Ladybug Math
Reading Comprehension Activity

Under the shady maple tree lies a patch of ivy, and in the dark green ivy leaves is a very tiny school. This is where ladybug children learn everything they need to know before they grow up and fly away. The ladybug teacher was showing the class how to crawl on the underside of a leaf for shelter from a sudden rainstorm.

Pip, a small red ladybug, sighed. “I really want to go play in the sun,” she whispered to Dot. Dot was a yellow ladybug, and she was Pip’s best friend. She did not want Pip to get in trouble for talking, so she only wiggled her antennae.

Pip and Dot were in the oldest class of ladybugs at the school. They already had their grown-up beetle shells and would soon be ready to find homes of their own.

“All right, time for recess!” said the teacher.

All the ladybugs moved out from under their ivy leaves and into a sunnier spot away from the maple tree.

“What game should we play?” asked Dot.

“Let’s play Perfect Partners,” said Pip. “I call number six!”

Perfect Partners was the ladybugs’ favorite game. They played using the black dots on their shiny shells. When a number is called, the insects look for a partner to sit with. The goal is to find a partner with enough dots on her back to add up to that number.

Pip had two big black dots on her red shell, so she flew about looking for a ladybug with four spots. She knew that there were several in her class, and she quickly sat down next to Lollipop.

As the ladybugs paired off, Dot was left standing alone. She laughed. “I already have six dots on my back!” she said. “Let’s try a higher number. I call ten!”

Once again, the ladybugs flew around to look for a partner with the right number of spots to complete the math problem. Pip found her friend Jellybean, who had eight small spots on her back. Dot paired up with Lollipop this time.

“Time for lunch!” called the teacher. The ladybugs all flew back towards the ivy patch, where they knew that a lunch of delicious, wriggling green aphids was waiting for them.