the secret life of pasta butterflies

Yes, it's possible to do a lesson about the life cycle of a butterfly without actually buying butterflies. Not that I wouldn't have loved to do that, but no room, no time, wrong time of year. 

If you have the resources, make a Power Point, or a Prezi. Or find and edit a Smartboard lesson. Or find a Prezi. Or find several really good books about butterflies - they'll love a "true/false" book, with facts like, "True or False, can butterflies taste their food with their feet?" [true fact].

And if you're in the first grade, make a life cycle. On a paper plate. 

WITH PASTA!

Orzo for your egg. Some kind of rotini for your larva/caterpillar. Mini shell pasta for the chrysalis/pupa. And Farfalle. Which, in Italian, literally means "butterfly". So you're not eating "bow-tie" pasta, you're eating "butterfly" pasta. 

And if you're the student teacher in charge, pre-mark the paper plates with Sharpie quarters. Trust me.