Hosting a caterpillar to butterfly transformation in the Power Primes

Each year in the Power Primes we host a caterpillar to butterfly transformation. As a class we dig in the whole process together. We read books, have discussions, and practice observing with patience and care. We set up a special space in our classroom for the transformation to take place. There the Power Primes can gather and draw pictures of the different stages. This is a great opportunity for the Power Primes to try and draw something from observation. This project is a great way to combine science and art, both things that often really excite kids of all ages. Once the caterpillars transform into butterflies we release them outside in close proximity to where we play outside. While outside Power Primes will often exclaim, “Oh look! It’s one of our butterflies!” Below are some pictures and examples of what we were talking about as a class.

What do you know about caterpillars? What do you know about butterflies?

Nua: Butterflies pollinate and caterpillars pollinate.

What does pollinate mean?

Answer:

Pearl: everyone pollinates flowers

Olivia: the butterflies pollinate when it’s springtime

Jack: It means pollinate honey

Pearl: Butterflies can fly to look where they live and all of the butterflies can do a lot of things when they fly and crawl. They can only crawl when they are caterpillars.

Eliza: Caterpillars eat pollen and I know that they can eat pollen when they’re butterflies and they eat pollen when they’re eggs and chrysalis and in the cocoon.

What is pollen?

Answer:

Pearl: Butterflies can lick flowers. Because sometimes people don’t know that but they are sneaky

Olivia: A flower that’s so fluffy that it can barely bloom

What do you remember about when we released our butterflies?

Nua: I saw Sky and Airplane flew away into a cave.

Pearl: So when you brought their home with the little water thing outside they saw the butterflies outside and they went away to pollinate flowers. They flew to a dark forest probably with bears.

Eliza: And the bears ate our butterflies.

Nua: No! Butterflies are so fast.

Butterfly Names

“Airplane” -Nua

“Belle” -Cate

“Rose” -Olivia

“Excavator” -Simon

“Soccer” (or “Soccy” for short) -Kaniya

“Whale” -Jack

“Outside Fun” -Pearl

“Charlie” -Luke

“Hobb” -August 

“Apple” -Eliza

“Cowy Bowy” -Seraphine

How does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly?

Seraphine: So first they’re in a eggy. Then they are a very hungry caterpillar that gets bigger and bigger and chews out of its chrysalis. 

Simon: They pop out of their cake and turn into a butterfly.

August: They have to stay in their home for so long.

Eliza: It builds their chrysalis. They transform into a butterfly.

Luke: It makes its chrysalis and hatches out.

Kaniya: They hatch from cocoon. They are a beautiful butterfly.

Pearl: They get in their nest and in a long time they pop out their nest then they become a butterfly.