Caterpillars
Let's go to sleep (Wiggle fingers.)
The little caterpillars said.
So they curled up (Cross fingers and
In a chrysalis bed. close hands as if praying.)
They will awaken (Open fingers slowly.)
By and by,
And each one will be (Clasp thumbs and
A lovely butterfly! wiggle fingers like wings.)
Here are two life cycle projects that take a little time and effort, but they are something your students never will forget.
Pasta Butterfly
Materials: stick, rice, corkscrew pasta, seashell pasta, bowtie pasta, craft glue
Directions: Look on the playground for sticks or have children bring one from home. The stick should be as long as their foot. Have them glue a piece of rice on the left end of their stick to represent the caterpillar's "egg." Next, glue on a corkscrew pasta for the "caterpillar." Glue a seashell pasta on next for the "chrysalis." Finally, glue a bowtie pasta on the red end of the stick for the "butterfly." (They might want to color the pasta with markers before gluing it in place.) Encourage children to describe the life cycle of the butterfly using their stick.
Butterfly Puppet
Materials: old sock, markers, coffee filter, food coloring, eye dropper, pipe cleaner, safety pin
Directions: Several days before doing this activity ask children to bring in an old sock from home. First, let them decorate the outside of the sock to look like a caterpillar. They can use markers, pompoms, etc.
Next, prepare a butterfly using a coffee filter. Children fold the coffee filter into eighths. Using an eye dropper, have them drop colored water onto the coffee filter. Open and dry. Scrunch up in the middle and fasten on a pipe cleaner for the body and antenna.
Turn the sock inside out and pin the butterfly inside. Children can begin the story about the butterfly by inserting their hand into the sock. For the "chrysalis," have them begin turning the sock inside out. As the butterfly emerges, the children stick their hand in the sock to reveal the butterfly.
Baggie Butterfly
Make a butterfly by tearing up little pieces of colored tissue paper and putting them in a zip lunch bag. Gather up in the middle and twist on a pipe cleaner to make the body and antennae. Attach a string for flying.
Butterfly Bites
Children will enjoy assembling and eating this butterfly. You will need celery cut in 4" pieces, cream cheese, and pretzel twists. First, spread cream cheese in the hollow part of the celery. Insert two pretzels on either side for wings.
Children will enjoy assembling and eating this butterfly. You will need celery cut in 4" pieces, cream cheese, and pretzel twists. First, spread cream cheese in the hollow part of the celery. Insert two pretzels on either side for wings.
