As I am sure you have heard, we have some classroom pets in room 109! One month ago today, we received five caterpillars in a jar. We watched them grow dramatically in size and eventually pupate into chrysalis. These chrysalides were then transferred into a larger netted cylinder where they eventually emerged as Painted Lady butterflies. Every child had a chance to sit with the caterpillars, chrysalides and finally butterflies to observe closely these amazing creatures. Every family should have received back their child's caterpillar diary which records some of their observations. We will keep the butterflies in our classroom through their life cycles as it is too cold to let them go outside. I really believe this project helped the students understand life cycles better and is ultimately an unforgettable experience. I have posted pictures here of the butterflies in their pupal stage as well as some students working on their clay models of a butterfly's life cycle.
