A Metamorphosis

There was an ecstatic BUZZ going around our classroom this morning!  (It could have been the appearance of the mobile SMARTBoard, but I think it was all about the caterpillars today.)  Something "magical" had happened to our sweet little caterpillars overnight.  They pupated and are in their own chrysalis! 

Last year, my wonderful teacher friend I am blessed to work every day with at KindergartenWorks got me started in growing butterflies in our classroom.  (Be sure to check out her post about this awesome experience in her classroom as well.  Our kindergarten thinkers are so cute when they get to talking and realize that they are studying the EXACT same thing too...haha!)  It is truly magical watching this through their eyes.  My thinkers have really enjoyed taking care of their little friends and trying to guess when they will change.  While some of their guesses may be a little off the wall (May 35th?), most of them have really been using what they learned in our nonfiction study of butterflies to give a pretty accurate prediction.

My thinkers have really gotten a "kick" out of recording their observations in their butterfly observation books that I created for them to use during this study.  They have really felt like scientists and are eager to write down their observations when a significant change has occurred.  Be sure to check this out to use in your classroom as well:

I can't wait until I get to see their cute little expressions as they watch their butterflies emerge.  A few days after they emerge, each student gets to release their butterfly.  Even though it is CRAZY to get a picture with each of the students holding theirs (or what they whole-heartedly think is theirs), it is such a great memory to preserve for them.

This is one of my favorite units to do with my soon-to-be 1st grade thinkers before I let them go for summer vacation.  I can't think of a better way to end the year!