We started our kindergarten year off by observing two Monarch caterpillars complete their cycle and emerge into two beautiful butterflies.   We read the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar and many other butterfly books.  We sang and acted out  If I Were a Butterfly  and Butterfly Fly.   Each morning the children arrived anxious to see what changes had happened.   The children drew in their journals.    We estimated and counted how many days until they would emerge.   The children had to wait patiently for the chrysalis to darken and then the day finally arrived.    The highlight was watching them fly around in the butterfly garden we prepared for them and sipping nectar from flowers with their proboscis.    We found Mexico on a map.    The children were very sad that we had to say goodbye to them but they understood Dotty and Spotty had to be on their way to Mexico.    The children sang this song over and over as we released them in front of the school.  

     Fly little butterflies, fly let’s go

    Fly little butterflies, fly let’s go

    Fly little butterflies, fly let’s go

    On your way to Mexico

The next day each student shared where they thought our butterflies went when we released them.  They drew pictures and we made a beautiful crayon resist book to help us remember our two special friends…until we meet again.

Patrice Rogers

Kindergarten Teacher