Caterpillars & Butterfly Theme for Preschool

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Darren Hensley
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Caterpillars & Butterfly Theme for Preschool Watching the life cycle of caterpillars and butterflies is amazing-even more so for preschoolers!

Using the Standards Conversion Chart 1. 2. 3. Type in each of your program s equivalent standards next to my standard. Save to your computer.

Simply print as they are OR move activities to the days you want them or replace activities with your own! You ll find my standards listed under each activity.

1 Caterpillars & Butterfly Theme for Preschool Watching the life cycle of caterpillars and butterflies is amazing-even more so for preschoolers! Use this theme to teach concepts throughout your curriculum. This theme is endless in the possible activities and adventures your preschoolers can participate in! Using the Standards Conversion Chart Type in each of your program s equivalent standards next to my standard. Save to your computer. Refer to this chart each time you use a theme from Preschool Cubby Using the Weekly and Daily Planning Forms In the weekly planning form, ALL of the boxes are editable! Simply print as they are OR move activities to the days you want them or replace activities with your own! You ll find my standards listed under each activity. This is where you will enter YOUR program s standards (that you added to the Conversion Chart) 1. Refer to the conversion chart you completed and look up my Standard Letter/Number. 2. Replace that letter and number with YOUR program s equivalent that you typed into the Conversion Chart. 3. Print! The Weekly AND Daily Planning forms are both 100% editable so you can move the activities to the days you want to do them or even replace them with your own activities! (If you do that-be sure to change them on the daily planning forms as well AND replace the standards in that box with the correct standards for the activity you have replaced mine with!) NOTE: The blue areas will NOT print blue, don t worry! Those areas are the editable areas. They will print with a white background when you print! 1

Caterpillars & Butterflies CIRCLE MON Standards TUES Standards WEDS Standards THURS Standards FRI Standards ART MATH/MANIPULATIVES Things That Grow Butterfly Blot Grow & Change & Change Painting

2 Caterpillars & Butterflies CIRCLE MON Standards TUES Standards WEDS Standards THURS Standards FRI Standards ART MATH/MANIPULATIVES Things That Grow Butterfly Blot Grow & Change & Change Painting 3,22,23,24, Match Game 13,14,24-26,30,42 27,29,31 13,14,24-26,30,42 WEEKLY PLANNER SCIENCE MUSIC & MOVEMENT Honey Playdough The Caterpillar 3,19,20,23,26-29,35 Song 3,4,10,12,34 GROSS MOTOR Here to There 9-12,30 STORY TIME From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Deborah Heiligman 1,6,38-40,44 Science Journals 11,13,15,31, 35,42,43 Caterpillar to Butterfly Caterpillar Tube Painting 13,15,22,23,24, Activity Mat 27,29,31 13,14,20,21,23-26,30,35 Life Cycle Movement Wiggle & Fly Sugar & Water Obstacle Course Density Experiment Activity 1,13-15, 20-24,27-30,33 3,4,6-12,30 6,11,27-30 Charlie the Caterpillar by Dom Deluise 1,6,38-40,44 Life Cycle 1,13-15,20-24, Bingo Dauber Caterpillars 13,15,22,23,24, 27,29,31 Caterpillar File Folder Game 13,14,24-26,30,42 Caterpillar To Butterfly Moves Butterfly Observations 3,4,10,12,33 6,11,27-30 Wiggle & Fly Obstacle Course 3,4,6-12,30 The Crunching Munching Caterpillar by Sheridan Cain 1,6,38-40,44 Our Butterfly 3,23,24,27,29, 31,36 Tissue Paper Butterflies 3,23,24,27,29, 31,36 Grow & Change Match Game 13,14,24-26,30,42 Plant Milkweed 6,11,27-30 Name the Food Toss Game 10,13,14,20,21,30 39,40 The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle 1,6,38-40,44 The Caterpillar Fingerplay 3,4,10,12,34 Footerflies! 3,23,24,27,29, 31,36 Caterpillar Patterns 13,14,20,21, 24-26,30 Monarch Butterflies: Science Observations Majestic Monarchs Flower Hopping Journaling 3,10,11,20,21,25, Mysterious Travelers 3,4,10,12,33 by Bianca Lavies 13-15,27-30,38,42,43 34,42 Majestic Monarchs 3,4,10,12,33 1,6,38-40,44 SUGGESTED CHANGES TO INTEREST CENTERS FOR THE WEEK Blocks: Add plastic caterpillars and butterflies. as well as green fabric for the children to make safe places for their butterflies! 3,6,7,13,22,27,30,36 Dramatic Play: Butterfly Pavillion Hang string from the ceiling. Provide a table, paper, scissors and drawing utensils for the children to create caterpillars and butterflies throughout the week to hang in their pavilion. Provide binoculars, clipboards, paper and pens for the children to document what they make and find! 3,4,6,10,13-15,19,30,36 Easel: Create a Butterfly: Encourage the children to create their own butterfly. Ask, "What would it look like as a caterpillar?" 3,14,27-30,31,36 Sand/Water Table: Place sticks, twigs and grass in your sensory table. Add caterpillars and butterflies, butterfly nets and bug jars 13,14,25,27,28,30 Writing: I Would Eat... Caterpillars eat and eat until they are ready to change into butterflies. Invite your children to draw the foods they would eat to become healthy butterflies! Place a sign at the writing table that says: If I were a caterpillar, I would eat Write down their stories as they draw and talk about this subject. When done, have them write their name on their creation and post it under the sign you made! 13-15,30,36,37,42,43 Preschool Cubby 2

