1. FLIGHT OF THE BUTTERFLIES Kimberly Callicutt

2.  Content Area: Science  Grade Level: 1st Grade  Summary: The students will learn the four different stages in the life cycle of a butterfly. They will watch a short video, learn a song, and play an interactive game involving a butterflies life.  Learning Objective: The students will be able to name the four stages of a life cycle of a butterfly with 100% accuracy.  Content Standard: 0107.4.1 Observe and illustrate the life cycle of animals.  Accomplishment: The students will be able to understand the four stages in a butterfly’s life.

3. LIFE CYCLE  Before a butterfly can flap its wings, they must go through a process called metamorphis.  METAMORPHIS - the process or transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8sAHQYvVf0

4. STAGE 1

5. THE EGG  A butterfly starts out life as a small, oval egg.  The egg shape depends on the type of butterfly it will become.  You can find the eggs usually laid out on leaves.  The female will attach the eggs near the intended caterpillar food.  The caterpillar spends 1 to 2 weeks inside the egg.

6. STAGE 2

7. THE LARVA  Once the caterpillar has hatched, its main mission in life is to EAT!  Caterpillars eat the very same leaf they were hatched upon.  A caterpillar is born extremely small, once they begin to eat they immediately start growing and expanding in size.  A caterpillar’s skin does not stretch or grow, they grow by shedding their skin several times through out this stage.  This stage usually lasts 3 to 4 weeks.

8. STAGE 3

9. THE PUPA  Once the caterpillar is done growing, they form themselves into a pupa, also known as a chrysalis.  Inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar is changing at a rapid speed.  This is the transformation stage where the caterpillar’s tissues are broken down and the adult insect’s structures are formed.  This stage can lasts up to 1 to 3 weeks.

10. STAGE 4

11. THE BUTTERFLY  Once the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis, its wings will be soft and folded against the body.  Once the butterfly has rested, the butterfly will spend 3 to 4 hours learning to master to fly.  Butterflies are constantly on the lookout for a mate to be able to reproduce and start the butterfly life cycle all over again. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YVqHnw0W-Q

12. LIFE CYCLE ACTIVITY http://www.sheppardsoftware.co m/scienceforkids/life_cycle/butte rfly_lifecycle.htm

13. REVIEW  What are the four stages involved in the life cycle of a butterfly?  Is the butterfly able to fly as soon as it leaves the chrysalis.  What is metamorphosis?  What is another word for pupa?  How long does a caterpillar usually spend inside of the egg?