Tots and Me... Growing Up Together: Littles Learning Link Up Highlight

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Tuesday, April 23, 2019

Littles Learning Link Up: April 23, 2019: Craft Highlight- Paper Plate Butterfly Life Cycle

Each month you will find:

A seasonal round-up (usually toward the beginning of the month)
Posts where I share what I have been up to with my early elementary children and the preschoolers I work with at our homeschool co-op (including occasional highlight posts where I share how we used ideas that have been linked up here on Littles Learning Link Up).

Each week, I will host a link up, where you can share either what you have been up to recently, or old posts that may go with the theme. Feel free to link up more than one post.

Each week I will continue to feature a couple of posts from those that have been linked up.

I hope you will continue to share your wonderful posts, and I hope you will find something new to try with your child(ren).

It would be great for everyone to stop by and visit the other linked-up posts as well. Check them out, leave some comments, pin those that interest you. Let's make this a real party and socialize with each other.

We have finished our metamorphosis/life cycle lessons in our class at co-op. Two weeks ago I shared the Pattern Caterpillar Crafts we made, and last week I shared the Symmetrical Butterfly Crafts. Then I decided we needed a craft that incorporated the actual life cycle. At the beginning of the month I shared my Butterfly Metamorphosis/Life Cycle Fun Round Up. There were so many great ideas that other bloggers allowed me to share in that compilation post, 30 to be exact. I decided I wanted to use one of them for our next-to-last Pre-K class at co-op.

I loved the idea of a Paper Plate Life Cycle, where you can see all the stages all at once, going around in a circle. There were a couple of different ideas for this craft shared on my round up, and I'm sure there are others out there. I decided to go with the one from over at Buggy and Buggy because it didn't require pompoms. I love using pompoms, don't get me wrong, but I had used them two weeks in a row for the caterpillars and the butterflies, so I wanted something different. As usual, I did make a couple of changes.

You will need

Paper plates (1 per child)
Yellow paint
Life cycle template from Buggy and Buddy
Green construction paper
Stick on gems
Black marker
Brown and black pipe cleaners
More pipe cleaners in assorted colors
Tissue paper (Green for the chrysalis plus various colors)
White glue
Scissors

In preparation I printed out the life cycle templates and cut them out. Older children could do the cutting on their own. I then cut the pipe cleaners to the required lengths: 2 inches for both the black and brown, I left the other pipe cleaners whole for now. Then I cut the tissue paper: 2 x 3 inches for the green, and 2 x 2 1/2 inches (with rounded corners) for the other colors. I also cut green paper into leaf shapes.

I do not have any pictures of the children working on this craft. It was actually "Teen Teach Day" at co-op while the parents had a relaxing morning of fellowship.

I laid everything out for the two teens who were teaching the Pre-K class that morning.

From what the girls told me, plus from the glimpse of the few finished crafts I saw, the children did a great job with this craft. I love that it was simple enough for me to leave with the teens along with some instructions, and each of the stage's parts sorted into plastic baggies.

These were the instructions I gave them:

Tell them they are going to be making a Butterfly Life Cycle Craft. Remind them that the butterfly lays eggs on a leaf, and in a while out pops a caterpillar. The caterpillar eats and eats, and grows and grows, until it forms a chrysalis. It goes through a change, called metamorphosis (have them repeat the word "metamorphosis" after you). After a while a butterfly emerges. Tell them they are going to make each stage.

First they are going to paint a paper plate. Place a paper plate in front of each child, and make sure to write their name on the back. Hand out the paintbrushes and put some yellow paint on the paper plate. Remind them to spread it out all over the paper plate. Have them make sure to get the edges covered. Give them a little more paint as needed. Set them aside to dry.

While the paint was drying they read some books and went to snack and gym.

Once the paper plates are dry, have them glue the life cycle circle to the middle of the paper plate with a glue stick.

Each bag is labeled for the different steps.

Step 1 (Eggs):

Have them draw a line down the middle of the leaf, then draw little lines. Demonstrate with the extra leaf. Have them turn the leaf over and apply glue with the glue stick. Attach the leaf in the egg wedge. Have them add 3 "eggs" using the gemstones.