3 MONDAY Caterpillars & Butterflies Theme You ll Need: Circle Art Math/ Manipulatives Science Grow and Change Match game from this packet; paint, paper, pipettes; Grow and Match game in this packet; Honey Playdough recipe in this packet; Caterpillar Song card in this packet; From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Deborah Heiligman Things That Grow and Change Use the Grow and Change Match game in this packet to introduce the caterpillars and butterflies theme! If you will be ordering caterpillars this year, tell the children that you'll be watching a caterpillar as it grows and changes! Follow up with a fun butterfly story! 13,14,24-26,30,42 Butterfly Blot Paintings The children fold the paper in half. They use the pipettes to drop paint on one half of the paper. When done, the fold the paper and press both sides together. When they open them, they will see their blotter painting that has mirror images...beautiful Butterfly Wings! 3,22,23,24,27,29,31 Grow and Match Game 13,14,24-26,30,42 Honey Playdough 3,19,20,23,26-29,35 Small Group Music & Movement Gross Motor Story Time 3 Caterpillar Song Act out the song as you sing it! 3,4,10,12,34 Here To There While outside, encourage the children to move on the climbing structures and throughout the playground like caterpillars! How will they get up the steps? How will they crawl under the structure? How will they get from one side of the playground to the other? Does it take a long time for a caterpillar? How long would it take a butterfly? 9-12,30 From Caterpillar to Butterfly by Deborah Heiligman 1,6,38-40,44

