• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • MSI Impact Report
  • News
  • Moving to Long Island?
  • Contact Us
  • News
  • Contact
  • Schedule a School Tour
Catholic Schools of Long Island, NY

Catholic Schools of Long Island, NY

Catholic Elementary Schools of Long Island, Catholic Middle Schools of Long Island

  • Schools Map
  • Schools by Parish
  • Why Catholic Education?
    • Early Childhood Program
    • Catholic Elementary School
    • Catholic Middle School
    • Catholic High Schools
    • The Morning Star Initiative
  • Scholarships
  • Admissions
  • FAQs
  • Schedule a Tour

First Graders Delight in Ladybugs, Boost Ecosystem of the Flowers at St. Anne’s School

June 22, 2022 by Catholic Elementary Schools of Long Island Academic Excellence Robustly Catholic Culture

It was a beautiful spring morning in Garden City. The malaise of the winter was long gone. The warmth of spring had overtaken the quiet community surrounding St. Anne’s Church and School. For elementary school students, great weather means raucous time on the playground. But not on this morning.

First graders marched from the school along the sidewalk with a sense of reverence, and perhaps a little unease. This would be the day that they released their precious ladybugs into the wild.

1st Graders gather around the Mary statue to release their precious ladybugs. There are over 5,000 species of ladybugs.

This journey, in fact, began weeks ago.  Mrs. Mitchell instructs all science lab experiments for grades Pre-K to grade 4 at St. Anne’s School. She explained that the ladybugs arrived in the classroom as larvae. Not much to look at, but interesting still. For the first week, the students watched the larvae eating, grow, and molt. Next they entered the pupal stage, attaching themselves to the walls of “ladybug land.”

After a week, the ladybugs finally hatched. One student was surprised, “Ladybugs hatch without spots! It takes a few hours for them to appear.” Now active and hungry, these tiny ladybugs devoured raisins, cut in half by students and then soaked in water. Students watched more growth of the ladybugs until they became the familiar black and red insect they had come to know.

This was the final week of observation fostered unique classroom conversations. The central question: How and why God created ladybugs? They are naturally protected by their terrible taste. They also lay their sticky eggs on the underside of the leaf to protect them from rain and predators. Ladybugs are a huge help in keeping the leaves on plants healthy by eating the aphids. Each ladybug can eat up to 1000 aphids a week. Farmers adore ladybugs because they are an essential part of a healthy crop.

Principal Paul Morisi summarized the science lab and how it integrates into their Catholic Faith, “We discussed how God makes all living things grow. We discussed how living creatures help each other, and not just humans. Animals, insects, and plants can help each other as well.”

St. Francis Ministry Center, St. Anne Parish and School
Mrs. Mitchell (red shirt) led the first graders in the month-long science lab that concluded with the big release at the statue of the Blessed Mother. Behind the students is the new St. Francis Ministry Center, named in honor of St. Francis of Assisi.

Prayer and Gratitude

Principal Paul Morisi was on hand for the big moment. “Studying the ladybugs brought life into our classrooms, but it was important to bring that life back into nature,” he shared.

Releasing the ladybugs was an anxious moment for the 6 and 7 year olds. Their teacher led a genuine prayer, asking God to protect them as they begin to make their way in the world. They concluded by reciting the Hail Mary.

At the “amen,” the students released their ladybugs. The students were very gentle and patient when releasing–it took over 20 minutes for all the ladybugs to make their way onto the leaves. Students observed the the tiny insects finding homes, and then it was back to the classroom. On their march back into St. Anne’s they were careful not to step on any of God’s little creatures.


Are you curious about St. Anne’s School? You can schedule a school tour through their website.

After Entry Widget Area

Learn more about the Morning Star Initiative to renew our schools!

Website by the Department of Education of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York Copyright © 2023
School Update Form | Report Website Error