Life Unfolding ~ The Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly

On the Friday of the Labour Day weekend, I was delighted to find four monarch caterpillars on my morning walk.  I carefully placed them in jars.  How excited the children would be to see them on our first day of school!

Monarch Caterpillars

Over the next two days, the caterpillars ate and ate and ate, and they grew and grew and grew!  Gradually, they stopped eating and took a little rest.  On Sunday, each caterpillar climbed up to the top of their jar, crawling and circling, looking for a good place to form a chrysalis.

The caterpillar is looking for a place to hang.

By Labour Day, each caterpillar had formed a 'j' and began to molt for one last time. 

Forming a 'J'

 Instead of four caterpillars, we now had four chrysalises!

A Chrysalis

On the first day of school, two jars were placed in each classroom.  Within the jars were the chrysalises. The children were so excited!  When would the butterflies emerge?  Each day, we watched and waited for signs.

Learning about the life cycle of a monarch butterfly.

Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly

Fourteen days after the caterpillars had formed their chrysalises, we came in to school to find two butterflies!  They had hatched!  A third emerged later that day.

Watching the Butterflies

 

Watching the Butterflies

The release of the butterflies in our playground was a grand event!

But what about the fourth and final chrysalis?  When would it become a butterfly?  Two days later, we had our answer!

 

 

Witnessing the life cycle of a monarch butterfly taught us quite a lot about the mysteries of nature. 

Life Cycle of a Butterfly Craft

Although the caterpillars had formed chrysalises within hours of one other, they did not all hatch at the same time.  The caterpillars/butterflies showed us that each living thing has his or her own time and schedule and cannot be rushed.  Some may be quicker and some may be slower, yet each living thing will unfold itself when the time is right. 

To stimulate life, leaving it free, however, to unfold itself, that is the first duty of the educator.  For such a delicate mission great art is required to suggest the right moment and to limit intervention, last one should disturb or lead astray rather than help the soul which is coming to life and which will live by virtue of it's own efforts."

 ~ Maria Montessori