Venus Flytrap Crafts and Learning Activities
The patterns for the Following Crafts and Learning Activities are available to members.
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- This download includes the text from this page and nine printable patterns.
Venus Flytrap Paper Plate Puppet and Toss Game
Children or adults can use this puppet to teach about the Venus Flytrap. It is so simple to make and only takes two paper plates and a little bit of card stock.
What you will need:
Two Regular-sized Paper Plates
Green and Pink Acrylic Paint
White Card Stock
How to Make the Venus Flytrap Puppet:
1. Fold one paper plate in half so that the top of the plate is on the outside. This will be the inside mouth of the Venus Flytrap. Paint the inside green around the edge and pink in the middle.
2. Cut another paper plate in half, and cut a curve from the side of one of the halves as shown in the diagram to the right. This will be the bottom outside of the Venus Flytrap. Paint the bottoms of the paper plate halves green.
3. Cut a strip of card stock two inches wide and 8 1/2" long. Cut wedge shapes (teeth) from the strip as shown in the picture below.
Glue the teeth around the edge of the unpainted side of the mouth piece. Fold the mouth in half to make sure you glue the bottom teeth so they line up opposite the top teeth. When the teeth come together they should alternate. Glue the paper plate halves to the folded paper plate mouth covering the area where the teeth are glued to the mouth.
4. Glue eyes to the top of the puppet.
5. Use your puppet to teach about Venus Flytraps.
Educational Activities Using the Venus Flytrap Puppet
1. Discuss how Venus Flytraps catch their prey by snapping shut their modified leaves when trigger hairs are touched. The teeth around the end of the leave form a cell-like enclosure so that flies can not escape. Have your children make their own paper plate flytraps and then test them to see if they can catch flies. Make flies from 2-inch black pom poms. Cut strips of white plastic grocery bags about 6" long by 1" wide. Tie the strip around the center of the pom pom and then cut the ends into wing shapes. Glue on wiggle eyes to finish.
2. Watch a video about the Venus Flytrap using this paper plate pattern on "My Little Puppet Club".
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Grow Your Own Venus Flytraps
Use this Venus Flytrap paper plate craft as a educational tool. Children can write facts about flytraps on the writing sheet or the circular book and glue it to the inside of the paper plate flytrap.
What you will need:
Regular-sized Paper Plate
Green and Pink Paint
Paint Brushes
Scissors
Green Construction Paper
How to Make the Paper Plate Venus Flytrap:
1. Paint the bottom of the paper plate green and the top green around the edges. When it is dry fold it in half so that the top of the plate is on the inside.
2. Print out the circular book or writing sheet on onto pink paper.
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3. Have your children write facts about flytraps on writing paper or circular book and then glue it to the inside center of the paper plate flytrap.
4. Cut wedge shapes all the way around the edge of the paper plate to make the cilia.
Test Your Knowledge - Can You Answer these Questions About the Venus Flytrap?
1. What does the flower of the Venus Flytrap look like?
2. Where do Venus Flytraps grow naturally?
3. How does the flytrap attract bugs?
4. How does it know when an insect has landed on it.
5. How does the flytrap determine when to snap shut its leaf?
6. How many hairs does the flytrap have?
7. How long does it take a plant to digest an insect?
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Venus Flytrap Craft and Learning Activity
Use this Venus Flytrap paper plate craft as a educational tool. Children can see how many different arthropods they can name and feed to the Venus Flytrap, and classify them into phylum and classes.
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Instant Digital Download - - This download includes the text from this page and nine printable patterns.
What you will need:
Regular-sized Paper Plate
Green and Pink Paint
Paint Brushes
Scissors
Green Construction Paper
How to Make the Paper Plate Venus Fly trap:
1. Paint the bottom of the paper plate green and the top green around the edges. When it is dry fold it in half so that the top of the plate is on the inside.
2. Cut wedge shapes all the way around the edge of the paper plate to make the cilia.
3. Print out the "Feed Me" sheet onto pink paper. Cut stem shapes from green construction paper and glue them to the side of the fly trap.
4. Print out the arthropod sheet or use clip art. (Printable pattern available to members or part of the Venus fly trap instant download above.)
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Instant Digital Download - - This download includes the text from this page and nine printable patterns.
5. Have your children see how many arthropods they can name and feed them to the fly trap Then have them divide them into phyla and classes.
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Venus Fly trap "Feed Me" Printable Board Game
How to Make the Paper Plate Venus Fly trap:
1. Paint the bottom of the paper plate green and the top green around the edges. When it is dry fold it in half so that the top of the plate is on the inside.
2. Cut wedge shapes all the way around the edge of the paper plate to make the cilia.
3. Print out the "Feed Me" sheet onto pink paper. Cut stem shapes from green construction paper and glue them to the side of the fly trap.
This printable game is a great way to review facts about Venus Fly traps.
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Children read about fly traps. and make up their own questions and answers for the game.
Each player starts with five flies. Players take turns picking a card and trying to answer a question. If a player answers a question correctly, he spins a die and tries to get one of his flies to land on the Venus fly trap space.
The player who "feeds" all his flies to the fly trap first wins.
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Venus Fly trap - Label the Parts Printable Activity Sheet for Home school
Look up information about Venus Fly traps. and other carnivorous plants online and watch the suggested online videos and then print out the Venus Fly trap Activity Sheet and see if you can name the parts of the plant or draw your own Venus Fly trap and label the parts.
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Answers from top to bottom: Trigger hairs, marginal teeth or cilia, kidney-shaped leaf tip, flower, and lower part of the leaf.
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More Learning Activities
1. Lookup these other interesting Carnivorous Plants on the Web: Cobra Lily, English Sundew, Pitcher Plants, and Yellow Trumpet.
2. Check out these videos and Movie:
BBC - Life - Venus Fly traps.: Jaws of Death - This is an amazing video with up-close images of the fly trap, hairs, nectar, fly, etc. Don't miss this video!
Watch "Little Shop of Horrors" 1986 Movie with Steve Martin, Rick Morainis, and Bill Murray
