Changes to the Environment

Thematic Unit Topic: ______Butterflies________

Classroom Area: ______Science Center___

List the Items You Plan to Introduce and How Much They Will Cost (a minimum of 6):
Remember:
The items should be safe, child-directed, encourage the use of multiple intelligences and provide
opportunities for sensory learning).
The items should be reasonably priced, able to be made by the teacher or easily obtainable.
Try to use objects that are already in the classroom in creative, new ways.
Think about what items you might obtain through donations from family, local business, etc.

1. Caterpillars (25). Cost: $45.80
2. Jars or clear plastic containers. These will be donated by the community or family.
3. Clipboards and paper. Available in the classroom.
4. Tape recorder. This will be donated by family or by the program.
5. Sketching paper. This is plain white, printer paper and it is available in the classroom.
6. Video clips of butterflies and caterpillar transformations. These will be from youtube with safe search
enabled so they are free.
7. Leaves, twigs, grass, and grass, these supplies will add aesthetics for both the discovery center as well
as provide children with supplies for the children to create a home for children to create the butterflies
home.
8. Paper plates and markers. These will be donated and are available through the classroom.
9. Multi colored pom poms and noodles. The pom poms will be left over from another classroom project
and the noodles will be used to make a life cycle model during the class.
10. Crepe paper, enough for the class. Costs .99 cents
When will you introduce these items? (At the beginning of the thematic unit, throughout the unit
during a small group lesson plan, circle time)

I will introduce the caterpillars after a circle time reading of the book Eric Carles The Very Hungry
Caterpillar. The jars, twigs, leaves, and stones will be apart not only of the aesthetic appeal of the science
center but also added to the science center area as a tool for the children to use to design their homes for
the caterpillars, these will be placed at the beginning of the thematic unit. The paper plates and markers
will be added later in the thematic unit after the caterpillars transformation occurs, throughout the unit.
The video clips, tape recorder, sketchpad will be added to the center at the beginning of the thematic unit
to provide the children with opportunities to sketch/record their observations.











Are there any special rules that the children need to follow when using these items?
The children should not put any of the nature items in their mouths
The children should be gentle with the caterpillars homes.
The children may not record over another childs works.









What do you hopethe children to learn?

I hope that the children learn critical observational skills as well as vocabulary related to what they are
seeing in the science center. I also hope to familiarize the children with how to respect others ideas and
opinions as well as encourage the children to share their thoughts with others in a mature way. I also
hope that the children learn to create theories and test these theories based on observations and what
they know already. I also hope that the children learn how to utilize resources to confirm or change their
understanding of the caterpillars, namely the books available on butterflies that will be available in the
class, the different discussions we will have on butterflies as well as their own knowledge of these
creatures. I also hope to understand that different creatures have different needs and at different stages
of life. I also hope the children learn how to respect the subjects that they are observing by treating the
caterpillars with respect, with tenderness and with curiosity.













What are some ways that the children can reflect on what they have learned?

The children will be able to reflect on their new found knowledge throughout the week while they are doing
activities such as I am a butterfly not a moth where they can use the observational and critical thinking skills
they developed in the science center to answer classification questions about the butterfly and caterpillar. The
children will also be able to chart and refer to their theories as the week goes on to determine whether the
caterpillars are proving their viewpoint or if they need to create new theories in order to answer why the
changes did not match. Children will also reflect upon their knowledge and observation skills when they are
working in the butterfly garden and are theorizing which plants will attract the butterflies and which ones will
attract the caterpillars. Children will also have an opportunity to post their questions to their peers in order to
share a consensus on which theories they believe to be true and which they believe to be false. The children will
also have a chance to consult with experts at the exhibit on butterflies in order to find out more information and
to associate their observations in the classroom with real world knowledge.