Step 2:

Ask each child which two colors of pipe cleaners they want. You will just have to cut the pipe cleaners in half. When they all have their pipe cleaners, demonstrate how to twist them together. You may need to help some of them. When they are all twisted, hand each child a pencil and show them how to wrap the twisted pipe cleaners around and around the pencil. Again, they may need help. Then apply a line of white glue in the caterpillar wedge and have them attach their caterpillar.

Step 3 (Chrysalis):

Give them each a brown pipe cleaner twig and a piece of green tissue paper. Apple a line of white glue in the chrysalis wedge and have them attach the "twig." Then have them twist the ends of the green tissue paper together to form the chrysalis. It may help to have them wrap it around their finger diagonally, twist one end, then take it off of the finger and twist the other end. Put a small dot of glue next to the end of the twig and have them attach the chrysalis.

Step 4 (Butterfly):

Ask them what two colors of tissue paper they want for their butterfly. Give them each two. Then set a black pipe cleaner in front of them on the table, going up and down (vertically). Make sure the two pieces of tissue paper are on top of one another. Have the children grasp them in the center and pinch them. Have them tet them on top of the pipe cleaner, then wrap the pipe cleaner around the tissue paper. Help them twist it and form antennae. Then attach it to the last wedge with a line of white glue to attach to pipe cleaner and wings to.

If they had time at the end they were to read another book or two. I will be sharing all the books read during this unit in my Learning About Life Cycles: Caterpillar/Butterfly Lessons post.

I was able to get one picture of a child with a finished project (I asked her mom if she could send me a picture).

Paper Plate Butterfly Life Cycle

Let's take a look at that review schedule real quick:

Last week I shared my review of CrossWired Science.

This week I will be sharing my review of Techie Homeschool Mom.

In May I will share my review for the first two books in the Hamelin Stoop series from 12 Gates Publishing, Pathway to Liberty, Elementary Math Games from The Critical Thinking Co., the book God is Better Than Trucks from Christian Focus, another picture book titled Nothing from Worthy Kids, a couple of online subscriptions from EdAlive, plus Supercharged Science.

Phew, yes we are still busy with review products.

Here are a couple of things I would like to share with you:

Butterfly Metamorphosis/Life Cycle Fun Round Up

Learning About Life Cycles: Tadpole/Frog Lessons

April Showers Brought May Flowers Round Up

Now onto:

Littles Learning Link Up Features

On my last Littles Learning Link Up post, there were 9 wonderful posts linked up. I will be sharing a randomly selected post and the top clicked on posts.

Please, don't forget to stop by other posts that are linked up. See what catches your eye, stop by, pin the post to a relevant board, and perhaps leave a comment to let the author of the blog know you have been by for a visit. I know I appreciate others commenting and letting me know they have read my posts, so I am sure others do too.

This week's randomly selected post is:

Hilbert's Mazes shared Hand Drawn Owl Maze Part Two - Free Printable PDF.

And here are this week's most clicked-on posts:

Nicole from Mama of Many Blessings shared Friday Art: Stained Glass Butterflies

Brandy from The Barefoot Mom shared 20 Creative Ways to Practice Spelling Words.

Join the Party!

I would love to have you join in this week! What sort of activities do you do with your young children? Do you have some favorite activities you would like to share? I invite you to link up below. I will be pinning posts on one of my relevant boards, and I would love to feature some of the activities each week from what is linked up.

Please know I may share a picture from your post and link back to it, along with sharing how we used your idea in our school time. By linking up you are giving me permission to use a picture from your post. I will ALWAYS give credit and link back. Additionally, if you choose to try out any of the ideas with your child, please make sure you give credit where credit is due.

Linky will be open through Monday night, to give me time to check out all the posts and get the Features organized. Please take the time to visit some of the other wonderful posts linked up.

No button currently, and there won't be one until I can figure it out seeing as Photobucket has changed things. Feel free to still share the picture in place of the button. Just link it to my Littles Learning Link Up permalink please.

I am sharing over at

Tuesday, March 26, 2019

Littles Learning Link Up: March 26, 2019: Craft Highlight- Recycled Frog Life Cycle in a Pond Habitat

Each month you will find:

A seasonal round-up (usually toward the beginning of the month)
Posts where I share what I have been up to with my early elementary children and the preschoolers I work with at our homeschool co-op (including occasional highlight posts where I share how we used ideas that have been linked up here on Littles Learning Link Up).

Each week, I will host a link up, where you can share either what you have been up to recently, or old posts that may go with the theme. Feel free to link up more than one post.

