The Life Cycle of a Butterfly

Introduction

Have you ever looked at a butterfly flying in your yard?  

Did you know that butterfly didn't always have beautiful colors and wings to fly?

 

Butterflies go through something called "metamorphosis." Say the word aloud and clap out each syllable. Metamorphosis comes from a word meaning "change."  

Discover how a butterfly changes throughout its life with the following activities!

Task

Today, your task is to identify, sequence, and make observations about the life cycle of a butterfly!

1.  Define the word metamorphosis. 

2.  Complete a flipbook about the four stages of the butterfly.

  • Write the name of each stage.
  • Draw a picture of each stage.
  • Write a description of what happens during each stage. 
Process

1.  What does a caterpillar do over and over before it can make a cacoon?

Watch this video of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4HI7q38VmQ

2.  What does the word "metamorphosis" mean?  

Click here to read about metamorphosis.  Choose the definition that talks about insects and write it on the front of your flipbook. 

http://dictionary.kids.net.au/word/metamorphosis

3.  What are the four stages of the butterfly's life cycle?  What does each stage look like?  What occurs during each stage?

Watch this slideshow of the four stages of metamorphosis. Use it to write the name, draw a picture, and describe what happens in each stage of the butterfly's life cycle. 

http://www.neok12.com/pres/ZMETMOR3

4.  What is the order in which the stages occur?

When you are finished with your flipbook, you may play this butterfly life cycle game! 

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/scienceforkids/life_cycle/butterfly_lifecycle.htm

Evaluation

You will be evaluated based on these criteria:

 

4

3

2

1

Definition of metamorphosis

Student wrote an accurate, detailed definition of metamorphosis.

Student wrote accurate definition of metamorphosis.

Student wrote definition of metamorphosis, but in incorrect context.

Student did not write a definition of metamorphosis.

Labels of four stages

Student correctly labeled each stage in the correct order.

Student correctly labeled 3 of the 4 stages.

Student correctly labeled half of the 4 stages.

Student labeled 1 or less of the stages correctly.

Illustrations

All 4 illustrations are detailed, accurate, and colored.

All 4 illustrations are detailed and accurate.

All 4 illustrations are detailed, but one may be inaccurate.

Illustrations are inaccurate, and/or lack detail.

Descriptions

4 detailed, accurate descriptions of each stage are written.

3 detailed, accurate descriptions are written.

2 detailed, accurate descriptions are written.

1 or fewer descriptions are accurate.
Conclusion

In conclusion, you should have learned that:

Metamorphosis is the process that some insects go through to change from egg to larva to pupa to adult. 

The four stages of the butterfly life cycle are:

1.  Egg - The adult butterfly lays eggs all at once on a leaf.

2. Larva - The egg hatches into a caterpillar, which eats and grows. 

3.  Pupa - The caterpillar attaches itself to a twig and forms a hard shell.  It changes into a butterfly inside the chrysalis. 

4.  Adult - The fully grown adult butterfly emerges from the chrysalis. 

The butterfly goes through  a process called "complete metamorphosis," since there are four stages.  Click here to find out about insects that go through "incomplete metamorphosis.""http://www.mrsscienceteacher.com/Metamorphosis/Metamorphosis.html