Butterfly Observation and Release

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In early April 2014, each classroom at Temple Emanuel received 5 caterpillars.  This yearly tradition culminates in the releasing of the butterflies in our Gan Shalom (Garden of Peace), in conjunction with Passover.  The butterflies flying away symbolize the Jewish slaves fleeing Egypt. The 2-year old Giving Tree Class was learning about things that grow when they received their caterpillars and were excited to learn how caterpillars transition into butterflies.  To begin, as a class we read the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. 

A week after we received our caterpillars, the children arrived to school and discovered that our little caterpillars had built cocoons around themselves over the weekend!  The children watched on as their teacher carefully moved the cocoons to the larger butterfly habitat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Each day, the children walked into class and looked to see if any butterflies had appeared.  10 days after moving the cocoons to the butterfly habitat, the children saw the first butterfly emerge from its cocoon.  They were fascinated to learn that butterflies eat oranges just like them.  During snack, one child even offered to share an orange with them.  

 

It was finally time to release the butterflies.  The entire school joined in the Gan Shalom and said special blessings before releasing our butterflies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once the butterflies were released, two children discovered a caterpillar on our natural playscape and told each other that "it needs to eat leaves and get strong to be a big butterfly".