Observation 5

The butterflies have emerged!!!  Well, all but one!

We covered the bottom of the habitat with mums and are sprinkling them with sugar water to feed the butterflies.  The one straggler should come out in the next day - his cocoon is getting dark.  We've learned so much!!!  The cocoons actually turn so dark that they are almost black right before the butterflies emerge.  Coming out only takes a matter of seconds - blink and you'll miss it!  We've only managed to see one emerge completely because it happens so quickly.

The red stuff you see is not blood - it is actually excess pigment that is expunged from the butterfly.  Kind of like the first poop of a baby - I know, gross, but technically it is called "meconium" and if you are a mom you know what that means!

We plan to release the butterflies after that final one emerges.  The kids seem very concerned about letting them out to fly and I just think it will be such an awesome experience for them.

This whole experience has been awesome, really.  I totally recommend getting one of these butterfly gardens and doing it yourself - such fun!

Cursive

Bug keeps asking me to write things for him in cursive.  He seems fascinated by it.  So guess what our first summer activity is going to be?  Yep, that's right!  I'm teaching him how to write in cursive.  I don't expect miracles, and I'm sure it will be slow going, but he is totally motivated and wants to learn.

Here is a great site for creating your own custom tracing pages to help learn handwriting: Custom Tracer Pages

Observation 4

All of the caterpillars have finally formed their chrysalids and so today we moved them into the butterfly habitat.  Basically, the chrysalids attached themselves to a piece of paper at the top of the plastic cup they were in and we just took that paper out and pinned it to the bottom of the mesh wall.  According to our information, the pupal stage within the cocoon takes 7-10 days, so I expect in a week or so we will be observing the emergence of our butterflies - exciting!

Once the butterflies emerge we mix up some sugar water to feed them - we can either sprinkle it on flowers or we can dunk a crumpled up paper towel in it and then place it on the bottom of the habitat for the butterflies to feed.  We will keep the butterflies for a few days to enjoy them and then we will release them - the butterfly lifespan is only 2-4 weeks so I think it's only fair to give them a little time in the sun before their lives are over.  Also, I am just not wanting to explain death again to my kids... They don't understand and when Boomer the goldfish died Bean was very upset - she still asks about him on a near daily basis.

Observation 3

All but one caterpillar have formed their chrysalids.

I don't know who is more excited, the kids or my Husband.

I find it very interesting that they seem to shrink in size when they cocoon.  I wonder what that other guy is waiting for?

Observation 2

The caterpillars have begun the process of forming cocoons - they are now (all but one) hanging upside down and getting ready to begin the change.

In the words of my children, because you just can't make up anything better than this, "They are hanging upside down like monkeys!"

Stretch

I'm not like the world's biggest yoga fan or anything like that, but I picked up this book at the library and I just think it is fantastic!  It is a fun way to do some yoga poses with children while going through a great little story all about the ways in which we can stretch.  I did the book with the kids last night before bedtime and plan to do it again with them today - just the movements of the stretching out in different poses (soaring with wings, up to the sky, down to the floor, like different animals and stretching across to each other, etc...) seemed to calm them down.  They were excited and having fun, but not overly excited - stretching out just had this calming, winding down for the evening effect.  I really liked it and I really like the book!

Observation 1

We are watching the larvae grow and I think it is safe to say that these babies are officially caterpillars - and it only took like 3 days!  These things have doubled in size!

Me: What do you see that is different from when we first got the larvae?

Bug: What I see that is different is that they are A LOT bigger!

Bean: Worms!

Me: Do you think they have to get bigger before they can turn into butterflies?

Bug: Yes!  A lot bigger!

Bean: Mommy, this takes too long.  When do I get my butterflies?

Stay tuned - more to come in this exciting science adventure!

20 Great Reasons for Homeschooling

I just thought this was a fun little cartoon that I would share...

You will probably need to click on the cartoon to make it bigger so you can read it.  It's a bit blurry if you don't... Up to your eyes I guess, haha!

The Larvae Has Arrived!

As you may recall, my little Bean Sprout was given a Butterfly Garden for her birthday.  Well, yesterday the larvae arrived!  The kids have been having a blast watching the little wormy guys wiggle around - and I think it is hysterical that they both had to say "goodnight" and "good morning" to their new friends.

