Animals

A couple of weeks ago, the second grade class began their unit of study on animals. Here are some of the main ideas from this science chapter:

-Many different kinds of animals live in our world. These are separated into five groups: mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, and fish.

-Animals change as they grow. Young frogs and butterflies look different from their parents.

-A place where an animal lives is its habitat.

-Some animals eat plants, other animals eat animals. This is called the food chain.

-Animals protect themselves in many different ways.

In order to better understand the meaning of animal life cycles, we have focused on frogs and butterflies. The best way to observe the life cycle of the butterfly is to watch one happen before one's eyes - so that's what we are doing! Last week two jars of young caterpillars arrived in our classroom. Over the last nine days we have watched them grow and change. Today, half of them are forming their chrysalis. Every student has been recording the changes they observe in their own Caterpillar Diary.

Also, today the students made clay models of the life cycle of a butterfly. Even though we have only seen three of the stage so far, everyone knows what the final stage will bring - a butterfly! Discuss the changes that your child is seeing everyday here at school with them at home.