From Caterpillar to Butterfly: An Amazing Transformation!

Hello again, it's Ayn from little illuminations! Spring is here and it is the time for new life. Everywhere I look, flowers are beginning to bloom---especially right now, here in Augusta, Georgia where the Master's Golf Tournament is about to begin. Our city is filled with blooming azaleas. The pollen count is out of control already. Just a few days ago, we celebrated Easter, the time of year associated with new life. As part of our Easter celebration , we released butterflies that we watched grow and transform from caterpillars in Sunday School. 
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First, we observed the caterpillars,

photo by Kristy Zgol

Then they wrapped themselves up in a chrysalis,

photo by Kristy Zgol

Soon, butterflies emerged!

photo by Kristy Zgol

Soon we had a butterfly pavilion filled with beautiful butterflies!

On Easter Sunday, we released them in the garden. They were so comfortable in their habitat,  that several had to be lifted out--they didn't want to leave! 

They kept coming back and landing on our hands to visit! 

In Pre-K, we will be learning about this transformation next week right after Spring Break. We often make life cycle models with pasta. Here are a few examples from past years:

I usually put one of these tissue paper butterflies in my art center and wait to see what the kids do. Often, I get lots of tissue paper butterflies to decorate the room with!

My favorite books about the butterfly life cycle:

Thanks for stopping by!!!! 

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I'm thrilled to say I have been blogging here on PreK+K Sharing since the very beginning!  I am a Ga. Pre-K teacher, serving 4 and 5 year olds in an inclusive setting. Stop by and visit me anytime at littleilluminations.blogspot.com where I share my PreK classroom adventures or visit the little illuminations fanpage on facebook! And be sure to check out PreK+K Sharing EEE!

Metamorphosis Freebie!

Hi everyone! This is Sue Cahalane from Science for Kids Blog, I'm here on the 29th of every month. We just had the Science Fair at our school and one of my students brought in silkworms & silk cocoons! What a great opportunity to show my little ones the amazing life cycle of a moth.

Aren't they crazy looking??!! It looks like they have tiny faces! They love mulberry leaves. When they pupate, they make their cocoons - perfect little ovals of silk!

2 salivary glands in the caterpillar's head secrete a long, continuous thread of silk creating the cocoon.  Inside the cocoon, metamorphosis occurs & voila! A white moth emerges!

This is the worksheet I use when I teach butterfly metamorphosis. Click on the worksheet to pick up a copy! 

I uploaded a freebie on poison ivy identification. Click on the pic below for a copy: 

For other science activities and freebies, please check out my Teachers Pay Teachers store, Facebook page, Pinterest page & my Science for Kids Blog!

Wishing you a safe and happy summer!