Kindergarten Butterfly Lessons

Kindergarten Butterfly Lessons Title: Butterfly Introduction Grade Level: Kindergarten Subject: Language Arts Content Standards: Concepts of Print, Comprehension Strategies, and Self-Monitoring Strategies Objectives: Students will make predictions from text clues and cite specific examples to support predictions. Goals: Students will predict what will happen to the caterpillar in the book. Materials: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Procedure: 1. Show students the cover of the book and talk about what students already know about caterpillars. 2. Begin reading the book, through the Saturday page and then have students predict what will happen to the caterpillar. 3. Continue reading through the cocoon (chrysalis) page and have students predict what is happening inside the chrysalis. 4. Finish the book Assessment: Students will be assessed by their participation in making reasonable predictions about the story. Resources: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle Submitted by: Angie Cavera Kindergarten Teacher Van Buren Elementary School Title: The Very Hungry Caterpillar Retelling

Grade Level: Kindergarten Subject: Language Arts Content Standards: Literary Text Objectives: Students will compare and contrast plot across literary works. Goals: Students will retell the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar Materials: The Very Hungry Caterpillar The Very Hungry Caterpillar sequencing pictures The Very Hungry Caterpillar class book crayons Procedure: 1. Reread The Very Hungry Caterpillar, inviting students to chime in on the parts they know. 2. Pass out sequencing pictures. 3. Retell the story again, asking students to come up and put their pictures in the pocket chart at the appropriate time in the story. 4. Leave sequencing pictures out for centers so that students can retell the story on their own. 5. Have each student color a picture for a class version of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. 6. Compile the pages into a class book to be read the next day. The book will be put in the reading center so that students can read it on their own. Assessment: Watch students during centers to see if they are able to retell the story with the assistance of the sequencing pictures. Listen as students read the class book to see if they are able to retell the story. Resources: The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle http://www.hubbardscupboard.org/i_like_bugs_.html for sequencing pictures The Very Hungry Caterpillar class book obtained at a Victoria Smith workshop

Title: Caterpillar to Butterfly Grade Level: Kindergarten Subjects: Life Science Content Standards: Students demonstrate an understanding of how living systems function and how they interact with the physical environment. Objectives: Describe similarities and differences that exist among individuals of the same kind of plants and animals. Goals: Students will describe and act out the changes from caterpillar to butterfly. Materials: *egg cartons *green paint *wiggly eyes *pipe cleaner antennas *toilet paper rolls *pre-cut paper butterflies *markers *glue *Popsicle sticks Procedure: The students make caterpillars out of egg cartons. They paint the egg cartons green and let them dry completely. They finish their caterpillars by gluing on wiggly eyes and pipe cleaner antennas. The next day students will decorate pre-cut butterflies with markers. They will glue their butterflies on Popsicle sticks and insert them into the toilet paper rolls, or cocoons. Then they pull them out and witness the change! Assessment: The teacher will observe students hiding their caterpillars and watching their cocoons until their butterflies pop out. Resources: *The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle *http://www.eric-carle.com Submitted by: Amy Tabler Kindergarten Teacher Van Buren School

Title: Meeting Caterpillars Grade Level: Kindergarten Subjects: Language Arts, Science Content Standards: Informational, Technical and Persuasive Text; Scientific Inquiry Objectives: Students will use text features and structures to organize content, draw conclusions, and build text knowledge. Students will design and conduct a simple investigation to explore a question. Students will gather and communicate information from careful observations and simple investigation through a variety of methods. Goals: Students will use the pictures and illustrations from the text to understand what will happen to the caterpillars. Students will use the five senses to make observations about caterpillars. Students will use appropriate tools and simple equipment/instruments to safely gather scientific data (magnifying glasses) Students will draw pictures that correctly portray features of the caterpillars. Students will measure the length of the caterpillars using unifx cubes. Materials: I m a Caterpillar Live caterpillars Magnifying glasses Unifix cubes My Butterfly Journal Pencils, crayons Procedure: 1. Read I m a Caterpillar and review the life cycle of a butterfly 2. Invite students to look at the live caterpillars and discuss what stage of the life cycle they are in 3. Explain that scientists make observations when they investigate something and that they record their observations

4. Have students carefully observe a caterpillar, measure it with unifix cubes, and draw a picture of it in their butterfly journals Assessment: Students will be assessed on the accuracy of the pictures in their butterfly journals. Resources: I m a Caterpillar by Jean Marzollo Live caterpillars ordered from Insect Lore *The first journal entry should be done shortly after the caterpillars arrive. Follow-up a week later by looking at a butterfly life cycle poster and having students do another journal entry in the same way. Additional entries should be made: 1. When the caterpillars have made chrysalises read From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Deborah Heiligman and discuss how the caterpillars have changed 2. As the butterflies begin to emerge do this after reviewing the life cycle and having students sequence life cycle pictures and create their own life cycle model out of pasta 3. When the butterflies are eating read Waiting for Wings and pay close attention to the Butterfly Information section at the end, particularly How does a butterfly eat? *Extension: Take students out to the butterfly garden periodically to see if they can find butterflies in the various stages of life. Do they see any eggs? Caterpillars? Butterflies? Submitted by: Angie Cavera Kindergarten Teacher Van Buren Elementary School

Title: Goodbye Butterflies Grade level: Kindergarten Subjects: Science Content standards: Life Sciences; Scientific Ways of Knowing Objectives: Students will explain how organisms function and interact with their physical environment. Students will recognize the importance of respect for all living things. Goals: Students will investigate the habitats of many different kinds of local plants (particularly those that attract butterflies) and animals (butterflies) and some of the ways in which animals depend on plants and each other in our community. Students will interact with the butterflies and the environment in ways that promote respect. Materials: Waiting for Wings Butterfly garden Butterflies My Butterfly Journal Crayons Procedure: 1. Review the Flower Identification portion of Waiting for Wings. 2. Take students outside to the butterfly garden and have them see if they can identify any of the flowers from the book. 3. Take the butterflies outside and release them in the butterfly garden 4. Encourage students to watch the butterflies and complete their final journal entries.

Assessment: Observe students to see if they identify any of the flowers from the book. Look at the students final journal entries. Resources: Waiting for Wings by Lois Ehlert Additional activities: Show a video to learn what characteristics distinguish butterflies from moths. Read The Butterfly Counting Book by Jerry Pallotta Read The Butterfly Alphabet by Kjell B. Sandved Do the butterfly/chrysalis craft with toilet paper tubes Submitted by: Angie Cavera Kindergarten Teacher Van Buren Elementary School