5-Day: Learning about Life Cycles
This week, our class explored life cycles that occur in nature. With Gilly and Lilly as our guides, the concept of metamorphosis becomes concrete. We are able to actually watch as their legs grow bigger and their tails begin to shorten. Each child is documenting these changes in their individual science journals each week.
In order to find words to explain the changes, children matched up words with a corresponding picture at the activity table and could, then, write them out. They could form the letters and sound them out. Some words were eggs, tadpoles, froglets and frog. Another day, the words hatch, chicken and chick were added. We looked at how a frog undergoes the metamorphosis and how this occurs with chicks, butterflies, ants and trees, just to name a few.
The class created their own unique frogs in a multi-step art project. First, they glued tissue paper on plates; then, with scissors, paper and googly eyes, they added features. These are hanging on our bulletin by the blocks. They created lots of big, bulgy eyes and long sticky tongues!
As the children read about how a caterpillar changes, they also explored symmetry by painting one half of a butterfly shape and folding it over; then, when it's opened, they could see a beautiful butterfly.
The class has begun a special gift to celebrate family for May 12 -- a multi-step activity, which the children are very excited about.
Kristi and Cathy