Program: Things With Wings Age group: 6 to 8 year olds Time: Thu 6/26 9:00 am to 11:00 am Location: DuPage River Park Instructor: Peter Chen Supplies: magnifiers mini-tents, leaf/caterpillar trays (Peter) Odonata guides Lepidoptera guides (Peter) seeds/pots dipping equipment Walk along the wetlands and meander through the meadows to find out what?s fluttering and flying about! Learn about butterfly and dragonfly life cycles and their curious characteristics. Then, create the beginning to your own butterfly garden. Search for these beauties and beasties and observe their active lives in the water and fields. Lesson Plans: * What are some creatures with wings? Birds, flies, butterflies, dragonflies, bats, bees. * What do you know about butterflies? * What are the characteristics of butterflies? Wings, proboscis, different colors, enjoy nectar from flowers, go through a life cycle (egg-pupa-larva-adult), emerge from chrysalides, cannot regulate body temperature, active in the summer. Show students the picture of butterfly body parts. * Butterflies come in many different colors and sizes (show pictures of butterflies). Why do they come in different colors? Camouflage, some look like birds or eyes, etc. * Discuss the life cycle of butterflies. Play a game to demonstrate. What are some other insects/animals that go through life cycles? * What do butterflies eat? Discuss Monarch butterflies preferring milkweed. Show the list of flowers that butterflies prefer. Allow the children to plant some seeds to plants that butterflies enjoy in a small pot with soil. Let them write the name of their plant on the pot. This is the start of their butterfly garden. Give three packets of seeds of other native flowers that attract butterflies to each student. * Go on a caterpillar/butterfly hunt. Give each student a magnifier or a bug box. * How do butterflies fly? Have the students move like butterflies. Why do they move in such erratic patterns? To deter predators. * What do you know about dragonflies? http://www.twingroves.district96.k12.il.us/Wetlands/Dragonfiles/DragonFlies.html * What are the characteristics of dragonflies? Retractable jaw, compound eyes, six legs, head, thorax, abdomen, wings, active predator, go through a life cycle (egg-nymph-adult). * Where do dragonflies begin their life? In the water. * What do they look like in the water? Show a picture. * Do a dip for invertebrates. Can you find any dragonfly nymphs? * What do butterflies and dragonflies have in common? * Go on a dragonfly hunt. * Finish with a quick craft. Create coffee filter butterflies or a dragonfly kite. http://www.kidsdomain.com/craft/butterfly1.html http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/butterfly/ http://www.dltk-kids.com/crafts/insects/butterflies.htm * Upon departure, give each students a few sheets of butterfly and dragonfly pictures to color at home. http://www.coloring.ws/butterfly1.htm