Classroom Spotlight: First Grade Butterflies

Since the beginning of school, our wonderful first graders have put on their scientific hats and have been having a blast learning about the natural environment that surrounds us. This includes learning about sound and light, air and weather, and most recently plants and insects. We have been studying observing the general features of plants and insects as well as their life cycles.  Most recently, this unit of inquiry culminated in the raising and release of Painted Lady butterflies!

Both classes received caterpillars, and set to scientific inquiry, are observing them daily, and noting the variation of the caterpillar stages (or instars). They are discovering that caterpillars molt, form their own waste, and create weblike structures in their habitats to keep them safe.  Our first graders will also get to observe the transformation of the caterpillar during its chrysalis phase, watching the change in color of each chrysalis before the hatch into butterflies. Once our caterpillars turn into butterflies, we will release them out into the world.

In addition, our students are learning about insect anatomy, discovering not only the main features that typically define insects (head, thorax, abdomen, and 6 legs), but are also learning about how insects breathe and use their antennae to make sense of their environment. 

 

Further investigation will include ways in which insects impact their surroundings for better or worse, and why insects are such an integral part to their environments and to the world at large.