Each week I will continue to feature a couple of posts from those that have been linked up.

I hope you will continue to share your wonderful posts, and I hope you will find something new to try with your child(ren).

It would be great for everyone to stop by and visit the other linked-up posts as well. Check them out, leave some comments, pin those that interest you. Let's make this a real party and socialize with each other.

We are still in the middle of our metamorphosis/life cycle lessons in our class at co-op. Last week I shared the construction paper Frog Life Cycle Poster we made. This week's craft is another frog life cycle craft. It was shared on my Frog Metamorphosis/Life Cycle Fun Round Up a couple of week's ago. I loved the look of this Frog Life Cycle Recycled Craft from Still Playing School. Of course, I changed things up a bit, as I tend to do. The original craft just has one body that the child can turn from the tadpole into the frog. I decided to make each stage and place them into a habitat in a box so the children could play with them.

I plan to continue to share my Pre-K unit posts on Fridays, even though it is on Tuesdays that I will be sharing the craft that we made.

Now, onto this week's craft!

Recycled Frog Life Cycle in a Pond Habitat

Here's what you will need:

Brown construction paper

Blue construction paper

Green foam sheet

Green pipe cleaners/fuzzy sticks

Large bubble bubble wrap

Egg cartons (3 sections per child)

Wiggle eyes (6 per child)

White glue

Green paint

Black permanent marker

Q-tip

Paintbrush

Small box or shoebox

Tape

In preparation I painted the outside of all the boxes green to represent the grass. I would have used shoeboxes if I had them; however, I was able to get some used, small boxes from Walmart. Then I cut an egg carton into separate cups.

I cut the pipe cleaners for the legs. Each child will need 6 larger pieces (about 2 inches) and 6 smaller pieces (about 1 1/2 inches). Each child also needs 2 tails, which I cut out of a green foam sheet. And I cut out pieces of bubble wrap for the eggs. I taped the boxes together at the bottom and glued in pieces of blue construction paper to fit the bottom. I also cut brown paper into ovals for rocks.

The first thing the children did was paint three egg carton sections. One for the tadpole, one for the tadpole with hind legs, and one for the frog.

Then we used the permanent markers to draw dots on each of the bubbles in the bubble wrap.

The children then went to snack and gym. This gave the paint time to dry. Before they returned, I cut slits in the tadpole and tadpole with legs so they had a place to put the tail. And I used a knife to make little holes for the legs in the tadpoles with legs and the frogs.

When the children returned they made the legs by wrapping the smaller pieces around the one end of the bigger piece. It just wrapped around one time. They did need help with this step.

Then we attached the pieces one stage at a time.

We stuck the tails into the slit in the back of the tadpole.

Then we added the tail to the tadpole with legs and added two legs.

Finally we attached four legs to the frog.

We completed them by gluing the wiggle eyes onto all stages except the eggs.

Here is a quick look at each of the stages:

Then the children added one stage at a time to their habitats.

Here are all their finished projects:

Recycled Frog Life Cycle in a Pond Habitat

Let's take a look at that review schedule real quick:

Last week I shared my review of the STEM activities from Tied 2 Teaching. This week I will share my review for Poetry for the Grammar Stage from Memoria Press.

In April I will be sharing reviews of CrossWired Science and Techie Homeschool Mom. Then in May I will share my review for a couple of books from 12 Gates Publishing, Pathway to Liberty, and Elementary Math Games from The Critical Thinking Co..

Here are a couple of things I would like to share with you:

Frog Metamorphosis/Life Cycle Fun Round Up

Springtime Fairy Round Up

Focusing on the Cross With 15 Jesus-Centered Books for Resurrection Sunday

Focusing on Jesus Resurrection Day Round Up

Now onto:

Littles Learning Link Up Features

On my last Littles Learning Link Up post, there were 11 wonderful posts linked up. I will be sharing a randomly selected post and the top clicked on posts.

This week's randomly selected post is:

Kelli from 3 Boys and a Dog shared Proverbs 19:21 Coloring Pages

And here are this week's most clicked-on posts:

Tara from Homeschool Preschool shared How to Make a Rain Cloud in a Jar with Preschoolers

Brandy from The Barefoot Mom shared Learning About Ancient Rome: Activities and Resources for Elementary Students.

Join the Party!

