Guest Posted May 3, 2009 Posted May 3, 2009 Hi all, Trying to build resources, does anyone have any ideas for a life cycle catterpillar/butterfly activies. I'm really tearing my hair out here.
Upsy Daisy Posted May 3, 2009 Posted May 3, 2009 I do it by buying caterpillars and growing our own butterflies. It is one of my favourite activities. The kids often get to hold the butterflies when we are releasing them. It is a magical experience and the best way to learn. (It is also easy to do) I get them from http://www.insectlore-europe.com/ They have lots of other great resources as well. I am considering beig brave and getting stick insects this year - not sure if I am brave enough though!
Deb Posted May 3, 2009 Posted May 3, 2009 I do the same as Alison. It's a fantastic multi-sensory way to learn. Get me caterpillars from the same place. After the initial expense of the pavillion, it only costs around £11 a year to buy 5 caterpillars. Not sure I could be brave enough to go for stick insects though!
Guest Posted May 4, 2009 Posted May 4, 2009 we did a dance/movement session this year (1-3yr olds). We began as caterpillars crawling and then pretended to build and sleep in our cocoon before pushing our way out and dancing round the room with scarves and ribbons as our butterfly wings. for it to make sense to the children it's part of a wider activity - i get caterpillars too, and have got ladybird larvae this year too, lots of stories - fiction and non fiction and rhymes and songs too
Upsy Daisy Posted May 4, 2009 Posted May 4, 2009 Just had another thought. When we are doing the butterflies we usually made some paper butterflies and stick them onto lolly sticks. We roll them up and put them into chrysalises which we have made by decorating tiolet roll inserts. This is a great accompaniment to The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Guest Posted May 4, 2009 Posted May 4, 2009 Silly question but have you looked at Sparklebox? We've just had our Science Week so I know there are loads of life cycle resources on there. Including life cycle sequencing We've had caterpillars in our classrooms (Hoping that they will be chrysalises when we go back!), eggs (well...chicks now) in 2 different places around the school (which has even amazed staff and parents too!) and we also had the city farm come in to school and visit (we're in London! and being from Devon it still shocked me when one of my class asked me what a farm was!) I hope that helps, I'll let you know if I find any more Sam x
Guest Posted May 4, 2009 Posted May 4, 2009 yes definately try sparklebox i got some good lifecycles from there last week x
Guest Posted May 4, 2009 Posted May 4, 2009 I am considering beig brave and getting stick insects this year - not sure if I am brave enough though! Just a warning on the stick insect front- we got some eggs 2 weeks ago. The leaflet says they can hatch any time in the next 4 months! So if you are going to get some get them quick. If they do take 4 months we will be on summer holidays! The butterflies are fantastic- they take around 4 weeks so you shouldn't have problems hatching them before the holidays. The very hungry caterpillar is a fab book for doing the lifecycle of a butterfly. We have a story sack- very expensive but well worth it! Resources on sparklebox are good too.
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