Rim Rock studies signs of Spring

First graders at Rim Rock
Elementary School have welcomed Spring. Found in one of the classrooms was a small incubator in which one chick was beginning to chirp as he tried to peck his way out of his shell.
The class was busy exploring how butterflies come to life. They had a mesh cylinder which served as the environment for the study.
In their notebook for the projects, students were learning the scientific inquiry method as they used magnifying glasses to examine the now empty chrysalises and observed the butterlies emerge and dry their wings.
These first graders understood and easily handled the term "metamorposis" as they recorded the four stages of the life of a butterfly, the egg laid on plants, the emergance of the catepillar (larva), then the chrysalis,(pupa) and the final miracle, the butterfly who goes on to start another life cycle as it lays eggs on plants.
A tiny "chirp" was heard as one of the six eggs in a small incubator was beginning to hatch.
Students had the opportunity to actually see a chick step from the egg into the world. After all eggs are hatched, the chicks will go back to the farmer who generously loaned the eggs to the class for study.

Students created art works which hung from the ceiling in their room. These colorful butterfly shapes complimented their science unit. The class had attended the Western Colorado Center for the arts where each student helped create their very own class batik.