I am sharing over at

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

Littles Learning Link Up: January 15, 2019: Craft Highlight- Textured Paper Plate and Tissue Paper Arctic Fox

Each month you will find:

A seasonal round-up (usually toward the beginning of the month)
Posts where I share what I have been up to with my early elementary children (including occasional highlight posts where I share how we used ideas that have been linked up here on Littles Learning Link Up).

Each week, I will host a link up, where you can share either what you have been up to recently, or old posts that may go with the theme. Feel free to link up more than one post.

Each week I will continue to feature a couple of posts from those that have been linked up.

Welcome to the second Littles Learning Link Up Highlight post of 2019!

A highlight post isn't the same as a feature. With the highlighted post, we will actually be making the craft(s) or participating in the activity. You will get to see how much we enjoyed it, and I will be mentioning any tweaks that I add. Of course I will be linking back to the original post.

I don't usually do more than one highlight post a month, but there were so many great projects shared in my Arctic Fun Round Up that I have been using them with the Pre-K class. Our first project was the Cotton Ball Polar Bear that was shared by Melissa from Fireflies & Mud Pies. Then, during last week's class, I decided to focus on the Arctic Fox. I found the cutest craft over at I Heart Crafty Things, and I couldn't wait to do it with the children.

Littles Learning Link Up January Highlight:

As I mentioned, I have been focusing on Arctic animals this month in our Pre-K class at co-op. I will be sharing my Pre-K unit posts on Fridays this month. However, on Tuesdays I will be sharing the craft that we made. This week's craft is a Littles Learning Link Up Highlight post because it was one of the crafts shared in last week's Arctic Fun Round Up.

Textured Paper Plate and Tissue Paper Arctic Fox

You will need:

Paper plates (one per project)

White tissue paper

School glue

Stapler

Scissors

White card stock

Medium googly/wiggle eyes

Black pompoms

I prepared the paper plates at home by following the video tutorial on Rachel's blog. It was quite simple actually. For each fox, I cut a paper plate in half. The one half becomes the body, the other is folded into thirds to make a three-dimensional head that is then stapled together and stapled to the body. Then I stapled on the tail. I had also cut out the rectangle legs and triangle ears in preparation.

This was a very simple craft for the children, but it took quite a while to complete as they had to fill in the entire thing with scrunched up tissue paper. Some children didn't scrunch as much, so they were done faster, others scrunched their papers quite small, so they took a while, plus used a lot more paper tissue squares. I LOVE that they all had their own technique.

We started by spreading glue on the head and having the children fill that in.

Then we did the same for the body.

They finished up with the tail and then we let their foxes dry while the kids went to have snack and gym time. Then we added the details.

As I mentioned above, I cut out the legs and ears at home. I wasn't quite sure how big the legs were meant to be, so I guesstimated 3/4 of an inch by 3 inches. I used my paper cutter to cut them out. Then I just cut some triangles out.

We put glue on the face for the eyes and nose. Then a little bit of glue on the bottom of the ears, which they placed in the middle of the back of the head (there is a gap from where it was folded together). I did the same thing for the legs. Instead of having them glue two on the back and two on the front, as in the original, I just had them attach them to the front. It was too hard to get them to stick on securely when we tried the other way.

Don't you just love how they each have a unique look?

Let's take a look at that review schedule real quick:

The Crew year is over, and we won't be getting any new review products until January. However, I do still have a couple of single review products we are working on (these are the ones that I don't publish on my blog, instead they are posted on the Old Schoolhouse Magazine website). We are reading a book called Animals in Time Volume 1: Historical Empires and Civilizations. This also came with an Activity Book. And the children are working on an activity box from Cooper & Kid with their dad.

Here are a few things I would like to share with you:

Last week's Polar Bear Craft

Cotton Ball Polar Bears in an Icy, Arctic World

Arctic Animal Fun: Polar Bear Lesson

Arctic Fun Round Up

Now onto:

Littles Learning Link Up Features

On my last Littles Learning Link Up post, there were 7 wonderful post linked up. I will be featuring two randomly selected posts.

Please, don't forget to stop by other posts that are linked up. See what catches your eye, stop by, pin the post to a relevant board, and perhaps leave a comment to let the author of the blog know you have been by for a visit. I know I appreciate others commenting and letting me know they have read my posts, so I am sure others do too.

This week's randomly selected post is: