Butterflies

Spring break comes to a close tomorrow for me, and I'd be lying if I said I was ready to go back.  I'm not!  This has been such a good week.  Time off for me is all about family, friends, and relaxation, and this break was no exception.  I'm just getting my stay-at-home mom rhythm going - I don't want to go back!  Oh well.  Summer will be here before I know it.

This post is from activities my class did two weeks ago.  This is one of my absolute favorite weeks of the whole year!  Our anthology selection covers the life cycle of a butterfly, opening the door to so many enriching activities - art, writing, science. We had such a blast.

So, we start by completing our butterfly life cycle plate.  I used to use different shaped pasta for the different stages, but I wasn't a huge fan of that version.  So, viola!  I've been using this one for a few years now, and the results are more visually pleasing and less "kinder-esque."  I use a small paper plate with a 6" diameter.  The kids write their name on the part of the plate that we usually eat off of and then flip it over.  They use a Sharpie to split the small circle on the back of the plate into quarters, and then it's time to color in that small circle blue.  I use a navy bean for the egg.  I've been working on the same bag for 6 years now, and I'd estimate I've got enough beans for at least another 10.  Next, I cut pipe cleaners into 4" sections, and the students make a zig-zag caterpillar.  For the chrysalis, I grab some tiny twigs from outside and snap them into sections that are about 3 inches long.  Students then take a cotton ball and unroll it - the hardest part of this whole project for them - and then wrap a small piece of the cotton ball around the stick.  Last, the kids color and cut their butterfly.  The egg, caterpillar, and chrysalis all rest on a leaf, but the butterfly is flying high in the blue sky, leaf-free.  Slap on some labels, and presto!  You've got the life cycle of a butterfly!  Downloads for the files are at the end of this post.

Now that we've got a visual representation of the life cycle, what should we do with it?  Well, usually, I have a butterfly habitat set up in my room with caterpillars inside doing their thing, getting nice and fat.  This year, the timing of our pacing guide and spring break meant that the kids would miss an entire week of the caterpillar's life cycle during spring break if I ordered them to arrive the week we read the anthology selection.  So, the caterpillars are going to be delivered next week, once we're all back in class. I usually cram in an science observation journal during this time along with a few other science projects, and it just feels so rushed.  Spacing it out will give me some curricular breathing room, so stay tuned for the science projects!

Moving on to writing - my favorite part of this whole butterfly unit!  The students write from the point of view of a caterpillar.  They name their caterpillar, and they tell the reader about their life cycle.  Before writing, we create a class word bank of tricky words like chrysalis and caterpillar, but I don't help them spell anything else.  The students brainstorm with their table mates strategies for writing each sentence, but each student always ends up with a slightly different story from their partners. (We've spent a lot of time talking about not being a first grade alien.  An alien comes to earth and tries to steal a person's brain! People who use their neighbor's "brains" and ideas are being first grade aliens.  It always confuses class visitors when out of the blue I tell students, "No aliens allowed!")

After the writing is complete, students cut out their stories and glue them onto their caterpillar's body segments.  Add some pip-cleaner antennae, pom-pom noses, googly eyes, some black legs, and you've got yourself a paper doll chain-style caterpillar!  If you stretch them out as I did for my display, they look amazing!  Folded up, they are a great addition to any desktop at open house.

Side note  - The kids come up with the funniest names for their caterpillars - Mr. Potatohead, Millonlegs, Wiggler.  However, one of my students this year took the cake.  I was hanging up the finished caterpillars, reading each students' writing through, and I came across a caterpillar that was named Big Black.  Now, I love the TV show "Rob and Big," but really - a first grader?  I checked with the student, and he said, "Oh, yea, that's Big Black.  There's this show on TV with Rob Dyrdek..."  It's hard not to laugh, but come on, people!  First grade is waaaay too young for these shows!

Ok, onto my last project - my personal favorite.  We spend time doing a nutrition unit, classifying healthy and unhealthy food. We talk about what unhealthy food can do to your body overtime as well as the benefits of eating lots of fruits and veggies.  How could this possibly tie into caterpillars and butterflies?  Why, by using The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, of course!  Students create their own book, titled The Very Hungry Student, and they write about themselves eating healthy and unhealthy foods along the way.  It's not uber academic or and doesn't get too heavily connected to science, but darn it if it isn't one of those adorable projects my students will keep forever!

To punch the holes in the book, I picked up an extra long hole punch.  You can grab one here.  I've had a few years to figure out the kinks of punching the holes in exactly the right spot, so give yourself some time to figure that piece out.

If you want to complete this project, print page 1 on cardstock, as it will be the cover.  Print page 2 on its own, 3 and 4 back to back, 5 through 8 on their own, 9 and 10 back to back, 11 and 12 back to back, and think before you print the last pages.  I have included two options.  I use one if I am not retaining any students.  It mentions moving onto second grade.  If I am retaining any students, the entire class completes an alternate ending page.  I am extremely sensitive to the embarrassment that can surround retentions.  So, depending on your class's situation, print either 13 and 14 back to back or 13 and 15 back to back.

When you cut pages 5 through 7, cut "Monday" so that it is 2 3/4".  Cut "Tuesday" so that it is 4 9/16".  Wednesday should be 6 9/16".  Thursday should be 8 9/16".  Easy way to figure out 9/16" - it's the half inch mark, plus one more line on the ruler.

Sound complicated?  It's not, really.  Here are some photos of a finished book, from front to back.

Alright, that is it for me.  Here are all of the files.  If you download a file, please make sure you are following my blog.  Thanks!  Stay tuned for some caterpillar science in the coming weeks.

Butterfly Life Cycle Plate

Life Cycle Writing Circles

The Very Hungry Student Book

Cheers!
Meghan