Lifecycle Learning

Posted on 09/19/2018

Indian Lake Elementary students got a lesson in life--literally--over the first few weeks of school. 
Third grade Science Teacher Pam Scarpella recently took her classes outside to release the Painted Lady Butterflies they have raised and studied over the past 20 days. 
Students got to watch as the butterfly larva (or caterpillars) grew into the pupa (or chrysalis) stage. Then they hatched into butterflies, ready to fly away. Students recorded their thoughts and impressions of the life cycle process in their scientific Observations Journals. 
In fact, a new chemical analysis of painted lady butterfly wings suggests that the butterflies head back to Europe in the spring. The roundtrip, which usually plays out over several generations, is an annual journey of about 7,500 miles, about 1,200 more than successive generations of monarchs are known to fly each year. 
Throughout the school year students will also be studying the life cycles of frogs, plants and humans as part of the third grade state science standards.