Animal Habitat Dioramas

Students began by looking through science books and thinking about what sort of animal they were interested in studying.  They then looked at the sort of habitat in which their chosen animal would survive.

Students created their animal out of plasticine of various colours, due to our supply, and then learned how to meld the correct colour of plasticine as a coating on top.  They used photos of their animals as their models.  They did a great job!

The inside of the shoe boxes were painted to represent the parts of their habitat (sky, grass, jungle, desert, etc.).  Students decided what they needed to complete their habitats.  I got various supplies for them (coloured papers, coloured plasticine, liquid glue, hot glue gun) and they collected natural materials (sticks, stones, sand).

I enjoyed watching their creations develop.  They are now completed and on display along the window ledge in the Library.  You can see them there if you are attending the Volunteer Tea tomorrow afternoon.  I have taken pictures of each which are below.

 

Butterflies Galore

The first one, Harry Flutter, popped out on Tuesday afternoon.  He was joined yesterday by five more.  This afternoon the students counted seventeen!!  At the end of the day today, our one lonely (lazy) caterpillar, Bob was wandering on the roof of our cage.  We are hoping by tomorrow that he will be encased in his chrysalis.  Fingers crossed!!

Butterfly Larvae

We got a delivery of larvae last Thursday!  They are currently safely ensconced in their own food containers, for the time being.  We will be transferring them to a larger home, very soon, which is prepped with branches for them to wander along and, hopefully, use to hang from when they are ready to form their chrysalises.

We will be learning about the life cycle of the butterfly, and the changes they go through – metamorphosis.