From Caterpillar to Butterfly

I am so excited to share our Caterpillar to Butterfly experience with you!

We spent the last 2 weeks observing our Painted Ladies change from Caterpillars to Butterflies!

The Lil Divas really enjoyed watching the life cycle changes before their very own eyes - In my opinion, nothing beats seeing this up close & personal.

The Lil Divas learned so much from observing the metamorphosis first hand & no matter how many times I have watched this - it never ceases to amaze me!

So here's is our picture journey:

Our caterpillars on the very first day they arrived:

They grew quickly & within 2-3 days we could see their skin had split and they were noticably longer and fatter

Within 5 days the first of the caterpillars was getting ready to begin his changes - see it form the "J" shape below (the girls found this so cool!)

Our first chrysalis & others beginning their change

All 5 chrysalises were soon ready

We took them out of the container and put them into the butterfly (net) pavilion

Within a week we had our first butterfly - I don't know if it was due to the heat here in FL but the process was really quick for us. We had our caterpillars turn into butterflies in less than 2 weeks (for the whole process)

The next day we had our 2nd butterfly, on the 3rd day we got 2 more and the final one came a day later

Here the Painted Lady is drinking some sugar water

Here's what our Painted Ladies looked like

Release Day

Wasn't that AWESOME! :)

I ahve to say, the Lil Divas were a bit sad to see the butterflies go but they know they are meant to fly free so they can lay their eggs - giving us more beautiful butterflies!

Plus, I think it helped them to know we have ladybugs on the way to observe next as part of our Insect Theme ;)

Be sure to check out all my Caterpillar & Butterfly Themed Posts - lots of info & ideas!

You can view our  Butterfly Life Cycle Craft Here - includes lots of great preschool books on the topic as well!

Some more Caterpillar/Butterfly Themed Crafts & Activities Here

Have you raised caterpillars to butterflies?

Bern

Life Cycle of a Butterfly - Learning w/Pasta & more

After a week devoted to caterpillar fun we naturally progressed into our butterfly theme this week.
I started the week discussing the Butterfly Life Cycle (which we also touched on last week). There is just no better way to teach this than by observing it first hand.

We have had such a wonderful time watching our caterpillars grow, shed, prepare and form their chrysalis and emerge as butterflies right before our eyes! Our fifth and final butterfly emerged from it's chrysalis today - the Lil Divas were beyond excited!

Look for our butterfly post soon - we release them tomorrow & then we will share our entire experience with you! :)
Great books we read this week on the Butterfly Life Cycle:

Butterfly House










From Caterpillar to Butterfly

Caterpillar to Butterfly

Born to be a Butterfly



Becoming Butterflies

Magnificent Monarchs

Where Butterflies Grow









Waiting for Wings

Are You a Butterfly?

Butterfly Life Cycle Review - Playing w/Sequence Cards

I found some butterfly life cycle sequence cards from Preschool Post that we used. The Lil Divas had to sequence the life cycle (they did great by the way - they told me it was easy, lol!) and then I had them match up the words to the pictures as well (that was trickier).

Butterfly Life Cycle Pasta Craft:

I had an entirely different craft in mind for our study of the Butterfly Life Cycle but my girls were restless, my allergies were raging and Mama was just plain tired to undertake the big craft I had planned on that particular day.

Then, I remembered the quick & easy pasta life cycle craft I did with my 2nd graders (I had a class of 30 so quick and easy was essential!). They had enjoyed it and it really helped them recall the different stages.

I looked in our cabinets and found that I could make it work! Yay! So, I whipped out the food coloring to make it a bit more festive for the Lil Divas and we set to work coloring some of our pasta in preparation.

What You Need:
Construction paper - blue & green
tacky glue
pipe cleaner (we just used 1)
rice (uncooked) - just a few grains - these will be the eggs
shell pasta - 1 - this will be the pupa/chrysalis
wheel pasta (3 or 4) - to make the caterpillar
bow tie pasta - butterfly - use as many as you would like

Prep - use the green construction paper to make 2 leaves. We cut a little hole in 1 to make it look like the caterpillar took a bite out of it.

What To Do:

1. Fold paper into half & then half again to make 4 equal squares (1 for each stage of the life cycle)

2. Discuss how a caterpillar begins it's life - as an egg. Then in box # 1 add a leaf then glue a few grains of rice (eggs) to it. Add the word egg to label.

3. Discuss what hatches from the egg - a caterpillar & talk about what it does - eats lots of leaves to grow & prepare to become a butterfly. In box #2 add the other leaf (w/cut out) and glue on your wheel pasta to form a caterpillar. Add the word caterpillar to label.

4. Discuss what happens to a caterpillar after it has eaten & grown - it becomes a pupa/chrysalis. In box # 3 add the pipe cleaner (branch) and glue your shell pasta. This is the pupa or chrysalis - label.

5. Discuss what emerges from the chrysalis - a butterfly. In box #4 add your shell pasta and label with the word - butterfly.

Now that you have completed your life cycle let your child use it to explain the life cycle of a butterfly to you!

Tis the saeson for life cycle explorations! What life cycle crafts/lessons have you explored with your children?

Bern

Linking to STart, Childhood 101 - We Play!, Sharing Time,  Get Crafty,  Read, Explore, Learn , For the Kids Friday,  Preschool Corner, Feed Me Books Friday  , Fun for Kids Friday , It's Playtime , and Creative Juice Thursday

Butterfly Symmetry Art

Here’s a great butterfly art project that is not only fun but also reinforces creativity, fine motor skills and the concept of symmetry.

Books We Read:

Butterfly Symmetry Painting

What You Need:

Large Butterfly Template

paints in various desired colors

paintbrushes

What To Do:

1. Fold Butterfly template in half & have child paint design only on one side (half the butterfly) - encourage the use of lots of paint (this makes it easier for the design to transfer onto the other side)

The Oldest Diva decided to make a Monarch Butterfly - her favorite.

She really wanted it to look just like a Monarch so she requested to use one of our books with a picture of a Monarch to work from.

She was so serious about this - look at the level of concentration on her cute lil face!

I was very impressed with her attention to detail!

The Littlest Diva decided to do her own thing & make a rainbow butterfly! :)

2. Once the design has been painted - close the butterfly & press down to transfer paint from one half to the other.

The Littlest Diva really liked this part - she said it felt squishy!

3. Voila! Your awesome symmetrical butterfly is complete.

Didn't they turn out awesome? Love them - the Lil Divas did such a great job!

A furthur look into the concept of symmetry:

Drawing Lines of Symmetry - The Oldest Diva & I worked on this sheet together using a ruler - she enjoyed working with the ruler and caught on rather quickly.

Pattern Block Butterfly - while I worked w/the Oldest Diva the Littlest Diva worked on this pattern block butterfly

Of course the Oldest Diva had to get in on the fun eventually but she wanted to make it "harder" (her words)  so she decided to use the template as a picture guide. She did a great job.

What projects have you done to introduce the concept of symmetry to your child(ren)?

Bern

Linking to STart, Childhood 101 - We Play!, Sharing Time,  Get Crafty,  Read, Explore, Learn , For the Kids Friday,  Preschool Corner, Feed Me Books Friday  , Fun for Kids Friday , It's Playtime , Made by Little Hands Monday and Creative Juice Thursday

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