Nature offers a variety of learning opportunities and lately we have had the pleasure of witnessing the life cycle of butterflies.
Over the past several weeks a large group of children have been watching butterflies emerge from cocoons on the swan plants outside and from the ones that we have saved and bought inside.
Living things fascinate children and the experience of watching the life cycle of a butterfly has been magical.
On a daily basis we've witnessed children’s excitement of all that is happening. Even parents have been caught up in the wonder of it all!
Watching a butterfly emerge from it's cocoon is thrilling.
Special memories to cherish...releasing butterflies into the sunshine!
Children learn through experience and holding nature in your hands has the ability to deepen understanding to an entirely new level. However how do you keep curiosity alive and children engaged in the learning process once nature has done it’s thing?
One way is through the process of art. Art and creativity invokes a sense of discovery and possibility. It is a wonderful endeavour to stimulate thinking, to revisit prior learning and a way to make meaning and sense of it all!
"Composing through art, like play, is a fundamental function of early cognitive, effective and social development. Through art, children actively construct understanding of themselves and their world, rather than simply becoming the passive recipients of knowledge." (Wright, 2010).
This was evident today as we watched children create their art pieces, all the while reflecting on first hand experiences with butterflies; revisiting the sights, sounds and feelings inherent in their interactions and discoveries. To strengthen this experiences the work of other artists were used to inspire children to create in new ways.
"Composing through art, like play, is a fundamental function of early cognitive, effective and social development. Through art, children actively construct understanding of themselves and their world, rather than simply becoming the passive recipients of knowledge." (Wright, 2010).
This was evident today as we watched children create their art pieces, all the while reflecting on first hand experiences with butterflies; revisiting the sights, sounds and feelings inherent in their interactions and discoveries. To strengthen this experiences the work of other artists were used to inspire children to create in new ways.
Zoey said "It is a baby caterpillar. It grows into a big caterpillar cause it eats lots of food and a butterfly lays eggs on the tree. It turns into butterflies."
Tahlia said "Wings that fly. White dots on the butterflies wings. Orange on the butterflies wings.
Kendall said "I like the white spots on the wings. I like the black head with the ears."
Zoey said "Wings are beautiful because they've got different colours."
Nora said "Butterflies get out of cocoons. They stay and then they get out. They break the cocoon."
Poppy said "I see the white dots around the outside. I see the black around the outside."
Manaia said "There's white dots and orange."
Alex said "Butterflies can fly. They fly with their wings. They grow...butterflies lay eggs and they will hatch. They hatch into caterpillars. The caterpillars eat leaves, um they love eating leaves. They go into a little bit big, then they grow into a butterfly."
Poppy said "The butterfly is coming out of the cocoon. It lays the eggs. They turn into caterpillars. The caterpillars turn into a cocoon. The butterfly comes out of the cocoon.
Dance of the butterfly
Dance and movement add further creativity to keep the spark of learning alive. We introduced music and material to foster a playful and enjoyable environment. Here the dance of the butterfly emerged.
Through dance children are developing ideas of a butterfly, through self expression and interpretation of what it looks like and feels like to move like a butterfly.
"Dance provides opportunities to engage actively and creatively with the body and to express feelings, moods and ideas symbolically through movement." (Schiller and Meiners, 2012).
Notice how these girls study the material as they bring it up and down to imitate the fluttering of butterfly wings. Watching it floating up and down as they spread their wings and fly!
"Look, I'm an egg" said Alex.
"Me too!" said Sophia and Nora.
Hahaha...out of the mouths of babes!
Alex and Sophia demonstrate a caterpillar climbing up their arms as the sign language for caterpillar.
Witnessing the life cycle of a butterfly, what a gift from nature...and from such beginnings come these learning experiences that have been a joy to behold!
Thanks for stopping by
Nga mihi nui,
Tania
