Each year I get caterpillars for my classroom. The students watch as they grow from tiny little caterpillars, morph into a chrysalis, and then finally emerge as butterflies.
The whole metamorphosis process is absolutely amazing to the kids (me as well) and they eagerly rush over to the enclosure each morning to take a look at the progress.
When all of the butterflies have emerged and we have completed our observations, it's time to set them free.
I've been doing this for a number of year (too many to count) and it's always a bit disappointing for the kids who desperately want to hold one, only to have them flutter away before getting a chance.
That's usually what happens.
(The kids are eagerly hoping that the butterfly won't fly away before at least one child gets a chance to hold it on their finger)
Well, this year it was different!
One of our butterflies had a folded wing and couldn't fly. I used this to our advantage.
This little butterfly made our day!
I sat all my kiddos in a circle on the grass and we gently passed this little guy around one at a time.
All of my kiddos got a turn holding our new butterfly friend.
They were so gentle (even though they were incredibly excited) and they noticed things about the butterfly that they hadn't mentioned when we were looking at them in the enclosure.
After everyone got a chance to meet our special butterfly, we took him over to our garden and set him loose on a flower.
He immediately settled in and my kids looked for him every time we walked past.
The whole process of METAMORPHOSIS is really amazing to watch.
Now whenever my kids see a butterfly fluttering around our campus they immediately think it's one of our butterflies and they squeal with joy.
I love the joy of kindergarten!
