Silkworm Project: Late April/Early May

Late April:

So that we may learn more about these little silkworms through individual observations, we set up habitats in cups for each of 18 caterpillars. Each cup contains fresh mulberry leaves. Our silkworm habitats have everything a silkworm needs to live and grow: a lid with holes for safety and air and mulberry leaves to eat. The silkworm will get the water it needs from the leaves it eats.

We learned how to hold our silkworms safely and watched the silkworms move in our hands. We looked at the dry leaves from yesterday and compared them to the fresh leaves we were feeding them today. We saw holes in the dry leaves where the silkworms have been eating.

There was significant interest in the little black dots at the bottom of the habitats. Some children figured that the black dots are silkworm poop. Kaitlyn reminded us that we used the word "frass" when referring to caterpillar poop; we think we should probably use the same word when referring to silkworm poop.

Some children observed their silkworms dangling by a "piece of silk." Others noticed how the silkworm grips on and commented on the "sticky" feeling of the caterpillar on their fingers.

A few children have heard Tr. Ann use the word "caterpillar" when she could have used the word "silkworm." Many children wonder why.

Early May:

We read The Empress and the Silkworm by Lily Toy Hong, the story about Empress Si Ling Chi and the amazing discovery of silk in China five thousand years ago. The origins of the treasured "silk thread" we learned was kept a secret for three thousand years. Our silkworms produce the very same silk that the Empress used to make the very first silk threads and garments, that is the very same silk that is woven in the textile industry today. Silkworms are the only creatures that spin the kind of silk used in weaving.

We have begun recording observations of our silkworms in our silkworm journals. Our silkworms are growing. They are getting larger. Some kindergartners have found "skin" in the habitat cups. We found out that silkworms shed their skin in order to grow.

We made observations of earthworms too. Earthworms behave differently in our hands than silkworms do. Kindergartners shared their observations with one another. Some noticed "segments" on the earthworm that "scrunch" and "squeeze" when moving. Others noticed how fast the earthworm moves by "stretching" while silkworms "walk" and "crawl" and "stick on."
Earthworms are wet. Silkworms are soft but not wet. Earthworms like to hide under wet paper towels. Silkworms sometimes hide under their leaves in the habitat cups. Someone said they think silkworms are caterpillars because they have feet and earthworms don't.