4 TUESDAY Caterpillars & Butterflies Theme You ll Need: Circle Art Math/ Manipulatives Science construction paper, white paper, crayons, stapler; paper towel tubes, scissors, markers, paint in flat trays, paper; Caterpillar to Butterfly Activity Mat in this packet; warm water, sugar, food coloring, bowls, spoons, tall clear glass jar; obstacle course using furniture and toys; Charlie the Caterpillar by Dom Deluise Make Science Journals The children choose a color of construction paper. They place several pieces of white paper on top of the construction paper. They fold all the paper in half and staple on the fold. The print their name (as best they can) onto the front and decorate. They will use this to document experiments this week and observations of caterpillars. 11,13,15,31,35,42,43 Caterpillar Tube Painting Let the children fringe the bottoms of the paper towel tubes and draw a face on the top of the tube (their caterpillar!). They then bend the fringes outward. They will then press the fringed part of the tube into paint and then press onto their paper. 13,15,22,23,24, 27,29,31 Caterpillar to Butterfly Activity Mat 13,14,20,21,23-26,30,35 Sugar & Water Density Experiment In each bowl, measure 1 cup of warm water. Add a few drops of food coloring in each bowl (different color in each bowl). Add sugar to each bowl. In one bowl add 2 tablespoons; add 4 tablespoons in the next, 6 tablespoons in the next and 8 tablespoons in the next. Stir until dissolved. In the tall jar, pour in the water that has the 8 tablespoons of sugar. Then slowly add the water with 6 tablespoons. Then the one with 4 tablespoons. Then the one with 2 tablespoons. The colors will stay separate. Ask the children why they think that is happening. The sugar makes the water denser so it does not mix. It is important that all the sugar is dissolved and that you add each water mixture very slowly. Steve Spangler has an awesome example of this. 6,11,27-30 Small Group Music & Movement Gross Motor Story Time 4 Life Cycle Movement Activity Encourage the children to shape their bodies or move their bodies in a way that represent each stage of the life cycle for butterflies: Be an egg! Hatch from the egg! Crawl around and munch on food like a caterpillar. Hang from a branch and make a chrysalis. Come out as a butterfly! 1,13-15, 20-24,27-30,33 Wiggle & Fly Obstacle Course Create an obstacle course using furniture and toys. Provide areas where they will need to crawl like caterpillars (under a chair, around a box, etc.) and where they will fly like butterflies (fly over the mats, fly and hop over a rope, etc.). Have this out for a couple of days. 3,4,6-12,30 Charlie the Caterpillar by Dom Deluise 1,6,38-40,44

5 WEDNESDAY Caterpillars & Butterflies Theme You ll Need: Circle Art Math/ Manipulatives Science Life Cycle Pattern Cards in this packet; variety of paint daubers, paper; Caterpillar File Folder game from this packet; caterpillars, butterfly pavilion; dancing scarves; obstacle course using furniture and toys; The Crunching Munching Caterpillar by Sheridan Cain Life Cycle 1. Egg Stage Adult butterfly lays tiny, little eggs on leaves. 2. Larva Stage The caterpillar hatches from the egg and then it eats and eats and eats. 3. Pupa Stage The caterpillar will hang upside down from a branch or from our butterfly house and turn into a chrysalis. 4. Adult Stage A beautiful butterfly! Follow up with this song (sung to the tune of Pop Goes The Weasel): I spin and spin my chrysalis (twirl finger around and around). Then go to rest inside. (Close fingers and let your twirling finger rest inside). When I come out, I have changed A LOT! (Open fingers very slowly.) LOOK! I'm a butterfly! (Fly hand away like a butterfly!). 1,13-15,20-24,27-30,43 Bingo Dauber Caterpillars Encourage the children to create their own caterpillars using the daubers. Encourage patterns and counting! Our children have also tried to "turn" those caterpillars into butterflies by stamping on some wings! 13,15,22,23,24, 27,29,31 File Folder Caterpillar Game 13,14,24-26,30,42 Caterpillar to Butterfly Observations Order caterpillars and a pavilion (see my Butterfly Theme page here to see which one I use each year). Follow the instructions and be sure to have the children journal each day! Once your caterpillars form their chrysalis, make a paper chain with the children to count how many days it takes for them to become a caterpillar. Add a chain each day. This typically takes a couple of weeks. 6,11,27-30 Small Group Music & Movement Gross Motor Story Time 5 Butterfly Moves Act out how a butterfly might move at different times such as: When it is raining? When it is windy? When it is hot out? When it is cooler out? Also, encourage them to act out how caterpillars might move in the same conditions. 3,4,10,12,33 Wiggle & Fly Obstacle Course Create an obstacle course using furniture and toys. Provide areas where they will need to crawl like caterpillars (under a chair, around a box, etc.) and where they will fly like butterflies (fly over the mats, fly and hop over a rope, etc.). Have this out for a couple of days. 3,4,6-12,30 The Crunching Munching Caterpillar by Sheridan Cain 1,6,38-40,44

