The prekinders have had an exciting two weeks.
We nurtured a caterpillar,
to a chrysalis,
to a monarch butterfly.
The milkweed plant originated from Ms. Heide, the children's librarian at the Shorewood Library.
They participate in the Shorewood Monarch Project.
Read more about it here: Shorewood Monarch Project
Ms. Heide gave one of our first
grade teachers the milkweed plant
which she took home and planted.
Milkweed is the only plant this caterpillar will eat.
A couple weeks ago, she found a caterpillar
and brought it to school for us to care for.
Very quickly it crawled to the top of our
butterfly keeper and formed into a J shape.
The chrysalis formed.
It was beautiful.
We observed the changes each day and felt like real scientists.
We counted 14 tally marks and then we could see
the wings through the chrysalis and we knew the butterfly was ready to come out, so we were watching carefully.
It fooled us and came out when we were out for morning recess.
The wings were still curled when we got in and it took all day for the butterfly to dry and stretch it's wings.
The next day we set out to pick-up our first grade friends
and walk to Mary's Garden to set the butterfly free.
Father Ray heard us and came into the garden to bless the butterfly.
Very fitting on the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.
Good-bye, butterfly!
Click here to view the entire Google album:
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