3rd June, 8pm Brisbane (AEST), 11 AM British Summer Time.
Bethan Burton will lead a Journal Together session on the theme of metamorphosis and transformation.

The transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly may be the most familiar form of metamorphosis in nature. In this amazing video, Sir David Attenborough narrates the process that happens inside a chrysalis and how the caterpillar’s body changes into a butterfly. What species of butterflies do you have in your nearby nature? What kinds of chrysalises do they create? Choose one butterfly that you are interested in and do a little research about it. Document what you discover in your nature journal.

Butterflies are not the only insects that go through a dramatic process of transformation during their lifecycle. This TEDx talk by Martha Weiss expands on the incredible process of metamorphosis in insects. This short article explains the different ways that animals experience the process. How many insects can you find in your nearby nature that go through partial or complete transformation during their lifecycle? Create a nature journal collection of all the examples you can find. You might include dragonflies, grasshoppers, butterflies, moths, flies, ants, bees, and beetles.

From frogspawn to frog - a life cycle many of us are familiar with. This wonderful short video from Ireland  follows the journey - it’s amazing to see the wealth of tadpoles! Find an animal that you are interested in that goes through the process of metamorphosis, and research the stages of its lifecycle. Draw the different stages in your nature journal and then see if you can find real life examples of each stage in your nearby nature.

Our earth goes through the process of metamorphosis too. This short video explains succinctly what metamorphic rocks are and how they form when other types of rock are exposed to heat and pressure. This article by the Australian museum explains metamorphic rock in more detail. Sand on our beaches are the result of weathering and erosion transforming rocks into tiny particles over millions of years. Consider the ways that your landscape has undergone transformation over a geological timescale. Can you research or imagine the ways that the your current landscape has been transformed over time? Write the story of your landscape in your nature journal.

Sometimes in nature, something small can transform into a larger entity, creating something entirely new. A tiny spring of water becomes a mighty river and transforms the landscape as it travels towards the sea. The process is described in this video from Grammasaurus, UK. Tiny coral polyps transform into massive coral reefs, creating diverse marine ecosystems. Can you find other examples of transformation in nature where a collection of small things combine and change into something different?

Have you ever felt like life gave you a chance to totally transform yourself? You might have had a dramatic career change, or started to speak in public when you previously avoided the spotlight. This kind of personal metamorphosis may not be as physically obvious as the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly, but can change the way we view ourselves and move through the world. Reflect on a personal transformation you have experienced in your life and write about it in your journal.