There’s a certain kind of excitement that fills a kindergarten classroom when something small and alive is changing right before your eyes.
At Burlington Elementary, that excitement has been building for weeks.
It started with caterpillars – tiny, wiggling, and full of questions. Day by day, students watched them grow, form chrysalises, and quietly transform. And then, almost suddenly, butterflies emerged.
By the time release day arrived, those butterflies had become part of the classroom.
“We grew quite attached to our little friends,” said teacher Marcy McGurgan. “The squeals of delight as the butterflies were released into our greenhouse were precious.”
With careful hands, students carried their butterflies into the Burlington greenhouse, pausing before opening their containers. Some hesitated, some whispered goodbye, and others simply watched, wide-eyed, as wings opened and lifted into the air.
The reactions were immediate and honest.
“They will help the plants.”
“They can lay eggs and more eggs.”
“It will keep the life cycle going!”
“They won’t get cold or hit by a snowflake!”
For many students, it was their first time seeing something change so completely. Not on a screen or in a book, but right in front of them.
Teacher Stephanie Hill reflected on the experience as a meaningful part of their life science unit, where students followed each stage of the butterfly’s development from beginning to end. The process gave them something real to observe, care for, and ultimately let go.
And that moment, when the butterflies finally lifted into the leaves of the greenhouse, was filled with a mix of excitement, pride, and just a little bit of wonder.
It’s hard not to feel it too.