Lesson of the Day 16

Butterflies 

...b, b, b the butterfly sound, B makes a butterfly sound! 

Children and adults love butterflies. Young children can watch them and understand  the beauty and change in nature and life.

Catch them with a photograph, just approach them slowly. 

 Life of a Butterfly

Butterflies begin their life when a female butterfly lays her egg on a leaf. 

The egg grows and matures.

A new caterpillar forms and eats all the time. 

The caterpillar matures and forms a hard outer shell. 

The fully formed butterfly emerges from the crysalis. 

Here  is a printout of the butterfly life cycle. 

Make beautiful reading cards or use them as prompts to write a story. 

Caterpillar Art

Materials

cardboard egg carton-cut into rows to represent a caterpillar

paint

sponge or bristle paint brushes

pipe cleaners or bag twisty for antennae 

Method 

Show your child how to paint the caterpillar using a bristle or sponge brush.

Caterpillars are various colors and patterns, so it is wonderful to encourage your children to be creative. 

Dry the your child's masterpiece and add the antennae. 

* Decorate your caterpillar  with paper punch holes, glitter and pieces of recycled gift wrapping. This is a fun cut and glue activity.

Butterfly Art

Ink blot butterfly with pipe cleaner antenae

Materials

Plain paper that will absorb paint easily 

Primary color finger paints

Scissors

Pipe cleaners or similar material for antennae.

Method 

Fold the paper in half.  Open paper into a whole piece again. Near the center of the paper place several different colors next to each other. Fold in half again and rub the outside (paint is on the inside of the fold) of the paper. Open and dry. See how the colors have mixed together to make new colors. Fold in half again and trace a butterfly pattern and cut into a beautiful butterfly. Attach antennae.

If you don't like to draw free hand, here are some beautiful Butterfly Templates  from first palette.com. 

Butterfly Movement Dance

Collect colorful scarves, add some melodious music to encourage your children to dance.

If you are musical, sing  "Row. row your boat" tune to our butterfly song while dancing.

b,b,b the butterfly dance

b, b, b, the butterfly

dancing, dancing, dancing, dancing

b, the butterfly dance!

Use the scarves as wings. Move them up and down like a butterfly wing and gently dance.

Dancing helps with coordination and movement. Also, it helps children to visualize their space by not bumping into other dancers or objects. 

Helpful ideas for you

How to Make a Butterfly Garden 

Make a Bug Barn

After you make a bug barn go through your garden and look for a crysalis. Keep the stem too so that the crysalis hangs properly

Check the cocoon everyday to make sure you can see the butterfly emerge from it's case.  Release the butterfly in your garden.