Cicadas at Parker!

Students in 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade Art and Science classes recently shared a common interest around the 2024 Cicada Immersion and collaborated to study insects and cicadas. To begin prepping for this collaboration, Art teacher Anne Blasko and Science teacher Heather Sheahan went to the Chicago Botanic Garden for the workshop “Year of the Cicadas” to learn more about the amazing Periodical Cicada.

In Art, students worked on individual small sculptures of Cicadas using molds and clay. Students in Art also worked as a class on large Cicada sculptures that are on display at the entrance of the school on the Ginkgo tree. This is part of a larger city exhibition Cicada Parade-A, from the Insect Asylum. 

In Science, 3rd grade students explored the life cycle of the periodical 17-year cicada, comparing it to the life cycles of annual cicadas and other insects. Second grade students also had the opportunity to investigate cicadas as part of their insect study, examining collected cicada nymph exoskeletons and understanding what defines an insect.

All students walked away with a newfound understanding and appreciation for the cicadas that have been swarming Illinois!

Click here for photos from this collaborative curriculum.