BLAST Early Learning
Caterpillars and Butterflies
by Bill Martin Jr.; illustrated by Lois Ehlert
Illustrations and rhyming text follow ten caterpillars as one wriggles up a flower stem, another sails across a garden pool, and one reaches an apple leaf, where something amazing happens.
Open-ended Questions for Ten Little Caterpillars :
• Have you ever scaled something? What have you scaled?
• Why do you think the author says that the sixth little caterpillar was carried off to school?
The fuzzy little caterpillar went up into a tree
(index finger “caterpillar” climbs up other arm “tree”)
Spun his chrysalis and then (yawn) went to sleep
(close hand around)
While he was sleeping he dreamt that he could fly
(making flying motion)
When he woke up (loud, excited) he was a butterfly.
Caterpillar and Butterfly Exercises
Act out the different stages of caterpillars and butterflies
scale: v. to climb up something high and steep
“The tenth little caterpillar scaled an apple tree.”
(taken from Ten Little Caterpillars by Bill Martin Jr.; illustrated by Lois Ehlert)
Butterfly Flannel-board Game
Select several colors of felt, such as red, yellow, blue, and orange. From each color, cut out one flower shape and one butterfly shape. Place the flower shapes on a flannel-board and give the butterfly shapes to your children. Then let them take turns placing the butterflies on the matching colored flowers.
Create several different colored butterflies. Cut them in half and then have your children match the butterfly halves.
Butterfly Ink Blot
Cut out a butterfly shape on white paper, the shape should be symmetrical. Fold the paper in half, and ask the child to paint half of the butterfly. When the child is finished, ask him/her to press the paper halves together, so that both sides will look the same. Let the child rub the folded paper. Open the paper, and you have a butterfly with matching wings!
Science: Butterfly Life Cycle Mobile
Supplies: Many colors of construction paper, oak tag or gift wrap, pencil, scissors, yarn, glue stick, a sturdy paper plate, markers, crayons or paint, and a stapler or tape.
-Draw and cut out a pupa and decorate it (the stage during which the caterpillar makes a protective
-Draw a spiral on a paper plate.
-Cut along the line.
-Decorate the paper plate using markers, crayons, or paint.
-Using green construction paper, draw a leaf and cut it out.
-Either draw tiny butterfly eggs on it or glue on tiny paper circles (either cut them out or use a hole punch to make some). A cluster of butterfly eggs are usually laid on the underside of a leaf; the eggs are white or yellow or greenish, and are circular to oval.
-Draw and cut out a caterpillar and decorate case around itself and turns into a butterfly).
-To make butterfly wings, fold a small piece of paper in half, and draw half a butterfly along the fold line.
-Using dark paper, make a body for your butterfly (it is basically a long oval with a circular head).
-Glue the body to the wings and decorate your butterfly.
-Staple or tape the stages in the butterfly's life cycle to string and then to the paper plate.
-Attach another short length of string to the plate; it will be used to hang the mobile.
-You now have a great butterfly life cycle mobile!
Gotta Go! Gotta Go!
by Sam Swope; pictures by Sue Riddle
Although she does not know why or how, a small creepy-crawly bug is certain that she must make her way to Mexico.
by Eric Carle
Follows the progress of a hungry little caterpillar as he eats his way through a varied and very large quantity of food until, full at last, he forms a cocoon around himself and goes to sleep.
by Petr Horacek
A little girl sees a beautiful butterfly in the garden one day and while searching for the butterfly the next day she is amazed by all of the other colors in the garden.
Waiting for Wings
by Lois Ehlert