Parts of the Ant Vocabulary
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Common Core
Our Parts of the Ant Vocabulary Cards show real photographs of an ant and its key external parts, one card for the whole ant and one for each part. The cards have no text, so pre-readers can focus on each part while learning its name. Students get a close look at the ant's tiniest anatomical details, jaws included, without getting bitten.
Use them for three-period lessons or for pointing out the same parts on real ants outdoors or in an ant farm. They are also part of our Parts of the Ant Book & Card Set, an interactive build-a-book reading comprehension activity.
Ants are insects, so their bodies have three main regions (head, thorax, and abdomen) and six legs. Once students are reading, use the corresponding Parts of the Ant 3-Part Reading Cards to carry the same vocabulary into reading activities.
What's included
- 8 cards, each showing one real photograph of the whole ant or one of its key external parts, with no text (see photo for list)
- Cards are approx. 4¼" x 3¾"
- Eco-laminated with a food-grade laminate and rounded corners
- Sturdy, clear reclosable bag for storage
- Lesson plan included
Add on our medium cloth pouches for an elegant, child-accessible display solution.
Created by a Montessori teacher and a zoologist. Eco-printed in our rural New England office.
Made in the USA. CPSIA compliant.
Note: Photos may change from those pictured.
Why do vocabulary cards matter for reading?
Interest drives learning. Montessori is a student-centered approach: the teacher observes what each student is curious about and offers materials that match. Students who stop to watch ants on the playground will choose these cards again and again. Each time is more practice naming, discussing, and sorting. That practice builds vocabulary, part of the language comprehension side of reading in both Gough and Tunmer's (1986) simple view of reading and Scarborough's (2001) reading rope. By learning what a thorax is now, a student will understand it when they later encounter it in text.
How do you use Parts of the Ant Vocabulary Cards?
First, spark curiosity by announcing work with the parts of the ant. Discuss where students have seen ants and what it means to be an insect. Then use the three-period lesson to teach a few cards at a time, starting with the whole ant. When students are reading, move on to the 3-Part Reading Cards, Parts of the Ant Book, and Definition Cards for a complete learning experience.
What ages is this for?
Typically ages 4 and up. The text-free format works for pre-readers and readers alike, and the cards also support English learners and older students beginning an insect study.
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