Butterfly Play Premiers at
Oceano Elementary
School
Five Cities Gazette
February 20, 2002
Story by Bob Behme
OCEANO - Six-year-old Zulema Ramirez
had been thinking about it for two weeks, becoming more and more excited as
show day approached.
Then last Wednesday, Zulema and 17
other first graders in teacher Jeannine Jenks' class at Oceano Elementary
School put on homemade wings, became butterflies and for 20 minutes performed
the story of the Western monarch, one of nature's most colorful and unusual
creatures.
The event marked the premiere opening
of a play written exclusively for first to fourth graders, one which will eventually will be distributed nationally. "The
play had its opening here, in Oceano, and it so exciting," Jenks said.
Based on material created by writer
Marcia Trimble, the children's play tells the story of Mariposa, the Western
monarch, the only Western butterfly that flies up to 4,000 miles just to winter
along the
Written in both English and Spanish
versions, the play tells, in the simplest form, how butterflies develop into
beautiful creatures and how they spend summers along the base of Western
mountains and their winters in a eucalyptus grove that borders
The book was published by Images Press
of Los Altos Hills.
"It's a marvelous idea, and my
children love it," Jenks said. "And best of all, it helps them to
understand such complex ideas as metamorphosis and migration.
"
Students in Jenk's
class rehearsed the play for several days and, with volunteer help, cut out
and painted colorful butterfly wings.
A key point in the story is a musical
break, the "Caterpillar Chew Chew," a mythical train used to
represent the idea of migration. With lyrics by Trimble and David Harper, it is
sung to the score of "
Welcome aboard," the lyrics urge.
"It's the Caterpillar Chew Chew. Habitat bound, to the monarch's wintering
grounds."
As children sang in high-pitched,
happy voices, they were almost light-footed enough to fly.
Jenk's students were asked to write
essays about butterflies, and winners were singled out
for special recognition.
Nancy Gonzales
and Jesus Valdez were chosen for awards and presented with certificates and
butterfly pictures.
The classroom also received a framed
and autographed photo of a Western monarch taken by Siamak Sehat.
"The idea behind the play is to
help elementary school teachers make children more aware of nature, especially
the plight of the beleaguered Western monarch," said Sheila Boone, president of the Nipomo based
The Western monarch winters in a number
of groves along the
Bob Behme is
a freelance writer living in Arroyo Grande
S. Boone Productions