Butterfly Math and Science Activities

Raising butterflies in our classroom is always one of the highlights each year. We wait with baited breath for our caterpillars to arrive and then we get right to it because they grow fast! This year I knew I wanted to incorporate some butterfly math activities while studying the life cycle.

Butterfly math activities~ Graphing the life cycle

Observing the butterfly’s life cycle lends itself so well to measurement, calendar skills, and especially data and graphing!

To add to our butterfly life cycle unit I made these butterfly graphing activities so we could use the data we were collecting in our observation journals to create different types of graphs.

Collecting Butterfly Data

When our caterpillars arrived, we began keeping observation journals, but first we learned how to handle our caterpillars with care.

Students also kept an observation calendar to record changes on the dates they occurred so we could see at a glance the data we were collecting and later on, graph.

Recording the changes and collecting data to graph the butterfly life cycle.

While raising our caterpillars, I’ve learned if I’m not careful they can be an all-day distraction. To avoid this, I keep each table’s cups in a basket on top of the filing cabinet. I label each cup with the student’s initials and their table number.

This way it only takes a few seconds to pass them out when we’re ready to observe them and student’s know when their butterfly has emerged by the empty chrysalis on their lid.

Butterfly math~Collecting data and graphing the life cycle

Butterfly Math for Graphing Life Cycle

I prepped my charts ahead of time and use repositionable glue stick for students to add information. that way I can reuse the charts each year.

and as the life cycle progressed, we tallied the data from our calendars and used it to create these class graphs.

Analyzing the Data

Next, students drew our class charts and did some graph chatting by answering questions about each chart.

Butterfly math~Graphing activities to do while raising caterpillars to butterflies

We used some graph chat cards to compare and analyze our graphs.

We displayed our graphs for our Spring open house and my class loved walking their parents through our process of collecting, organizing, transferring, and analyzing our butterfly data!

Discussing the Data

After our butterflies began to emerge, I had small groups compare and discuss the data from their calendars and observation journals using data discussion cards.

Butterfly Math Using Measurement

We also incorporated some (teacher guided) measurement into our science unit by measuring paths and asking, “How far did the caterpillar crawl?” This activity is part of my butterfly life cycle unit.

Butterfly math~ Measuring the paths a caterpillar crawled.

Another butterfly math activity we did was to use PlayDoh to measure and compare caterpillar lengths.

Free printable butterfly measurement activity~Comparing lengths of PlayDoh caterpillars.

First, students spin the spinner, then roll out a ball of dough into a “caterpillar”. They then measure their “caterpillar” and record the length.

Next they spin again and roll out the caterpillar the number of times on the spinner. After that, students measure the new length and record it. Lastly, they compare both lengths to find the difference. Students write a math problem or drawing to show a strategy they used.

caterpillar%2BPlaydoh%2Bmeasurement%2Bactivity

Download the free printable caterpillar measuring activity.

Along the way, we read a lot of informational books. I somehow misplaced the snazzy, orange butterfly KWL chart I made last year, but this quickie did the trick.

Butterfly Science Lab Activities

We discovered a lot in our learning labs by exploring pollination, compound eyes, and ways a caterpillar and butterfly protect themselves.

As with all of our science experiments, these were hands-on and a lot of fun!

Butterfly science activities~Hands-on learning labs

During our butterfly unit we explored how butterflies help plants grow. We did a pollination simulation using juice boxes and macaroni and cheese powder.

Butterfly science activities~Exploring how butterflies help plants grow.

What to do with all that macaroni after we’ve used all the cheese powder? Make commas, of course! (You can download this free butterfly facts commas in a series page in this earlier post.)

Free printable butterfly facts commas in a series.

Next, we used kaleidoscopes to imagine looking through an insect’s compound eye.

Butterfly science activity~ simulating a compound eye

Students predicted and drew what they thought chosen objects would look like through a compound eye, then wrote a sentence about what they actually saw after looking at the object through their kaleidoscopes.

We learned that being a butterfly isn’t all sunshine and nectar either. They have their problems too!

Butterfly life cycle problem-solution activity

To incorporate some reading skills, we matched these butterfly problems to their solutions. Raising butterflies offers so many opportunities for writing!

Writing About the Butterfly Life Cycle

As we studied the life cycle we wrote about what we learned. We made small booklets after each of our minilessons and learning labs with vocabulary, diagrams, and explanations of the different stages and aspects of the life cycle. We then put it all together in these butterfly foldable booklets .

Butterfly life cycle foldable booklet~Part of a complete unit.

Afterwards, my class was so proud of our hallway display. They loved giving their parents a tour of our classroom and our life cycle garden!

End of year Life Cycle Garden open house display with plants and butterflies

You can read all about how we delighted our students and their families by turning our hallway into a life cycle writing garden for our end of year open house! (Be sure to grab the butterfly kids writing freebie pictured while you’re there!)

I hope you’ve found some ideas and activities you can use to incorporate butterfly math, reading, and writing into your own classroom as you raise butterflies!

$Butterfly Math- Graphing the life cycle$