Metamorphosis!

What a lovely week! On a rainy afternoon, Mauricio came by and hung our mosaics. We remember how hard we worked on it and are so proud of our efforts!

When we arrived to our classroom on Monday morning, we discovered that the butterflies were starting to emerge from their chrysalids. After watching one emerge, we each crawled into a "chrysalid" (a sleeping bag) and emerged a butterfly. (Some of us emerged with such speed that the camera didn't capture that moment, only the fluttering flight that followed...)

Some of us really don't care for the messy business of metamorphosis... we'd rather remain comfortable caterpillars!

And weren't our Bear Cubs great singers!

Have a great holiday weekend!

Judith

What's Bugging You?

It's Getting Buggy Around Here!

While we're waiting to see what happens with our caterpillars turned chrysalids, as they undergo metamorphosis, we decided to take a field trip to the Pacific Science Center in Seattle. We buzzed around the bug exhibit, to see what more we could learn about the world of insects

We had close up examinations of insects from around the world---

Meet the Beetles!

Cozy up close to the bee colony,


See what a bee looks like on the inside,


and watch them come and go through the tube which leads to the outside of the Science Center. We can see how the expression "busy as a bee" certainly describes the life of a worker bee!



Our families and teachers know that we are all as busy as bees... Let's try on that identity with the help of a box, an artist's paintings and reflective mirrors so that we can celebrate our busy, buzzy, bumbly selves!

Some of us tried our hand at "building" a bug...

with a computer,

and with giant wooden model pieces,

which engaged lots of discussion, peer help, trial and error and collaborative

problem solving.

We celebrated our success with a ride on the back of an ironclad caterpillar!

Some of us examined insect bodies with the help of a large screen microscope.

When we started hearing comments of "I'm hungry,"

we casually wandered over to take a look at some tasty meals...

M-m-m... Grasshoppers and Grubs---

Ready for lunch? We're developing cultural appreciation!

We think we're glad that these meals are under glass.

Then it's into the tropical butterfly house where butterflies are EVERYWHERE!

We're so excited about identifying each butterfly using the laminated photo cards.

A second too late to catch a photo of the butterfly that landed on sunshiny hair!

We learned that some butterflies have spots that look like BIG eyes to scare away predators.

"What do you think this one is?"

We were able to see many types of beautiful chrysalids from the tropics. We watched newly emerged butterflies drying their wings.

Butterflies love juicy fresh fruit...

as well as nectar!

A Blue Morpho.

We were all so careful about where we stepped,

as butterflies could quite literally be underfoot.


After a very structured morning and an outdoor lunch, we loosened up a bit in the "Preschool Exploration Area."

Finally, a water table where there is room for everyone at once!

A ride in a convertible,

and a helicopter;

we can almost feel the wind in our hair!

Another viewpoint on constructing reality!

Making music with "found items"

and world instruments.

We had a blast, leaving us happy and exhausted from our busy day!

Thanks to all of you adults who drove and helped us explore today!

Judith