Cycle of a Butterfly

Cycle of a Butterfly

Daily Question: Cc  Do you know what a chrysalis is? Before it becomes a butterfly, a caterpillar goes through a growth stage during which it is called a "chrysalis." On the surface it may not look like much is happening, but the delicate chrysalis process changes the fuzzy caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly with wings of intricate designs and intense colors.

Cc  Do you know what a cocoon is?

Answer comes from the below website "Butterflies hatch from a chrysalis, a life stage made of a hardened protein. A cocoon is spun from silk and surrounds the pupa of many moths.*"

Neat link: The Children's Butterfly Site

We study an old Chrysalis:

 Toys:  Cars and Track, "Cargo" ships (Pirates) and Castle toy, Busy Bugs (Pattern Puzzles) and (new) marble game.

Snack Time: Strawberry slices, club crackers, grapes, and graham crackers

We had fun listening to I Love Bugs while we ate our snack time.  In the end we went on a "Leaf Hunt" for our Caterpillar Activity.

We read some great books about the Cycle of a Butterfly and then heard a story about C the Caterpillar who cuts leave and chews them to gain strength to build a cocoon (chrysalis) and become a butterfly. The children make a cutting action with their fingers and say "cah, cah, cah."

Eva shows our Very Hungry Caterpillar Game (from the Book by Eric Carle)

Circle Time: 

C Show N' Teach

Dade's yellow paper, 
William's Castle Pop-up Book, 
Eleanor's Purple Butterfly--"I named her 'Purple'--She started out a caterpillar wrapped in a chrysalis!"

 Ethan & Kayson's Butterflies and nets.

Brody: Dinosaur 

Recess and Leaf Hunt: We spied a spider, big ants on leaves, and many different types of leaves on our Bug/Leaf Hunt.

Meet brothers Theo and Oscar, new students on Tuesdays.

We're going on a Bug (and leaf) Hunt!

 

Spying a spider.

C the Caterpillar's Leaf Rubbing Activity: 

 

So many leaves to choose from!

Leaf Rubbings--Put leaves under the paper, use flat edge of the crayon, and rub!


Butterfly Books:
Caterpillar Spring, Butterfly Summer by Susan Hood, Claudine Gevry, & Mara Van Fleet
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

I Love Bugs by Philemon Sturges (audio book)

In the Tall, Tall Grass by Denise Fleming

A Child's First Library of Learning, Insect World (Time Life)

Other Books on Butterflies/Moths:
Butterfly Express; A Book About Life Cycles (Child's Word. Magic Castle Readers)
The Bug Book by Dr. Hugh Danks
Know-It-Alls: Butterflies by Darlene Freeman and Mike Maydak
How to Hide a Butterfly by Ruth Heller
I Wonder Where Butterflies Go In Winter, and Other Neat Facts About Insects (Golden Book)
Butterfly & Moth (Eyewitness Books) by Paul Whalley
Percival the Plain Little Caterpillar by Helen Brawley (Bright pictures and foil cut outs).

Songs:
Janeen Brady's song,"See Me Run."