My Butterflies Take Flight

As part of our biology curriculum, the children needed to watch and make observations on the metamorphosis of a butterfly and learn about the life cycle. Now we are off on holidays shortly so we don't really have the time to wait for some butterflies to hatch and we did study the life cycle of the butterfly when they were kiddlings (doesn't everyone) so I suggested they each do something simple like a poster on the butterfly to cover these areas. Now one of the things I am aiming for as they get older is more independent learning so I didn't provide them with any exact requirements, just asked that they include things about the life cycle amongst other information and I left them to it.
 
Unfortunately in order to make sure they finished it today and not next year (they had gotten as far as writing Butterfly 30 minutes later when I popped in on them to see how they were doing!), I said I would be checking their presentations later that day. Yes I used the word "presentation" ... always a mistake with my two.
 
Now the little darlings did their posters with lots of information on them on the same day ... a great feat in itself! I should stop here and wallow in the glow of them completing a task without any nagging or moaning ... from me! But there was more ...

Was I allowed to view them? Oh no that would have been too simple, remember I had used the word presentation. So the school room was decorated with flowers and butterfly wings, there was even a sign stuck to the door "Butterfly presentation". Then the Papa and I were invited to sit on the couch in the school room, after dinner, where we were cordially welcomed and offered a refreshment of water or lemonade before they started on "the presentation". Our presenters both had on fairy/butterfly wings!
 
They displayed their posters and took it in turns to explain the information on there and thankfully they summarised some of the more interesting points, which is better than in the past when they have read what they have written word for word. The Papa and I actually learnt some knew and interesting things too. They taught themselves some news words in their investigations; the word excrement caused a lot giggling. Seriously the Papa needs to pull himself together sometimes ... kidding!
 
 

 
Agent Smelly also included The Butterfly poem by Christina G Rossetti on her poster (which had the obligatory glitter) which she recited and performed. The death scene in itself was impressive. Then she performed a song about a butterfly, with dancing and all. They even had the sense to go and photocopy some pictures from their books to put on their posters. On the little table there were some extra pictures to be passed around so that we could look closer at the butterflies.
 
 

After The Fashionista did her presentation she popped on a Hillary Duff CD. The Papa and I were a little perplexed ... turns out the CD is called Metamorphosis. Aha! Well played Fashionista, well played!
 
Then we had to have a dance party ... I kid you not! Anytime these two plan something it has to turn into a dance party ... much to the Papa's horror, who has not been blessed with a dancing gene and somehow managed to escape!

Well this little poster I was expecting turned into an impressive learning experience and the girls have already asked for another one to do. A successful learning moment ... mine not theirs!