Butterfly, Butterfly, DON’T Fly Away!

We just finished reading a great book about caterpillars … The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle. Do you remember what that caterpillar turned into at the end of the story? If you said, a BUTTERFLY, you are right!

Now that we’ve finished talking about caterpillars and all other sorts of insects, we’re going to do a more in-depth study on butterflies. Just how do they come out of the cocoon looking so pretty, anyway?

With a partner, write in your science journals how you think the caterpillar transforms into a butterfly. (Try to remember what happened in the book!)

Now … go to The Fascinating World of Butterflies and see if your predictions are correct!

After you read over the information, look for the answers to the following questions:

(Write the answers in your science journals.)

1.) Can you hold a butterfly without harming it? If so, how?

2.) What is this picture of?

3.) How many legs and feet do butterflies have? What are their feet used for?

4.) How do butterflies eat?

5.) Do butterflies really spin a cocoon? If yes, how? If no, what do they do?

Now that you have some extra information about butterflies, I would like for you and your partner to use the information from website to make your own picture story of how a caterpillar starts as an egg and turns into a butterfly. Be sure to be neat and colorful!

Here’s an idea …

Once you’ve finished with all of your tasks, please show Miss Siegel your completed and neat science journal, as well as your picture of a caterpillar’s metamorphism.