For each student, provide a black-and-white print of a butterfly (the kind children can color in,) spiral pasta pieces, shell pasta pieces, bow tie pasta pieces, grains of extra large rice or gnocci pasta, crayons and glue.
Explain the life cycle of a butterfly, using the pasta as a reference. Use the rice to reference eggs, spiral pasta to represent caterpillars, shells to represent the chrysalis, and bow ties to represent butterflies. Allow the children to color their own butterfly, and then have them paste the corresponding pieces of pasta in order according to the butterfly life cycle. Write each life stage underneath the corresponding piece.
This exercise is designed to build color recognition and begin the process of word recognition for children. While spring offers a wide variety of colors, any season's colors can be used. Begin this activity with 10 unlined index cards for each child. Tell them to draw one "spring thing" (e.g., a tree, rainbow, butterfly, flower) on each card. Collect the cards, and write the color of the spring thing on the back of each. Holding up cards from each of the decks, ask the students to identify the primary color of the object. This exercise works particularly well outdoors, where there are real-world examples of the colors to point to.
This exercise is designed to introduce children to how fossils are made. The project requires play dough, a large pie plate (disposable) and an object or objects to imprint (such as a leaf, a flower or a hand). Have the children press the dough into a flat cake shape, smoothing out the top; then supervise as each presses an object into the play dough, making an imprint. If trying to imprint a plant, use a second portion of play dough to press down on the plant from the top. Allow the dough to dry overnight to find "fossilized prints" in the morning.