students understand the characteristics and merit of one’s own artwork and the artwork of others. 4.5.1 Know various purposes for creating works of art 4.5.2 Know that works of art can elicit different responses Connections Students make connections between the visual arts and other disciplines. 4.6.1 Know the similarities and differences between the visual arts and other art disciplines (performing arts, literature, practical arts) 4.6.2 Know connections between the visual arts and other disciplines in the curriculum Common Core Reading Standards for Literature

Grade 4, RL.1

Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text

Grade 4, RL.2

Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text

Grade 4, RL.3

Describe in depth a character, setting, or event in a story or drama, drawing on specific details in the text (e.g., a character’s thoughts, words, or actions)

Grade 4, RL.5

Explain major differences between poems, drama, and prose, and refer to the structural elements of poems (e.g., verse, rhythm, meter) and drama (e.g., casts of characters, settings, descriptions, dialogue, stage directions) when writing or speaking about a text Reading Standards: Foundational Skills

Grade 4, RF.3* Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words Grade 4, RF.4

Read with sufficient accuracy and fluency to support comprehension

Reading Standards for Informational Text Grade 4, RI.7

Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the text in which it appears 119


Writing Standards Grade 4, W.1

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly

Grade 4, W.1

Write narratives* to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences

Speaking and Listening Standards Grade 4, SL.1

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacherled) with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly

Grade 4, SL.2

Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually, quantitatively, and orally

Grade 4, SL.3

Identify the reasons and evidence a speaker provides to support particular points

Grade 4, SL.4

Report on a topic or text, tell a story, or recount an experience in an organized manner, using appropriate facts and relevant, descriptive details to support main ideas or themes; speak clearly at an understandable pace

Grade 4, SL.5

Add audio recordings and visual displays to presentations when appropriate to enhance the development of main ideas or themes

Language Standards Grade 4, L.1

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.

Grade 4, L.2

Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

Grade 4, L.3

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Grade 4, L.4

Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.

Grade 4, L.5

Demonstrate understanding of figurative language, word relationships, and nuances in word meanings.

Grade 4, L.6

Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate general academic and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being (e.g., quizzed, whined, stammered) and that are basic to a particular topic (e.g., wildlife, conservation, and endangered when discussing animal preservation).

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Teacher Survey / Evaluation Form: At the exhibition, or available through request, is a survey that you can complete which will help us to improve our Rural Arts Program. Please complete this survey. I rely on the feedback from experienced teachers like you to develop applicable teaching material. As I read through the North Dakota Achievement Standards and the Common Core Standards I realized that one activity may easily meet several education standards. I ask that you please complete the survey and provide me any additional feedback as well. I want to know what I can do to make the teaching material as relevant for you as possible. Thank you for your time and attention. I look forward to working with you. Kindly, Matthew Anderson Director of Education North Dakota Museum of Art manderson@ndmoa.com (701) 777-3599

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