Life Cycles- Second Grade

Introduction

Today, you are a scientist on a mission to learn more about life cycles. We have already learned that all living things have life cycles- meaning both plants and animals do have life cycles. We have focused on animal life cycles- mainly on frogs' and butterflies' life cycles. Today, your mission is to learn more about plant life cycles and to share your findings with your fellow scientists. Are you ready for the challenge?

Task

You will use the resources to find information on plant life cycles. Click on each link and take notes on important information you find. As you visit the links, complete to the tasks and handouts.

Questions to think about:

1. What are two facts about frog and butterfly life cycles you found or remember?

2. What have you learned about plant life cycles?

3. What is the same about plant and animal life cycles?

4. What is different about plant and animal life cycles?

5. What new information would you like to share about plant life cycles with your fellow scientists?

Process

Follow the steps IN ORDER: 

Steps: 

1. First, review frog and butterfly life cycles. See http://www.kidzone.ws/lw/frogs/facts3.htm for a review on frog life cycles. See http://www.thebutterflysite.com/life-cycle.shtml for a review on butterfly life cycles. 

2. Write down two facts on notebook paper that you remember or learned about frog and butterfly life cycles. 

3. Visit http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/scienceforkids/life_cycle/index.htm and play the frog and butterfly life cycle games. 

4. Watch this video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPqnYYI2Uq8, to learn about plant life cycles. [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPqnYYI2Uq8 autoplay:1]

5. Next, visit http://www.avasflowers.net/the-plant-lifecycle-for-kids to learn more about plant life cycles. Make a list of words you do not understand or know. Then use Google, a dictionary, or context clues to determine the meanings of their unknown words. Write the meanings of the words next to the words on your list.

6. Watch this video, [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls6wTeT2cKA], to hear the story, The Tiny Seed, by Eric Carle.  

7. Next, use this image, http://cache2.asset-cache.net/xc/513646385.jpg?v=2&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=2kU… explain the steps of the plant life cycle. Draw your own version and label it. Color your picture if you have time after visiting all of the links.

8. Visit https://jr.brainpop.com/science/plants/plantlifecycle/sequenceorder/ to play a plant life cycle sequence game. 

Evaluation

Scientist, create your own Venn Diagram like this one, http://www.eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/venn.pdf, where you can compare life cycles. In your chart, compare either butterflies' and plants' life cycles or frogs' and plants' life cycles.

***For a bigger challenge, you can also create a Venn Diagram with three overlapping circles where you can compare frogs', butterflies', and plants' life cycles. 

REMEMBER: Write what is different about the life cyles in the bigger circles. In the overlapping circles, write what is the same about the life cycles. 

After everyone has completed the Webquest assignment, we will present our Venn Diagrams to the class (to our fellow scientists).

Conclusion

Scientist, from this assignment, you should have gained new knowledge about plant life cycles. You already knew about frog life cycles, and now you are able to compare frog and butterfly life cycles to plant life cycles. 

Frog Life Cycles have four stages:Egg, Tadpole, Froglet, and Adult Frog 

Butterfly Life Cycles have four stages: Egg, Larva, Pupa, and Adult

Plant Life Cyles have five stages: Seed, Cotyledon, Seedling, Adult plant, and Flower

You have learned that the life cycles for butterflies, frogs, and plants are similar and different from one another. This webquest should get you to think more about other animals, insects, and plants and how you think their life cycles compare to the ones you know about. 

Credits

Teacher Page

Write on NOTEBOOK PAPER:

REMEMBER: Put your name and number on your paper and staple your papers together if you use more than one page.

Standards: 

Mississippi Science Framework 2010

Second Grade

LIFE SCIENCE

3. Develop and demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics, structures, life cycles, and environments of organisms. 

      d. Compare the life cycles of plants and animals. (DOK 2)