Butterfly Firsts and YouTube Kids (iPad Must Have)

Disclaimer: TOTALLY geekin' out tonight.

I have never done the butterfly life cycle with my class before - until this year - and ohemgee, HOW COOL!

I was absolutely enamored (and disgusted) by the process.

When we got the caterpillars they were pretty little, and grew in this cup. Side note: we were in the middle of discussing habitats, so we took the opportunity to research and discuss the natural habitat of caterpillars.

After a few days, they all made chrysalis'. We were all amazed at this process!

While we waited for the butterflies to appear (almost 2 weeks!), we spent some time on the YouTube Kids app and with trade books researching the butterfly life cycle. YouTube Kids has a voice recognition feature so that the kids don't have to spell what they are searching, but can speak it, making the app way more functional for kiddos. 

We made a Very Hungry Caterpillar bug chain, write about the butterfly life cycle and talked about the process with friends. 

After what seemed like FOR.EV.ER, the butterflies came out! One of my little ladies discovered it during the middle of centers and you would have thought she saw Santa. All H-e-double hockey sticks broke loose and we took some time out of reading block to just watch the butterflies

(I projected their activity on the SMART Board using the Reflector app. Just kept the video option open on my phone and AirPlayed through Reflector on my computer)

Guys/Gals, I could have watched the butterflies all morning. You could see all the details since it was projected larger. One of them even stuck out his proboscis! The kids noticed what it was and used the right word! Proud teacher moment :o)

After all were hatched we had to let those big guys go. Our literacy coach caught the release on camera, TGFLeah! :o)

If you haven't done this in your class I would totally suggest it. My co-teacher and I were completely disgusted at times, but it was absolutely worth it! 

Ahh It's a Bug!!!

It's now officially one of the most fun times of the year - bug centers! The kids have a love/hate relationship with bugs.  They hate the ones that are alive, and love the fake ones! It is also REAL cute that when we start talking about bugs and the jobs they have in the environment, that some of the little ones want to save all the bugs they see and some still want to squash them. This become a super-battle and if you squash a bug, whaa whaa, you are "mean." Whiiiiccch creates a whole 'nother problem....but I digress.

So...Bug Centers...I am using Growing Kinders "Going Buggy" Unit with some additional pieces of my own. Her unit is awesome!

This sweetie is practicing "counting on." There are two bugs in that little magnifying glass on the right and number 7. So he has to count 7+ (2 bugs)...7, 8, 9. We practiced doing this before using blocks and our fingers. 

These lil ladies are taking number cards (ex. 13) and writing that number and the next two numbers in sequence. 13, 14, 15. 

Here, we are counting by ten frames to count numbers over 19. AWESOME! :o)

Now it's time for BUG HUUUUNNNT! This is basically write the room with bug vocabulary. This is our #1 favorite activity. It is leveled as well for differing needs.

And last, we are sequencing sentences.  The kids have to match mix-matched sentences, put them in order and write them down.  This was one of the more difficult centers, as our creative minds just wanted to use the cards to create our own sentences. Which, of course, is fine as well! :o)

Hope you enjoy! Do you have a bug unit? Link it up! :o)