Changes to the Environment

Thematic Unit Topic: ______Butterflies________

Classroom Area: _____ Dramatic Play Area___
List the Items ou Plan to Intro!uce an! "o# $uch They %ill Cost &a minimum of '(:
)emem*er:
The items shoul! *e safe+ chil!,!irecte!+ encourage the use of multiple intelligences an! provi!e
opportunities for sensory learning(-
The items shoul! *e reasona*ly price!+ a*le to *e ma!e *y the teacher or easily o*taina*le-
Try to use o*.ects that are alrea!y in the classroom in creative+ ne# #ays-
Thin/ a*out #hat items you might o*tain through !onations from family+ local *usiness+ etc-
0- Construction paper flo#ers- $a!e out of construction paper availa*le in the classroom+ !oesn1t cost
anything-
2- Butterfly #ings &2 pairs(- 3imilar to the outsi!e an! music center #ings+ .ust ma!e out of !ifferent
colors- These can *e ma!e out of #ire hangers &provi!e! *y !onations( as #ell as ol! stoc/ings &provi!e!
*y !onations from families or *ought for less than 45 !ollars(-
6- 3tra#s- To act as a nectar e7tractor for the chil!ren #hen they #ant to collect the pollen from the
flo#ers+ these #ill *e provi!e! *y me either through the school or *y *uying them for 40 !ollar-
8- 2 cocoons- These #ill *e ma!e out of sleeping *ags &!onate! *y the family for use throughout the
!uration *y the unit( or alternatively they can *e ma!e using toilet paper or green crepe paper for 46
!ollars-
5- 9ruit props similar to those foun! in Eric Carle1s :The ;ery "ungry Caterpillar< &these inclu!e: 0
apple+ 2 green pears+ 6 plums+ 8 stra#*erries+ 5 oranges(- These can *e !onate! *y families or can *e
purchase! *y the teacher for aroun! 405 !ollars from the !ollar store-
'- Butterfly nets &'(- These can *e ma!e *y using some fishnets an! a #ire hanger+ #hich !o not cost
much since the fishnets can *e !onate! an! the #ire hangers can also *e !onate!- Alternatively the nets
can *e purchase! for a 45-== for si7> 40-22 for each net-
?- Trees ma!e from *ro#n *e! sheets an! green construction paper along #ith cocoons ma!e out of
paper mache *y stu!ents- The *ro#n *e! sheets #ill *e pinne! to the #all #ith safety pins #ell out of
reach of the chil!ren &this can *e !onate! *y the family or community(- The green construction paper
#ill *e cut into leaves an! a!!e! to the trees to act as leaves &this is alrea!y availa*le in class(- The
cocoons #ill *e ma!e *y stu!ents !uring the #ee/ an! then a!!e! to the trees #hen they set an! are !ry
&this can *e ma!e *y the teacher an! stu!ents *y using ne#s paper &!onate!(+ flour &provi!e! *y the
teacher( an! hot #ater &free((-
@- Butterfly hea! *an!- This can *e ma!e *y each stu!ent to personaliAe their o#n in!ivi!ual hea! *an!
for those #ho !o not #ant to #ear the #ings- These can *e ma!e using construction paper+ scissors+ an!
