GRADE: Kindergarten

CONTENT STANDARD: Life Science

CONTENT TOPIC: Animals

CONCEPT: Animals reproduce by having young.

CONTENT OBJECTIVE: 0E2.00 To understand that some animals change as they grow

INSTRUCTIONAL OBJECTIVES: The learner will:

2.01 observe the changes that occur in the life cycle of a butterfly.
2.02 be able to sequence the stages.

I. Stages in a butterfly's life cycle
II. Sequence of stages in a butterfly's life cycle

A. Egg
B. Larva
C. Pupa
D. Adult

TN COMPONENT OF SCIENCE: Process of Science

TN GOAL:

To enable students to demonstrate the processes of science by posing questions and investigating phenomena through language, methods and instruments of science.

1.6 COMMUNICATING - An essential aspect of science is the act of accurately and effectively conveying oral, written, graphic or electronic information from the preparer to the user.

1.6a The sharing and disseminating of results should be done in a clear and concise manner.

BENCHMARK: Results are presented in a clear and concise manner to ensure credibility.

TIME REQUIRED:

60 minutes

Pictures showing life cycle of a butterfly; (1 per child: paper plates, green pipe cleaners (cut in half), dried lentils or other small dried beans, cotton balls, coffee filters, green leaves cut from construction paper, and colored pipe cleaner); food coloring, glue, crayons, tape (Optional: butterfly growing kit, camera, & film)

(Before the lesson, use a magic marker to divide the paper plates into four sections (see "Paper Plate Life Cycle Of A Butterfly" sheet at the end of this lesson) Also, have the children make their butterflies before the lesson in the art center. To make butterflies, completely wet a coffee filter with a spray bottle of water. Then drop food coloring (the little squeeze bottles of food coloring work great) onto the filter. The colors will run and blend beautifully. Pat on paper towel to dry. When dry, fold a pipe cleaner in half. Drop the coffee filter down into the folded pipe cleaner-gathering it to make it fit. Twist pipe cleaner closed leaving extra at the top to form antennae.

(Pass out the butterflies the children made.) Each of you has made a beautiful paper butterfly. (Have children hold theirs up to them off!) How many of you have ever seen a real butterfly? They are also very beautiful. But, a butterfly goes through many changes or stages.

(Pass out paper plates and green leaves before lesson. Have pictures of butterfly stages and word card labeled: egg, larva/caterpillar, pupa/in chrysalis, butterfly.) Now pick up your butterfly. A butterfly is an adult that means it is a grown-up. Your adult butterfly is looking for a special place - a green leaf that will be a good bed/food for its baby. Take your green leaf and glue it to the top, left hand section of your paper plate. Your butterfly is going to lay an egg on this leaf. (Show picture of egg. Pass out lentils to children.) I have given each of you a pretty butterfly egg. Drop a small glob of glue onto your leaf. Carefully have your butterfly lay its egg on the leaf. Now, make your butterfly fly away. Butterflies do not stay with their eggs or babies. An egg is the first stage in the life of a butterfly. (Display word card along with picture. More advanced students may want to label their picture.)

The egg will hatch. What comes out of this butterfly egg? Right, a caterpillar. A squiggly, wiggly caterpillar that looks nothing like its beautiful mommy. (Display picture) And its going to be very hungry. ItŐs going to eat its leaf bed and creep along looking for more food.

(Pass out green pipe cleaners.) We re going to use our pipe cleaners to make caterpillars. Fold your pipe cleaner in half. Twist it around, separating it at the top to look like antennae. Glue it at the top right hand section. A caterpillar is the larva stage in the life of a butterfly. (Display word card.) In the larva stage, the tiny caterpillar eats and eats and eats and grows. It eats mostly leaves, then one day, it stops eating. Its larva stage is over.

Does anyone know what happens next? (Someone may respond with it spins a cocoon. If so, point out that moths (which look alot like butterflies spin cocoons, but butterflies spin a chrysalis. Many children enjoy a follow-up lesson that compares and contrasts moths and butterflies.) The caterpillar finds a twig, hangs upside down and gets busy spinning. It spins a case, called a chrysalis, all around its body. This is the pupa stage. (Display word card.) The pupa seems to be asleep inside the chrysalis. It does not eat or move. But incredible changes are taking place. We are going to make a chrysalis for our caterpillar. (Pass out cotton balls.) First, you need to use a brown crayon to draw a twig in the third section right under the caterpillar. (Pass out cotton balls) Here is your pretend chrysalis. Glue it hanging from the twig. Inside the chrysalis, your pupa is sleeping and changing. I like to think of the chrysalis as a dressing room. A caterpillar crawls in and . . . . out comes a . . . . . .

Right! Butterfly. This is the last stage in the life of a butterfly. (Display picture and word card.) Place your butterfly in the last section. I'll come around and tape your butterfly down. Now you have the complete life of a butterfly. We call this a life cycle.

A cycle is something that goes around and around. It has no real beginning or end. It never stops. A butterfly lays and egg. (Have studentŐs touch egg on plate.) The egg hatches into a caterpillar or the larva stage. (Have children point to it.) The caterpillar spins a chrysalis, the pupa stage. (Have children point to it.) And finally a beautiful butterfly emerges. (Have children point to it.) A beautiful butterfly who . . . lays an egg, hatches into a caterpillar, spins a chrysalis and comes out as a butterfly. Now say it with me as you point to each picture.

Today we learned about the life cycle of a butterfly. We are going to illustrate a book for you to take home. (Help children illustrate and complete "The Life of a Butterfly" book. Cut pages and staple together to make a leaf-shaped books. Black line masters are included. See the following pages.)

Hatch and grow a butterfly from a commercial kit. Take pictures of each stage. Label and display in sequential time order for a pictorial report.

Eric Carle, The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Dom Deloise, Charlie the Caterpillar

This is the time this file has been accessed since 04/06/97.

The University of Tennessee at Martin is not responsible for the information or views expressed here.

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