Egg Container Caterpillars

Not the most original activity, but easy and fun.  Cut a cardboard egg container into strips and paint or glue tissue paper on it (the tissue paper is more "Eric Carle" related), and draw a face.  This activity can be related to spring, to the butterfly life cycle, to moods (my son likes to draw a happy face on one end and a sad face on the other), counting, etc.  It can be made as simple or detailed as you like.

Sometimes we read caterpillar books:

The Very Hungry Caterpillar- Eric Carle

Oh My a Butterfly

Butterflies- nonfiction

Butterflies in the Classroom

                       
One great annual project that we used to do, was raise butterflies in second grade.  It hit the standard of teaching the life cycle and the kids absolutely loved it.  Once you purchase a butterfly tent or net (circular standing net), you basically buy the eggs each year, raise them, and let the butterflies go.  The tent the children can physically sit in.  The butterflies only eat sugar water, which is easy to maintain on pieces of sponges placed inside the tent or net.  We kept track of the progress with science journals and did a mini-lesson on them each day.
A beautiful way to make science come alive in the classroom!