Activity 1

Integrating the Butterfly Life Cycle in your Classroom

Developing into the topic of Biology, talking about the life cycle with the children is a very important aspect in life to understand as children always have questions regarding the process of life, growth and death. This activity of integrating the life cycle of a butterfly will give teachers an opportunity to discuss the process and growth of life and understand the concept of death. Now, it doesn't have to be just butterflies, but it could be a variety of different species, such as a baby chick, or tadpoles and frogs, etc. This activity involves:

a)  Discussing what children already know about caterpillar's and butterfly's. Asking 'I wonder' type of questions such as 'I wonder what butterfly's eat,' 'I wonder what kind of environment caterpillar's and butterfly's live in.

b)  Show a video to the class that will introduce the butterfly life cycle (an example of a butterfly life cycle video is posted above). Children may have a lot of questions regarding the life cycle process of a caterpillar turning into a butterfly. The educator may then lead a class discussion by prompting them with a question or 'i wonder if a caterpillar really does turn into a butterfly.'


Relating this activity to the Full Day Early Learning kindergarten Program Document:

Language Developmental Domain:

• The children may be enhancing their language development within this activity as they "use language in various contexts to connect new experiences with what they already know (FD-EL-KP, p. 75).

• Children may also "listen and respond to others for a variety of purposes (to exchange ideda express feelings, offer opinions) and in a variety of contexts" (FD-EL-KP, p. 73).

• Children may also use their language to communicate their thinking to others, to reflect on the video seen and to solve problems as to how the butterfly life cycle may work (FD-EL-KP, p. 76).

• Children may also describe their own personal experiences and details about butterfly's they have seen before and orally retell simple events or familiar stories about caterpillar's and butterfly's (FD-EL-KP, p. 78).