Learning All About Butterflies

The first and second graders in Mrs. Rapp's class have been studying butterflies, which is always an appropriate spring activity, and special fun if the butterflies actually hatch before the school year wraps up. Here the board outside their classroom shows models of the different butterflies the kids have been studying, complete with requisite cocoons.

Each child has been studying a particular North American butterfly. Some favorite things they learned:

• Butterflies don't have ears. Question: How do they hear? With their antennas!
• Some fly to Mexico, mate there and their children fly back.
• Others don't migrate and live for only a few weeks.
• What places on Earth don't have butterflies?*

Here a peek at their butterfly farm where they are raising painted laides. Each child "adopted" a butterfly, and the chrysalis is labeled with his or her name.

Demonstrating how a butterfly actually comes out of the chrysalis. (Toilet paper rolls have all kinds of uses...)

Not only does each student have a butterfly, the class also adopted a question mark butterfly through the North American Butterfly Association. The question mark butterfly was recommended by the Association because, they reasoned, kids ask a lot of questions.

*Answer to the question of where there are no butterflies to be found on Earth?

Antarctica and the Arctic