Spring Butterflies

I like to have the students do some kind of seasonal decoration to hang in the library. We have very high ceilings which are perfect for hanging decorations down on streamers, except for the climbing up and down on the ladder for several hours, but my husband is willing to do that part if he's in town. I decided on butterflies because they are so pretty and the kinder classes are studying metamorphosis. I have a large window decorated like a scene from The Very Hungry Caterpillar and I read First the Egg, a 2008 Caldecott Honor book, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger, as an introduction to the activity and to Spring. Even though the book is very simple, it's well-liked by all the ages in my school, K-4. The activity is simple. Use a white coffee filter and color it with different colors using marker. You can color any design but the more color there is, the more lovely the butterfly will become. After coloring, use a water bottle to lightly coat the colored coffee filter with water. The colors will run and once dried, it looks magnificent. Next, use a pipe cleaner and beads to wrap around the coffee filter to make the butterfly's body and antenna. That is all there is to it. See my pics below. :)