The Butterflies Are Here!

The Monarch butterflies have emerged from their chrysalis and they are using their proboscis to drink the sugar water we left for them. The girls like to reach into the butterfly house and feel the butterfly wings flutter on their hand.

Every year we go through the same thing.....Olive gets so sad when it's time to release them into Grammy's garden. "It's almost time for their wings to fly," I tell her. "I know," she replies.

The life cycle of a Monarch butterfly is an amazing thing to see.

Living Learning Books- Butterflies

Our caterpillars have arrived in the mail and have already started making their chrysalis. This is the third year that we have ordered monarch butterflies from Insect Lore and it never gets old for my two girls. In about 3 weeks the butterflies will be named and released into grammy's garden.

I am so excited to be using our new science curriculum called Living Learning Books,  created by veteran homeschool mom, Sandi Strenkowski. In level one science we will be learning about animals, human body, and plants. The best part about Living Learning Books new format is that you are now provided with weekly lesson plans and an easy downloadable format for both vertebrates, invertebrates, and the human body (coming soon). I love that these lessons can be used for multiple ages and you can add as much to a subject as you would like or keep it simple with just the basics. Each lesson has coloring and activity pages, crafts, cooking, and suggested reading.

Our Butterfly Lesson: 
Read-                                     Monarch Butterfly by Gail Gibbons
                                              Waiting for Wings by Lous Ehlert
                                              The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
                                              The Butterfly House by Eve Bunting

Projects-                                Antennae headband
                                              Baggie Butterfly Garden
                                              coloring pages
                     
 Cooking-                              Butterfly Apples
                                              Caterpillar Cookies                          
                                              

I think this is a good start to the week ahead...plus as an added bonus their is a free sample unit to download on Sandi's site here!