Mr. Hutelmyer's environmental club and Mrs. Majetich's speech impaired class constructed the Patterson Butterfly Garden in the Spring of 1997. Mrs. Izzard's academically challenged class learned about plants through the winter months. The students completed activities from Delta's organism unit, a hands-on kit provided by the Bartram Cluster and Mr. Ricardo Kerry.

The students from the above-mentioned class and the environmental club put their classroom knowledge to use by planting and caring for many plants in the Cobbs Creek Environmental Center's Grow Lab. Mrs. Cappazolli's first grade class planted the flowers in the garden, and it was then ready for the butterflies. Even the butterfly bush was growing well.

To follow up Public Science Day in late April, our caterpillars arrived. Mrs. Nocellas' kindergarten class, Mrs. Given's first grade class, and Mrs. Gavanagh's second grade class housed, fed, and gently cared for them. The children watched very carefully and recorded the "big change."

Mr. Hutelmyer presented lessons in the science lab dealing with metamorphosis; he used moths, which the students provided in large quantities from the Southwest Philadelphia neighborhood. The moths were interesting, but students didn't think they could be compared to the painted ladies that had emerged in their own classrooms. Students observed the caterpillars for several days, and then it was finally time for the party. The "ladies" were released, and the students celebrated with popsicles from a local deli. The program was a success, but there were a few imperfections. One butterfly fatality was dealt with, and students learned that butterfly bushes do not bloom in May in Philadelphia.