First graders learned about the growth of butterflies.

   St. Joseph Elementary School's two 1st grade classes recently learned a lot about the growth and development of butterflies thanks to a grant from the St. Joseph School Endowment. Money from Class Endowed Funds paid for Butterfly Garden Kits that included a live cup of baby caterpillars. They also contained pop-up mesh habitats, a chrysalis holding log, a flower-shaped butterfly feeder, a feeding dropper, and sugar packets to make butterfly nectar.
   The classes spent about ten days watching and observing the butterflies' life cycles. "We'd been talking about them in our science and religion lessons," teacher Hannah Yrle said. "It was such an amazing activity to watch God's beautiful creatures in action." In the transformation, the caterpillars became Monarch butterflies and the children fell in love with them. After naming them "Sparkly," "Mousey," "Dash," "Jack," "Crystal," "Elvis," and "Coach B" they were released into the world. This project helped teach environmental appreciation and built lasting memories.

 First graders Quinn West, Mary Jane Rappold and Graham Strack are seen here with a facsimile of a Monarch butterfly.