Spring has sprung and what better way to celebrate it than to observe the creatures in our natural habitat that exude the marvelous characteristics of the season: butterflies! We have admired quite a few out on the playground this year as they dance their way around the various flowering bushes. Inside the classrooms, the children have been learning about the 4 stages of the Butterfly’s Life Cycle in the Science area of the classroom: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult.
Eggs are laid on plants by the adult female butterfly. The job of the caterpillar that emerges is to eat and eat and eat. Once the caterpillar is full grown, it becomes a chrysalis. Although it doesn’t look like much is happening on the outside, inside rapid change is occurring like the formation of the legs, wings, eyes and other parts of the adult butterfly. Then, suddenly, the process unfolds in the classroom before the children’s very eyes and with much delight they observe the adult butterfly emerge with all of its splendid colors! In a culminating ceremony, the butterflies are released on the playground so that the process can begin again.
As we near the end of the school year, we can’t help but see the parallels of this “metamorphosis” with the wonderful children here at Westmont. Hungry for knowledge and building skills throughout the year, they have been nourished by their rich experiences and thriving friendships. They have grown bigger and more confident right before our very eyes and are ready to spread their wings!
