Life Cycle: Lesson 12 Comparing Life Cycles Expectations: 1. Listen carefully 2. Work hard 3. Be responsible

Review: We have learned about the chicken, frog, mealworm, cricket, butterfly and fish life cycles. We learned some go through a complete or incomplete metamorphosis (where their form changes).

We learned some animals lay eggs and some animals give birth to live young. We learned that animals need the same basic things; food, water, air, and space. We learned some animals meet these needs differently during different stages of their life cycle.

Let's Compare: We will compare the mealworm, butterfly, and cricket. We will look at ways they are similar and ways they are different. Good scientists make connections by thinking about what they learned and trying to understand things better. What did the mealworm, butterfly, and cricket life cycles have in common?

Mealworm Cricket Butterfly The same for all three

The Same: They all start as eggs. They all have 6 legs. They all molt, or shed their exoskeleton during their life. They all have two antennae. Now let's compare two at a time.

-Start as eggs -6 legs -molt -2 antennae MealwormCricket Butterfly

Mealworm and Cricket: Eggs are laid underground. Eat decaying vegetation. Cricket and Butterfly: Both have wings. Butterfly and Mealworm: Undergo a complete metamorphosis. Pupa stage of rest/change. 4 stages in their life cycle.

-Start as eggs -6 legs -molt -2 antennae Mealworm Cricket Butterfly -eggs underground -eat decaying vegetation -have wings -metamorphosis -pupa stage -4 stages

What is different? What is unique or special to each animal? What is special to the mealworm? What does it do, or eat that the others don't?

-Start as eggs -6 legs -molt -2 antennae Mealworm Cricket Butterfly -eggs underground -eat decaying vegetation -have wings -metamorphosis -pupa stage -4 stages -burrowing animal -lays around 500 eggs -Pupa lies on the ground

What is unique? Find unique characteristics of the cricket and then the butterfly. Let's finish the venn diagram.

-Start as eggs -6 legs -molt -2 antennae Mealworm Cricket Butterfly -eggs underground -eat decaying vegetation -have wings -metamorphosis -pupa stage -4 stages -burrowing animal -lays around 500 eggs -Pupa lies on the ground -only has 3 stages -can make noise or 'chirp' -covers eggs with a sticky substance -has a partial metamorphosis -eats different food as an adult -lays eggs on leaves -has scaly wings -has a proboscis

Review: We learned that good scientists compare different animals. We learned that there are similarities and differences between the three insects we studied. We found out that some animals are more similar to others. This helps us to make better predictions in the future if we study more insects.

Assignment: Fill out the insect venn diagram sheet. Add other observations that perhaps we did not put on our example! Look back over your past assignments for help.

I had fun learning and working with you today! Keep your eyes open, scientist! I will see you next lesson.