Kindergarten aged children have real life experiences with changes in weather and the seasons. Using their background knowledge and applying it to how the seasons affect people, plants and animals is a how we introduce the concept of life cycles. At the end of the summer butterflies are laying the last of their eggs here in Vermont from which caterpillars will emerge.
We gathered Painted Lady caterpillars in a tank in our classroom to study the stages of their life cycle and metamorphosis. From here we will study the life cycle of a sugar maple tree, apple tree, and the cycle in nature of the four seasons and how they are interrelated. In winter we will study why certain animals either migrate, hibernate or adapt.
We gathered Painted Lady caterpillars in a tank in our classroom to study the stages of their life cycle and metamorphosis. From here we will study the life cycle of a sugar maple tree, apple tree, and the cycle in nature of the four seasons and how they are interrelated. In winter we will study why certain animals either migrate, hibernate or adapt.
During the first few days the caterpillars were in a small cups on top of tank, eating food that resembled an oatmeal mixture. We started our observation journals, drawing exactly what we saw.
It's always more fun to make observations with a magnifying glass just like scientist do in a lab. The caterpillars grew in size rather quickly which we noted in our drawings.
As the caterpillars began to slow down their eating we placed them in the tank and waited for them to attach themselves to the paper on the underneath side of the cup lid and form their chrysalis. Once their chrysalis was hard we taped them to the inside of the tank and waited for the butterflies to emerge.
When the butterflies emerged they took time to rest and dry their wings. We observed them eating the fluids inside the chrysalis and then provided sugar water on a sponge for them to eat. We could see their long straw-like proboscis stretched out and in as they fed.
As we released the butterflies we wished them a good migration trip!
We discovered the symmetrical features of butterflies and noted the duller color on the underneath side of their wings.
When butterflies migrate they are seeking warmth & shelter, food and a place to lay more eggs to continue the life cycle. These needs cause them to migrate when the season change here in in Vermont.
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