6 THURSDAY Caterpillars & Butterflies Theme You ll Need: Circle Art Math/ Manipulatives Science Precut large butterfly shape, misc. arts/crafts supplies, glue, markers; butterfly stencil, marker, scissors, wax paper, colored tissue paper, glue, paint brushes In advance, cut out a few butterfly shapes from card stock; Grow and Match game in this packet; milkweed seeds, soil, water; music, crepe paper; bins/boxes, play food, The Very Hungry Caterpillar book by Eric Carle; The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle Our Butterfly The children will work together to decorate this butterfly at Circle Time. Take this time to discuss what they know about caterpillars and butterflies and any activities or stories you ve read about them so far this week. 3,23,24,27,29,31,36 Tissue Paper Butterflies The children trace the shape onto wax paper and cut out shape. They brush glue onto the wax paper. They cut tissue paper and place onto the wax paper. Hang in a window or from ceiling. 3,23,24,27,29,31,36 Grow and Match Game Use the Grow and Match game in this packet 13,14,24-26,30,42 Plant Milkweed Butterflies LOVE milkweed plants. Let the children plant some seeds in a cup with soil and water. Once they sprout, replant outside. Be sure to encourage the children to check on them each day, spray the soil if needed and document in their journals! 6,11,27-30 Small Group Music & Movement Gross Motor Story Time 6 Majestic Monarchs Play music while the children use crepe paper to dance to the music as butterflies! Try changing up the tempo a bit by adding slow waltz music, upbeat music, jazz, etc. 3,4,10,12,33 Name the Food Toss Game Provide play foods that are mentioned in the story. Include other foods as well! The children name the food), try to recall how many of that fruit or food the caterpillar ate in the story and then toss it in a bin. 10,13,14,20,21,30, 39,40 The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle 1,6,38-40,44

7 FRIDAY Caterpillars & Butterflies Theme You ll Need: Circle Art Math/ Manipulatives Science paint, flat trays, paper, bare feet, bucket of water, towels; pompoms (all sizes); Journals, writing utensils, magnifying glasses; music, crepe paper; mats or colored paper, number dice; Monarch Butterflies: Mysterious Travelers by Bianca Lavies The Caterpillar Fingerplay A caterpillar crawled to the top of a tree, (index finger of one hand moves like a caterpillar up your arm) "I think I'll take a nap", said he. so under a leaf, he began to creep (Wrap other hand over the caterpillar hand). To spin its chrysalis and it fell asleep. For many weeks it slept in its chrysalis bed, (Keep hand over fist). Until one warm day when the sun came out and said, "Wake up You sleepy head! Time to get out of bed!" (Shake your hand so that your fist starts to come out of your hand!). So, it opened its eyes that sun shiny day (Shake your fingers and then look into your hands). And LOOK! It was a butterfly and flew away! (Make hands into butterfly wings and fly into the air). 3,4,10,12,34 Footerflies WAIT, WAIT...DON'T BE AFRAID! Yes, it's messy, but man it s fun! Have a child gently press his/her foot into a tray of paint or several trays! Step onto the paper. Wash that foot off. Repeat with the other foot! When dry, let the children cut around their footprints and let the children add butterfly bodies and antennae and legs with markers. Because you do this one at a time, it is a great time to talk about left and right, colors and butterflies! 3,23,24,27,29,31,36 Caterpillar Patterns Encourage the children to create caterpillars by placing pompoms in a row. Encourage pattern making with the colors and sizes. 13,14,20,21,24-26,30 Science Observations Journaling The children use the magnifying glasses to observe the butterflies, their Milkweed plants, the Density jar and other activities from this week and then record their findings (emergent writing, drawings, etc.) 13-15,27-30,38,42,43 Small Group Music & Movement Gross Motor Story Time 7 Majestic Monarchs Play music while the children use crepe paper to dance to the music as butterflies! Try changing up the tempo a bit by adding slow waltz music, upbeat music, jazz, etc. 3,4,10,12,33 Flower Hopping The children hop from mat to mat (or paper to paper) pretending they are flowers that a butterfly is landing on. Provide dice for the children to roll and hop that corresponding number of times. 3,10,11,20,21,25,34,42 Monarch Butterflies: Mysterious Travelers by Bianca Lavies 1,6,38-40,44

