Butterflies!

We have been learning about the life cycle of a butterfly.  We have watched videos, read books, and were able to use our new science books! (This was a big deal :-)  We are even getting to watch our very own eggs hatch into caterpillars and will eventually form chrysalises and turn into beautiful monarch butterflies in our own classroom!!  I have pictures posted below of our little friends changing over the past few weeks.  (You can click any of the pictures to make them bigger.)

Look closely!! Our egg was a tiny white dot on the milkweed leaf.

Our baby hatched!  There is our LITTLE caterpillar toward the top of the leaf.  It has already began eating a moon-shape through the leaf.  He OR she will eat and eat and eat for about 14 days.

Now is has the black and yellow color.  We are such proud parents!

  Eating lots and lots and getting big and fat!                                                                                                                        

Our own Very Hungry Caterpillar!

When I came in Friday morning, our baby had attached itself to the top and was ready in its "j" position to begin forming its chrysalis!! I almost tripped over the run in our room because I was so excited to show the kids when they got there that morning! 

I came in from dropping the kids off at the bus, and its skin had split and it was REALLY begin to form its chrysalis.  I was so sad the kids weren't there to actually see this.  It was REALLY cool!

Its skin is almost all the way off (the black part at the top).  Now all that's left is the green, gooey part that will begin to harden.

Here is the video of our little friend trying to get his new home all ready!  The commentators in the background are Mrs. Shanda Krantz's kids that were able to watch it with me!  I was so sad that I had already taken the kids to the bus, but was glad that I was able to film it so they can enjoy it, too!

And here is OUR CHRYSALIS!!!  We'll be watching it for approximately 14 days to see it develop into a beautiful butterfly!!!  We will be making predictions of whether it will be a boy or a girl!  We'll let you know as soon as we find out! How exciting!!!