Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Changing Butterfly Life Cycle Craft

The younger girls and I made a butterfly life cycle craft, inspired by Mama Smiles, this week, after reading Dorling Kindersley's See How They Grow, Butterfly book.


First, the girls made caterpillars, by gluing pompoms to clothespins...


...with google eyes, and small strips of tissue paper for antennae.


While those dried, the girls worked on making chrysalises by gluing green tissue paper squares onto toilet paper rolls.


When they were completely covered, I stapled one end closed.


Finally, we made wings for their butterflies by pinching rectangles of tissue paper, and taping them in the middle, to fit in the center of the clothes pins.


So, with the addition of a tiny pompom "egg", we could discuss the butterfly life cycle.


Or, by folding the wings up, and stuffing them into the toilet paper rolls, with the tape end up, we could act out how the butterfly wraps itself in the chrysalis shell...




...and then emerges, after a few weeks, with it's wings crumpled, and wet...


...to sun itself, and gradually dry, and straighten out it's wings...


...ready to fly.

It's great to be a homeschooler.

11 comments:

SweetandSimpleThings said...

Wonderful idea!

Christy Killoran said...

This is great. We typically get caterpillars from Insect Lore every year and the kids love the whole experience.

Natalie PlanetSmarty said...

I am sure that they can't wait to see it for real when their caterpillar hatches. Nice craft!

An Almost Unschooling Mom said...

Natalie - We had to let our caterpillar go, to keep it alive. But, like Christy, I ordered catterpillars from Insect Lore, which should be arriving soon, with their own food supply. We've done that a couple of times in the past, and it has always been terrific.

mom4 said...

This is prefect craft for when i do my butterfly suprise story i tell . i also order from there my butterfly . i think i be order around next week .

Phyllis said...

I saw that over at Mama Smiles. You have done a great job with it! It is a really cute craft!

Evenspor said...

Cool! We've been doing butterfly study recently too, and I know my son would love this craft.

Debbie said...

I have to get with it and order from insect lore. I promised Selena that we would do butterflies this year. I love this, it is a great way to explain the metamorphosis.

Ticia said...

I love both versions!

The Photographer said...

Great idea! Love it!

maryanne @ mama smiles said...

I love your version of this craft!