glue #hich are availa*le in the classroom-
=- )eal leaves+ t#igs+ roc/s+ an! logs- These #ill *e a!!e! to the !ramatic play area to give chil!ren an
i!ea of #here the *utterflies live an! can *e !onate! or provi!e! from the outsi!e for free-
0B- Crepe paper *utterflies- These #ill *e ma!e *y the stu!ents an! strung throughout the !ramatic play
area after the stu!ents have ma!e this for a science activity suspen!e! *y string or yarn- This #ill *e
a!!e! after the caterpillars have transforme! into *utterflies an! !o not cost anything since they #ill *e
there alrea!y in the classroom-
%hen #ill you intro!uce these itemsC &At the *eginning of the thematic unit+ throughout the unit D
!uring a small group lesson plan+ circle time(
The construction paper flo#ers an! trees #ill *e a!!e! in the *eginning of the thematic unit to act as a
#ay to catch the chil!ren1s interests- The leaves+ t#igs+ roc/s an! logs #ill *e a!!e! to the !ramatic play
area after the chil!ren have inspecte! the caterpillars an! rea! a little a*out their ha*itats an! #hat the
caterpillars an! *utterflies eat- After the chil!ren have rea! the language an! literacy activity involving
Eric Carle1s The Very Hungry Caterpillar. The props #ill *e a!!e! to connect the contents of the story to
physical representations of the *oo/ concepts such as num*ers+ fruit an! other items that are relate! to
the !iets of *oth caterpillars in the *oo/ an! #hat caterpillars eat in real life- As the thematic unit
progresses I #ill intro!uce the chil!ren to the caterpillar cocoons to accompany the life cycle activity in
the science center along #ith the paper mache cocoons- I #ill then hang up the cocoons in the classroom
#hen the chil!ren1s pro.ects !ry- Ence our caterpillars turn into *utterflies an! shortly *efore #e release
them+ I #ill intro!uce the *utterfly items into the !ramatic play area in a circle time activity to get the
chil!ren acFuainte! #ith the *utterflies an! give them han!s on e7perience in learning a*out ho# the
*utterfly moves+ #hat it eats+ ho# it eats+ an! #hat the typical *utterfly ha*itat loo/s li/e-
Are there any :special< rules that the chil!ren nee! to follo# #hen using these itemsC
The chil!ren shoul! not pull on the cocoons or any other hanging props in the !ramatic play area-
The chil!ren also shoul! not thro# the roc/s at any other chil!ren-
The chil!ren shoul! also not put any of the nature items in their mouths-
The chil!ren also shoul! not pull or rip the items that another chil! is using currently-
%hat !o you hope the chil!ren to learnC
By using all the props in the *utterfly area+ I hope to relay the information a*out *utterfly ha*itats *ac/
to the chil!ren to connect their current /no#le!ge to their acFuire! /no#le!ge from the science center- I
also hope that *y utiliAing the chil!1s gross motor !evelopment in environmental e7ploration the chil!ren
can learn ho# to control their *o!ies an! strengthen their gross motor a*ilities- I also hope that the
chil!ren learn more a*out geography relate! to the #orl! aroun! them as #ell as the *utterflies1
environment- I also hope that the chil!ren learn to share materials #ith others as #ell as create ne#
stories that are *ase! aroun! not only Eric Carle1s story *ut #ith their o#n imagination they can create
scripte! scenarios that e7plore the concepts they are learning throughout the thematic unit- By also
rotating the !ifferent props in the center+ I hope the chil!ren learn more a*out the !ifferent changes
relate! to the *utterflies1 life cycle an! ho# the caterpillar changes throughout its life- I also hope the
chil!ren can a!! to their voca*ulary *y facilitating !iscussion *et#een other stu!ents an! visitors *y
creating !iscussions relate! to the thematic unit-
%hat are some #ays that the chil!ren can :reflect< on #hat they have learne!C
The children can have a chance to reflect on their knowledge when they make life cycle diagrams in the science
center. The children will also have a chance to reflect when they observe the caterpillars changing in person
when they observe their own caterpillars throughout the thematic unit. Children will also learn from the math
area where children will learn about specific habitats related to each specific butterfly and how one butterfly
may require a different habitat than another. The children will also have an opportunity to memorize and absorb
the specific terminology related to the specific life cycle stages that the caterpillar experiences throughout their
life. The children will also have a chance to reflect upon this knowledge when they discuss the different stages
and observable qualities of each stage with the teacher as well as with their peers. The children will also be able
to reflect upon their newly acquired information by firsthand experiences reenacting the behaviors of the
butterflies and caterpillars in the wild. The children will also be able to explain to parents and visitors the
different stages and locations where butterflies could be found. The children will also be able to reflect upon the
oing !own to "exico #"onarch $utterfly%& song to remind the children why the butterflies depart in the
winter and return in the summer. These dramatic play activities will provide the children with a perspective to
guide their learning and make the connections to understand the differences between the stages of the
caterpillars' life cycles. This information will make the activities throughout the unit much more concrete for
the children to grasp.