Teaching Children About the Early Bird Gets the Worm

Simple statements or sayings are included in the Core Sequence Knowledge Books, the series, "What Your ____ Needs to Know." Discussions are included on each saying or phrase with listings of additional material to read regarding the topic.

To introduce this statement to my group of kids in the early elementary group I teach, Kindergarten through second grade, I put together a project and discussion.

First, I mention the statement and asked them what they thought it meant. Everyone is included in answering questions, we just go around the circle and let each child have a turn. Then, I share the meaning of the statement: the early bird gets the worm. Animals often compete for food. Worms are often still close to the surface in the morning, and birds who rise early, before the worms have a chance to hide back underneath the soil, have breakfast. I share that the people who rise early have a great deal of satisfaction in their lives. They feel they accomplish a good amount during their waking hours.

I told the children to remember this statement as we read the story, The Grasshopper and the Ants. I asked them if the grasshopper was an early bird and if they thought he would become one. We discussed the story for a little while, giving each child an opportunity to share, then cut out worms and decorated birds with shredded paper, tissue paper, and crayons. The kids glued the worms either in the mouths of the birds or next to bird.

When each child was finished, they received a gummy worm to eat after reciting the phrase.

This was a fun way to introduce this statement and discuss a little more about the meaning of the statement. The kids enjoyed the gummy worms too!