8 Caterpillar File Folder Game Instructions: Print and laminate the following pages. Insert the caterpillar page in the manila folder. The children match the numbered circles to the appropriate number on the caterpillar. 8

9 Caterpillar File Folder Game

10 Caterpillar File Folder Game

11 Honey Playdough 2 c (500 mg) flour 1 T (15 ml)oil ¼ c. (63 ml) honey ¾ c. (96 mg) salt 1 c (250 ml) water Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Move to a floured table for children to knead until dough is completely mixed and not sticky any more. Add more flour as needed. 11

12 Caterpillar to Butterfly Activity Mat Directions: The children will create their own butterfly using playdough in the butterfly outline. In the caterpillar outline, encourage the children to show what this butterfly would have looked like as a caterpillar. 12

13 Caterpillar to Butterfly Activity Mat 13

14 Caterpillar to Butterfly Activity Mat 14

15 Grow and Change Match Game Directions: Print, cut and laminate the cards on the following pages. Give each child one card. playing cards on the following pages (print enough for each child to have one). Use this activity to introduce the caterpillars and butterflies theme! Show the 2 pictures and ask the children to describe them (small and big, baby and mommy or daddy, etc.) Explain that all living things grow and change. We all grow and change. We used to be babies, and NOW look at us! This used to be a baby plant, but now look how big! Put this matching game in your math area this week. Variation: Attach the younger pictures (baby, kitten, seedling, etc) into a file folder. Have the children match the remaining pictures to their corresponding younger pictures! 15

16 Grow and Change Match Game 16

17 Grow and Change Match Game 17

18 Grow and Change Match Game 18

19 Grow and Change Match Game 19

20 Song Card & Song Poster How to use: Print and laminate the song card below (it is 5 X 3 ). Place in a can or box with other cards of songs your children love! In transitional times (waiting to go outside or wash hands, etc.), pull out your song box or song can (I use a decorated coffee can!). Shuffle the cards in your hands saying Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle and your children yell STOP! When they yell stop, whichever card is on top is the one you sing! The kids LOVE this! Each month you ll receive one of these cards that correspond with the song poster for the month to add to your Song Card Collection! On the next page, you ll find the Song Poster! Print and laminate for use over the years! 20 Preschool Plan It

21 The Caterpillar Song sung to the tune of The Itsy, Bitsy Spider I started as a tiny egg Upon a leaf of green. And now I stay upon the leaf So I will not be seen. Soon I'll build a chrysalis Upon a limb up high. I'll stay a while and then come out And be a butterfly! 21

22 Caterpillar Butterflies ABCD Calendar Pattern

23 Caterpillar Butterflies ABCD Calendar Pattern

24 Caterpillar Butterflies ABCD Calendar Pattern

25 Caterpillar Butterflies ABCD Calendar Pattern

26 Caterpillar Butterflies ABCD Calendar Pattern

31 27 Simply cut out, laminate and print the month s name with

27 Caterpillar Butterflies ABCD Calendar Pattern The blank card below is to add the month you would like! Simply cut out, laminate and print the month s name with a dry erase marker so that you can erase and use whenever you like throughout the year.

28 Patterns for Games and Activities You can use these in several ways: Print and laminate several pages for the children to use to create patterns. Either you begin a pattern using 4-5 of these cards and encourage the children to continue the same pattern. Or, have the children create their own patterns using the cards. Print and laminate several pages for the children to use as a matching/memory game. 28

29 Patterns for Games: Caterpillar To Butterfly 29

Teachers & Librarians Theme for Preschool

Teachers & Librarians Theme for Preschool Our preschoolers love to imitate us and "play school" even when they are in school! Librarian as a theme? Absolutely! In a world of PDF files and E-books, we have