Once the little dudes go up to the top and make themselves a lovely home to change in (otherwise known as a chrysalid) then we will transfer them from the cup into the mesh garden for when the butterflies emerge.

It's very exciting to watch it all take place!

Last Day of Kindergarten

The kids are happily eating their Lucky Charms and I thought I would grab a minute to say that today is our last day of kindergarten!  An entire year of homeschooling under my belt - I am amazed with myself!  When I first started this homeschooling adventure I had so many doubts in my abilities to teach.  I wasn't sure if the kids would pay attention to me, to "mom", and I wasn't sure I would be able to teach anything.  What I discovered along the way is that I was already a teacher before I began.  These kids have been learning since the minute they were born and they have been learning from me.  I can do it!  I did do it!

I've learned how to modify preset lesson plans.

I've learned how to get supplementary materials from the library (ok, I already know how to do that, but I put it in action).

I learned how to be patient in a way I have never been patient before.

I learned how to take something boring and create a visually stimulating lesson out of it.

I learned that if it is not visually stimulating Bug just isn't interested.

I learned how to schedule even better than I already did.

I learned that sometimes my analness is just that, analness... And I need to get over it.

I learned that my daughter is not and never will be my son when it comes to learning and I will have to take things slowly with her for Pre-K.

I learned that if I can put it on a computer it helps both kids to understand it better.  I guess the tech geek nature of this house rubbed off in big ways.

I learned that PBS has amazing shows that I can record and use to reinforce lessons.  You can get so much from that great station - heck, I'm even thinking of donating in the next drive because I get so much use out of their programming!

I learned that just when I think I can't do it my kids will turn around and prove me wrong, shining bright with the knowledge I have been trying so hard to instill in them.

I learned that some days you just have to walk away - for instance, with those money lessons, walking away from it was the best thing ever.  We were both frustrated.  I'm happy to report that now Bug can combine dimes, nickels, and pennies without giving it a second thought.  He did learn it.  He just needed to not be pressured.

I learned that when homeschooling, even though we have a school room, sometimes the best classroom can actually be the living room couch.

I learned that home school groups aren't all they're cracked up to be so I need to be more proactive in seeking out activities for the kids to get involved in.

I learned that the world is very skeptical about homeschooling and for as long as I continue it I will probably have to answer questions about why, how, is it legal, and accusations about how my kids aren't getting socialized.

I learned that the world is even more skeptical of homeschooling a special needs child and rather than responding defensively to people who question me I need to just smile and say "it works for us".

I learned that even with explaining my reasoning not everyone will understand and people will always be people - and with that brings judgement.

I learned that I never knew what exhaustion was until I started homeschooling... But I am happy to be exhausted as the tradeoff is well worth it.

I learned that Lucky Charms can actually be turned into a preschool lesson for Bean in shapes, colors, and counting.  Gotta love breakfast cereals!

I learned that I have an awesome family who may not totally understand me but who definitely supports me in what I do - and for that I am thankful.

And I learned that breaks longer than two weeks tend to get Bug a little upset as his entire schedule is disrupted so even though kindergarten has ended and first grade won't start until July I will still be planning some sort of daily activity to keep him in the zone.

I'm sure I learned a lot more than that, but for now the list is finished.  The kids are almost done eating and we will soon be starting our last day.  I'm excited - my boy is a kindergarten graduate!  And my Bean, she can't wait to start Pre-K.  She tells me that she will "be a big girl and learn lots".  I love these kids!

An Ocean of Books

We went to the library today and picked up some books for our last week of school (and then some... we walked out with 14 books today).  Since we are studying ocean life and the seashores I thought the book Shells Shells Shells would be fun.  It is a cute story in which children can discover what exactly shells are and how they formed, what may have lived in them, etc... All while enjoying a trip to the beach with some very cute bears.  I think this will be a fun one to close the lesson with.

I also picked up a couple of books about sea creatures - actually, two specific creatures that we have been talking about, starfish and crabs.  These books have some great photos and the kids are already loving them.  Bug is most interested in crabs since he learned that they can actually grow a leg back if it gets pinched off in a fight... That seems very exciting for him! (Just wait until he learns about various lizard tails!)  If I'm not mistaken, I do believe starfish can do this as well... We shall see.  I'm sure that if they can it will be in the book - that's the kind of stuff that is always included in these science books for kids, haha!!

Anyways, that's science for the week.  I can't believe it is our last week of kindergarten!  It just flew by!