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Lessons from Nature

- April 18, 2023 | May 10, 2023 - rickweller

The last butterfly was released on Monday, May 8, nearly 4 weeks to the day after our teeny, tiny caterpillars arrived at school. This is a long span of time for our young students, and we were reminded of how much we can all learn from nature.

On their first day in our classroom, one of the 13 itty-bitty “worms” wasn’t moving all morning. “It is died,” correctly stated a 4-year-old after several minutes contemplating by the aquarium. From past years’ experience with raising butterflies there may be other deaths along the way, and this innocuous setting is a good occasion for children to witness and discuss this unavoidable part of life.

We also have to be gentle with the aquarium. Kid-made signs on it (see below) say “watchers only” and “don’t touch.”

Most of all, perhaps, our caterpillars remind us to slow down. They move so slowly–if at all! They eat slowly, they make a chrysalis slowly, they metamorphose slowly…

Day 24 – May 4 – to cheers and raucous acclaim, this afternoon we released four butterflies into the Austin skies! May the Fourth Be With You All!
Day 23 – May 3 – We have four healthy butterflies! Two are already flitting about, while the other two are still stretching out their wings.
Day 15 – April 25 – When we arrived at school this morning, we have nine cocoons from the 13 caterpillars we started with.
We have cocoons
Day 14 – Apr 24 – Over the weekend five of the caterpillars (all in the jar on the left) formed their chrysalis, a sixth fell onto the floor, and several more (on the right) seem to be working on them today.
Day 11 – Apri 21 – No chrysalis yet, but the caterpillars are growing so much! After reading yesterday’s book the teacher put together this beautiful coloring material. The kids are getting pretty good at saying “metamorphosis.” (Also “pupa” is a very funny word to 4-year olds!)
Day 9 – April 19 – No cocoons yet, but we started our deep dive into the life cycle of the butterfly, using the book “A Butterfly is Patient” as one of our guides. “Metamorphosis” is a long word!
Day 8 – April 18 – This morning while we were bringing in sticks and mulch for the bottom of aquarium, the kids noticed a “spiderweb” in the cup on the left. Teachers aren’t sure what exactly that is, but maybe a chrysalis on its way?
Day 7 – April 17 – Without prompting the children are now drawing pictures of caterpillars.
Day 5 – April 15 – It’s a Saturday and they are still growing!
Day 3 – April 13 – They are bigger and moving around more. We moved the aquarium away from the window to the center of the building where the temperature fluctuates less.
Caterpillars Day 1
Day 1 – April 11 – the morning after the caterpillars arrived. The postman apparently left them outside the evening before, but they survived nonetheless. Look how small they are!