Chrysalis or Cocoon?

Moth cocoons.

Our fuzziest white caterpillar and black caterpillar has formed cocoons. This is a sign that we will seeing a moth in the next few days. A cocoon is spun from silk and surrounds the pupa of many moths. "Look!," exclaimed Creed, "They're eating it," peering at the chewed holes in the leaves we'd left in the butterfly habitat. "Yes," I said, "They're very hungry caterpillars!" "The Very Hungry Caterpillar," by Eric Cole, is one of Creed's favorite books and a great resource in explaining the phenomenon of metamorphosis to young children. Creed gets them out and plays with them, feeling their fuzzy bodies, some smooth. He says they're his friends. I'm looking forward to seeing his expression when we set the butterflies and moths free.

This week we worked on the letter g as well as top-to-bottom lines, slanted lines, circles and curved lines. We're working from a book using letters and sounds, with another one of Creed's favorite characters, Little Critter. Since he loves Little Critter so much he's eager to complete the pages. Throughout the summer we've got two more Little Critter preschool workbooks to work on, beginning reading and basic concepts. 

Yesterday we watched a movie from the Schlessinger Science Library, Earth Science for Children, "All About Fossils." We learned all about fossils being the evidence or clues from the remains of living things that once lived on Earth. Fossils, most often found in sedimentary rock, can be preserved body parts or impressions left during an animals lifetime. Among other things we learned how to make our own mold, described as an imprint left behind by a living thing that has decayed. Instead of using Plaster of Paris, like suggested in the video, we used Caryola Air-Dry Clay. After completing several molds using small plastic dinosaurs, skeletons, seashells and actual fossils including a shark tooth, trilobite, sea-urchin and brachiopod, once they become hardened, we'll made a cast, also described as a fossil, formed after a living thing leaves an impression in mud or sand that becomes hardened. Creed had fun making dinosaur "tracks", impressions and molds of fossils.

Shell mold. 

Sea-urchin mold.

Shark tooth mold.

"Making dinosaur tracks."

Parasaurolophus impression.

Creed's godmother introduced us to an amazing book, "My ABC Bible Verses, Hiding God's Word in Little Hearts," by Susan Hunt. The book includes 26 verses, coinciding with the alphabet to "hide in your child's heart" along with stories perfect for reading to children for further explanation. We're using it in addition to our studies each week. We've been spending time on the first verse for a little over a week now and as I was laying Creed down for a nap I asked him about his verse which he parroted perfectly, "a soft answer turns away wrath, Proverbs 15:1" I asked him if there was anything he wanted to say to Jesus and he said, "Thank you for helping me to remember." "Very good," I said. "Is there anything you want to thank God for?" "Thank you God for Mama and Daddy, and Bella (our Siberian Husky) and Big (our Chihuahua mixed breed) and Buddy (our new Siamese kitten)," he said. I "heart" him so much! We're busy hiding God's word in our hearts and I encourage you and your family to join us through this easy to read and understand book for children. It's recommended for ages three-seven, but you can certainly use it as you wish. 

"Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee." - Psalm 119:11

The back cover states "the ABCs are the building blocks of your child's formal education. And these verses are the building blocks of the soul - the building blocks that can lead to eternal life," and I must agree.  

As I searched online I found another book by the same author and an additional author, Richie Hunt, "My ABC Bible Verses from the Psalms," which you've guessed it, follows the same guideline as the aforementioned book. These verses are a bit longer so right now we're just reading this book and discussing the content. This one is geared towards ages three-eight. For more information on these great reads visit www.crossway.org.