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Ready-Set-Tech: Butterfly Life Cycle

Carmen Concepcion, Southside Bilingual Elementary,  Miami, FL
Grade Level  1 - 5
Subject Science
Background How many times have we explored the butterfly life cycle? This time it takes a cybertwist. In this lesson, students will learn about the butterfly life cycle and the process of metamorphosis. They will observe the egg stage of early development and caterpillar stage, which is the primary eating and growth stage. Students then learn about the pupa or chrysalis resting stage, its emergence, and finally the adult stage in which mating and the search for a suitable environment takes place. Finally, students complete an online activity and put together a  presentation from research they gather on the Internet. This lesson is highly adaptable to many grade levels.
 
Objectives

To learn the sequences and significance of the butterfly life cycle

To describe patterns of structure and function in living things

To understand the competitive, interdependent, cyclic nature of living things
 
Materials Computer with Internet access, Butterfly Worksheet, and KWL chart sample.
Procedure  1. The teacher will begin by having students recall different animal classifications. She will access prior knowledge in regards to butterflies. According to grade level, students will view the following butterfly web sites to gain background knowledge:

Primary Example: Exploring Butterflies in Kindergarten

Intermediate Example: All About Butterflies

2. Students will be asked to contribute to KWL chart on board: What do we know about the butterfly life cycle? What do we want to learn about the butterfly life cycle?

3. Teacher will introduce the life cycle of a butterfly. She will provide visual aids obtained from any of the  links listed below.

All About Butterflies
Children’s Butterfly Site
Insects
Exploring Butterflies in Kindergarten

4. Next, a book will be read from the Butterfly Book List. A discussion will be lead about what we have learned.

5. Students will then complete the “What I have Learned” part of the KWL chart.

6. Small groups of children go to computers to complete the Butterfly Work Sheet.

7. Once life cycle is learned, move on to study stages individually. For example, study the egg stage, then the egg anatomy, and so forth

Evaluation Students will be assessed using the KWL chart and an illustration that includes properly labeled stages of the butterfly life cycle.
 
 

Additional Reading

 Click here for a  comprehensive book list.
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