Butterfly Unit Study

Butterflies are such beautiful and interesting creatures! In this unit study you will discover that there are many different types of butterflies, but that they all have four stages in their life cycle. You will read engaging books and learn interesting facts about host plants, camouflage, and metamorphosis.

Students will experience different activities that include science, art, geography, writing, vocabulary, and even crafts and snacks! Students will build a lap book to record all they learn. They will also create a butterfly habitat and raise caterpillars into butterflies (caterpillars not included).*

This unit study is appropriate for ages 7-12 but there are some additional activities included for older students who might tag along.

Take a look at what's inside:

Instructor's Guide

The Instructor's Guide schedules reading and activities and includes blank template pages that your student will use to build a personalized butterfly lapbook. A variety of bonus activities for older students are also included.

Activity Sheets

Student Activity Sheets are included in the Instructor's Guide for Caterpillars and Butterflies. They include vocabulary review, comprehension questions, and a variety of matching, true/false, and fill-in-the-blank activities to reinforce learning. An answer key for the parent/teacher is included in the Instructor's Guide.

Literature

This Unit Study package includes Caterpillars and Butterflies, which lays the foundation for this unit study. How do caterpillars turn into butterflies? What do they eat? How do they protect themselves? All these details and more in pages full of beautiful pictures.

Velma Gratch and the Way Cool Butterfly tells the story of first-grader Velma who is the youngest in her family. Follow along as she changes from living in the shadow of her older siblings to a confident young scientist.

Butterflies for Kiri celebrates one girl's creativity as she experiments with colorful origami. It's the perfect lead-in to creating your own origami butterfly.

Project Supplies

This unit study comes packaged in a durable cardboard box with the supplies you need to complete each activity or project, except for a few household items. Inside the unit study box you'll find the following supplies:

• Lapbook file folder
• Index cards
• Wooden clothespin
• Pipe cleaner
• Assorted colorful pompoms
• Wiggle eyes
• Pop-up Mesh Hamper. Note: this unit study does not contain caterpillars. You will find instructions in your kit to purchase before you begin.
• Coffee filters
• Origami papers
• Craft glue
• Black twine
• Sheet of bubble wrap
• Craft sticks
• Colored tissue paper

Hands-On Activities

With this hands-on unit study your children will spend approximately 45 minutes per day in engaging activities and captivating stories. The activities engage your student with what they are studying and reinforce all the fascinating details they are learning. Children will explore the world of butterflies from larva to butterfly through creation of their own butterfly lap book.

Activities include:

• Vocabulary development
• Geography
• Arts & Crafts projects
• Butterfly identification
• Creation of a lapbook
• Creative writing
• Fun butterfly-themed recipes
• Raising your own butterflies
• And much more!

BONUS Video

Follow along with Sonlighter Lindsay who raises Monarch butterflies with her family! As you complete your unit study tune in for video instruction including the do's and don'ts of raising butterflies, live lifecycle footage, tips for identifying plants and tracking butterflies, get free printables downloads, and so much more! Watch the videos on Sonlight's YouTube channel here.

*NOTE: This study will take about four, 4-day weeks to complete. Plan for approx. 45 min per day. Be aware that you will want to do this study when it is appropriate to release a butterfly for your area: temperatures need to be consistently above 55 degrees, which can vary by state and elevation. Caterpillars are not included, but the kit includes information on purchasing caterpillars.