Enjoy this fun and simple way to teach symmetry.
Design your own butterfly shadow/rod puppet then grab a flashlight and have some fun!
Click HERE to subscribe to our Youtube channel for the latest puppet fun!
Supplies: 
- White Paper
- Craft Foam
- Scissors
- Permanent Markers
- Pencil
- Double-stick and Clear tape
- Plastic Sleeve or Transparency Paper
- 12-18 inch wooden dowel
Vocabulary:
- Symmetry- same on both sides, divided by axis of symmetry
- Opaque- not able to be seen through, light does not pass through
- Transparent – see through, light passes through
- Pollinator – an animal that causes plants to make fruit or seeds
Instructions:
- Fold the craft foam in half. The fold will be the line/axis of symmetry.
- On the open end of the craft foam (opposite side of the fold) draw a”3″ with a permanent marker.
- With the foam still folded, cut along the line of the “3”
- Fold the foam in half at the center of the “3”. Draw a 1/2 circle from one end of the fold to the other.
- Cut out the half circle, then unfold the whole piece of foam to reveal a butterfly shape with open windows on the wings.
- Use a pencil to trace the wing windows onto a white piece of paper, then draw shapes and decorations for the butterfly wings.
- Either place the white paper inside of the plastic sleeve, or tape transparency paper on top of the white paper for tracing.
- Use a permanent black marker to trace the wing window designs onto the plastic. Be sure to trace the wing shape as well. (Tip, remind small children to only color on the plastic, then put the cap back on the marker).
- Cut out the plastic wing windows. Be careful to cut outside of the line to leave at least a 1/4 inch to tape to the butterfly.
- Use double stick tape to tape the plastic windows to the butterfly.
- Use permanent markers to color in your plastic wing windows. (TIP: Place your butterfly over a blank piece of white paper so that you can see the colors. Flip your butterfly over to color on the opposite side of the black marker, so that it doesn’t smear.)
- Place double stick tape in a line on the foam butterfly, along the axis of symmetry, then place the dowel on it. Dowel tip should stick out about 1 inch above the foam. Cover top of dowel with clear tape to cover any sticky spots and to seal dowel to butterfly.
Perform:
- FLIGHT- Lay the butterfly flat. Lift the butterfly by the dowel (rod), holding it in one hand. With your pointer finger on top of the rod, shake your hand slightly but quickly, bending at the wrist. Be gentle. Butterflies are delicate creatures.
- LIGHT- Find different light sources (flashlight, the sun, lamp light) and different surfaces (white wall, the ground, a sheet, the ceiling). Create shadows by placing the butterfly between the light source and the surface.
- Notice the difference between OPAQUE images, (such as the rod and the foam that block the light), and TRANSPARENT images (such as the interior wings that allow light to pass through). Bring your puppet closer and further from the light to see how the shadow grows and changes.
