One of the big units we teach in second grade is butterflies. We even get a ton of painted lady caterpillars to grow and watch turn into butterflies. It's pretty awesome! I'm not going to lie though, I am always nervous once they get into their chrysalis because of what happened my first year.
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So it was going great. The kids were so awesome about being careful with their caterpillar and not shaking the container, or killing them. Once they get into their chrysalis you have to be really careful not to shake them too much because they could fall, and if they fall they either die or come out all deformed. (Both scenarios make the kids cry.) Once they got into their chrysalis I had to transfer them from the little container they were in, into these two plastic cake containers. (They form their chrysalis to the paper in the cup in the above link's picture, and that gets taped to the cake container top.) So I talked to the kids about how they can't touch the containers, and it would probably be best if they put their hands behind their back and stood one step backwards when I let them go over and observe them.
Everything was fine until one morning before school about a week later. That's when it happened. I was standing on a chair stapling some work to the wall above the shelf where the cake containers were. On my way down my hand hit one of the cake containers and it crashed to the floor, and ALL of the chrysalids FELL! Crap. I literally stood there for 2 minutes staring at it not believing what just happened. What do I do now? I ran next door with the container panicking and asked Nichole what I should do. She laughed and then shrugged her shoulders. So I did the only thing I could do. I ran outside with the container, dropped all of the chrysalids in a bush away from the classroom and ran back into my room before any students would come up and catch me.
I had 5 minutes to come up with what to tell the kids. No way could I tell them I did it! Especially after all the crap I gave them about not touching it, and keeping their distance. I finally thought of what to say. It was wrong. I knew it was wrong. But really, I had no other option since telling the truth was out. I told them I came to school that morning and it was on the ground. The custodian must have accidentally knocked it off the shelf. There were gasps, and shocked faces. My response? "See kids, that's why I keep telling you to be so careful and not touch the containers." They were pretty terrified to go over and look at them after that
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I haven't had any problems with them since then. Hopefully I didn't just jinx myself by saying that. But just in case, please cross your fingers for me.
I hope the janitor got fired.
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