Our 2006 Butterfly Project has been significantly enhanced by the use of computer software, multimedia and principles of UDL. We endeavored to provide as wide a variety of activities in each curriculum area as possible. At the heart of our project was an authentic investigation of painted lady and monarch butterfly life cycles. We have set 7 Painted Lady Butterflies free and are "Waiting for Wings" with 10 monarch's chrysalides! Children wrote songs, poetry, puppet shows, modeled with clay, sketched and painted. They danced, dramatized and gardened.

 Children also represented their ideas using computer software. ( This was our FIRST experience with this! It was so exciting!) It is our belief that the activities and materials were flexible and developmentally appropriate. We sought to select materials and activities that respected the diversity of both the cultural and the diverse learning style of each member of our group. All children's interests were supported.

The use of open ended computer software has been an eye opener for all of us! The children have truly spread their wings and taken flight!  Please visit our butterfly web site.

Example #1 a 5 W Poem:

The Chrysalis

The chrysalis
Was shaking
Yesterday
On the grass
Cuz the butterfly wanted to come out and make an egg

~Marcus

Example # 2: Ronnie's Life Cycle Song (web master's advise....don't miss this!)

Example #3 Collaborative Kidspiration Life Cycle Diagram

EXAMPLE #4 The whole group collaborated on plans for the butterfly garden which were implemented.

Here is a picture of children building the stick fence. They dictated their suggestions to me in word/ Scholastic Keys, and helped type some of the words as well as choosing the clipart.

Example 5: Kathy's Clay Life Cycle Creation

Example # 6 The children collaborated on a Butterfly Puzzle they created from a picture they created in KIDPIX. 

The children's description of their puzzle: " Our puzzle is a picture we made of butterflies and everything. Look at the caterpillar on the leaves where the butterfly can lay her eggs. It sure is a tricky puzzle!"

You can change the number of puzzle pieces by clicking on "Shapes".

Example # 7: Ryan's sketch.  He explained that " There. It is leaves for caterpillars and there are so many eggs. There is the "J" and a chrysalis. There is a butterfly and a flower and that's it."

Example #8: Butterfly Dramatic Play.  The children created a "garden" in our dramatic play area out of boxes and assorted materials. It is a place for caterpillars to crawl and butterflies to sip nectar! We are also still working on a Power Point presentation which will conclude when a Monarch emerges. :)

Hope D'Avino-Jennings  (Miss Hope)