Butterfly

Clover Class

September 12, 2019

Welcome back Clover Class! It has been exciting to be together again at Spring Hill School. On our second day of school I read Eric Carle’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, as soon as I finished reading the story a friend asked the question, “How do caterpillars get in the chrysalis?” I was so excited about the provocation, and was curious what other children thought. Friends shared many amazing theories and ideas (a few of them are below). Since then teachers have continued to ask this question while providing materials to help the children form their ideas. We have offered clay and play dough with fuzzy wires, plastic butterflies, fresh flowers and real milkweed leaves. We have also acted out the process of metamorphosis using our bodies in body socks, and in various poses that represent the life cycle. At Spring Hill School, teachers allow children the time to observe and discover provocations independently. Metamorphosis is an example of something we want the children to learn, but we believe that when friends create their own theory it is more valuable than teachers providing the information to them. We hope that by offering various materials, experiences, as well as real life observations, children will be able to create their own theories of how the caterpillar gets in the chrysalis. 

Thoughts about how the caterpillar gets in the chrysalis-

It builds it around himself. *Fineas

It gets like this, and builds a big hole and then covers it back up with some plastic and some metal and then covers it back up. *Eli

It hangs itself onto a tree and then goes like this and folds into a beautiful butterfly. It just curls itself in it. *Isla F.

So it hangs from a tree and jumps right down, and gets a hole in it and builds the chrysalis back. *Waylon

Digs a hole in the chrysalis and then covers the hole back up, puts some plastic on it, and then puts some hay on the dirt. *Emmett

I think it nibbled a teeny tiny big hole and gets in and then puts it back where it belongs. *Hayden

Created by,

Laura