I did not start as an education major way back when. I started as a science major and my love for science still runs deep. When I switched gears into education, I looked for every way I could bring science and reading together.
Let's take a commonly used activity to teach life cycles and marry it with some quality children's literature. Here's how you can easily put butterflies, outside and reading together.
Let's take a commonly used activity to teach life cycles and marry it with some quality children's literature. Here's how you can easily put butterflies, outside and reading together.
 "Release the Butterflies" party day | There can be different goals for your kids here, depending on their ages. If you have specific questions about this, feel free to email me. For toddlers, you want them to experience life and see systems as inter-connected (flowers, butterflies, outside). For older kids, you want them to understand the life cycle and the role butterflies play as pollenators in our environment. Either way, you can make this science and reading intersection as in-depth as you want and as fun as you want! |
We used the butterfly kit from Insect Lore, which you can purchase here. Everything came intact and we had no problems with the kit itself.
2. You will need some butterfly books!
There are some well-known fan favorite books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar that are good to have on hand, but we can get more specifically into the science of butterflies too. The books below are a good starter pack for understanding butterflies from toddlers, on up.
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The Thomas Marent Butterfly book is filled with photography that is detailed and very engaging to look at. Liliana loved looking at this book over and over again. Gail Gibbons' book does a great job diving in to the butterfly life and is migration patterns.
3. Make Observations about your butterflies.
This takes 5 minutes of your day. If you have a toddler, you will be making the observations and leading the conversation. If you have an elementary aged student, they can make the observations.
Most importantly, you are looking for metamorphosis with the butterflies.
Keep track of your observations, just like scientists would! You are running a butterfly experiment. Some observations you might want to watch are, how quickly it takes the caterpillars to cocoon themselves, how long they are cocooned and what they eat once they've emerged as butterflies.
Most importantly, you are looking for metamorphosis with the butterflies.
Keep track of your observations, just like scientists would! You are running a butterfly experiment. Some observations you might want to watch are, how quickly it takes the caterpillars to cocoon themselves, how long they are cocooned and what they eat once they've emerged as butterflies.
4. Release your butterflies!
 | When our butterflies were ready to be released, we went to our garden for our release party. We had lunch outside, brought flowers (for fun) and colored in paper butterflies. We made it an event! When you release your butterflies, just know that there might be one or two stragglers and that's okay. They won't all immediately leave the netted area. For us, it took just about 45 minutes for all of the butterflies to leave the "nest". |
5. Keep reading about butterflies and making observations.
Keep your butterfly books out for your child to continue reading. Often times, kids want to relive fun memories through books. They will connect their experience with the books you used while you had your butterfly kit. Leave them out and let your kids peruse.
And, keep making observations for conversation. When you see butterflies out and about, point them out excitedly. If you are excited, your kid will be too.
And, keep making observations for conversation. When you see butterflies out and about, point them out excitedly. If you are excited, your kid will be too.
We are looking forward to doing another round of butterflies this year and will add to our butterfly book arsenal.
If you have any specific questions about doing a butterfly kit or have questions on books that go well for a certain age, or your child specifically, please reach out. I'm happy to answer specific questions!
Enjoy!
If you have any specific questions about doing a butterfly kit or have questions on books that go well for a certain age, or your child specifically, please reach out. I'm happy to answer specific questions!
Enjoy!
