1. Butterfly Life Introduction to the Butterfly Life Cycle
Sonia Puri
15th July 2012

2. Overview of the Lesson Title: Life Cycle of a Butterfly
Grade Level: 1st Grade
Subject Area: Science
Secondary Subjects: Language Arts

3. Goals
To familiarize students with the life cycle stages of a butterfly
As part of an animal unit, this lesson will teach students about the various stages of a butterfly’s life, and how these stages are similar to ours

4. Standards
TEKS Standards Addressed (code and description): § Science, Grade 1. (1.7) Science concepts.
The student knows that many types of change occur.
The student is expected to observe and record changes in the life cycle of organisms.

5. Objectives
Identify the four different stages of a butterfly life cycle (from egg, caterpillar, pupa or cocoon, to a full-grown adult butterfly)
Compare and contrast fiction and non-fiction books about butterflies
Design their butterfly life cycle plates
Explain and share the stages of a butterfly’s life
Recite a poem about a butterfly life cycle by Meish Goldish
Write a short story of where the adult butterfly might go after the cycle is over

6. Materials Needed The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
A Butterfly Is Born by Melvin Berger (prior day)
Poem, Butterfly Life Cycles, by Meish Goldish
Paper Plates (one per student)
Colored Pencils (handful per table)
Ziploc Bags (one per student)
Glue
Bright Butterflies Worksheet
Sequencing HW Sheet
Various forms of Pasta (prepared in Ziploc bags by the teacher)
Pastina (egg)
Curly Colored Pasta (Caterpillar or Larva)
Shell Pasta (cocoon or pupa)
Bow - Tie Pasta (adult butterfly)
Technology Requirements:
Computer
Projector Screen
Internet Access
Smart Board

7. Setting The Stage Invite the students to the carpet
Introduce the reading selection - The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

8. Setting The Stage
Reinforce prior knowledge of fiction and non-fiction reading selections about butterflies
KWL Chart of Butterfly
What I KNOW
What I WONDER
What I LEARNED

9. Anticipatory Focus
Pose a few high orders of thinking questions for the students, such as:
Where did you come from?
Can you describe the stages of your life?
How are the stages of your life similar to the stages of a butterfly?

10. Modeling
Compare and contrast the stages of the butterfly to the stages of a human
Explain that a butterfly develops through four main stages: egg, caterpillar, cocoon and adult butterfly, while the human develops through main stages: baby, child, teenager and adult

11. Guided Practice Visit following link for life cycle video:
Students may identify and drag and drop the stages of the butterfly life cycle to the right pictures on the smart board using the following link :

12. Independent Activity
Explanation of the independent activity and provide model
Invite the students back to their seats
Distribute a paper plate to each of the students
Invite the students to take a colored pencil and make four equal parts

13. Independent Activity
Distribute a small Ziploc bag to each student. The Ziploc bag will contain four different types of pasta. Each piece of pasta will symbolize the various stages of the life of a butterfly
Next show the children the pasta that will represent each stage of the life cycle. 

14. Independent Activity
Ask them to explain why they think each type of pasta was chosen. 
Egg: Pastina
Larva or Caterpillar: Curly colored pasta
Chrysalis: shell pasta
Adult butterfly: bow tie pasta
Direct the students in placing the appropriate pieces of pasta in the correct life stage of the butterfly

15. Independent Activity
Model this concept for the students, while walking around and monitoring the students’ progress
Direct the students’ in the labeling process. The students will need to write the four different stages of the life of a butterfly

16. Mastery Check
Upon completion of the hands-on activity, the students will be re-directed back to the carpet
Ask various students to share their interpretations of the butterfly life cycle plate
The students will explain the different stages

17. Sing- Along Introduce the ‘Butterfly Life Cycle ‘poem by Meish Goldish
The poem will act as a form of reinforcement for the students
Read (sing) the poem aloud and ask students to try the second time together

18. After growing nice and big, The caterpillar climbs on a leaf or twig.
Sing- Along
Poem - Birth of a Butterfly (can be sung to the tune of Hush Little Baby, Don't Say a Word)
A mama butterfly lays all her eggs, Out pops a caterpillar, crawling on its legs.
The caterpillar first is rather thin, But then it eats till it bursts through its skin.
After growing nice and big, The caterpillar climbs on a leaf or twig.
It makes a shell where it hangs inside. The shell then cracks, and the parts divide.
Inside the shell, a change was going on, The form of the caterpillar now is gone.
When the shell opens, what comes out? A beautiful butterfly fluttering about!

19. Accommodation Strategies For Students With Special Needs
Blind students will use the audio from video presentations about butterfly life cycles to learn about butterflies. They will use speech to text software to complete their book builder assignments
The students that are hearing impaired can see and read the text on the presentations. Students that are not at grade level will have a peer tutor to answer any questions

20. English Language learners
To culminate a unit on butterflies, teachers can ask beginning ESL students to illustrate, rather than explain, the life cycle of butterflies
Students can point to life cycle parts of a butterfly on their own drawing or on a diagram as an assessment of vocabulary retention

21. Assessment Assessment (should relate to objectives):
Short Term: The students will be able to create a butterfly life cycle plate identifying each stage of the cycle. Various students will share their own interpretation of the life cycle of a butterfly
Long Term: The students will be asked to talk about the various stages of the life cycle of the butterfly, while comparing them to the life cycle stages of a human

22. Closure and Assignment
In Class: Students who complete the activity quickly will complete a short story on butterfly paper, about where their butterfly will go after it completes the life cycle (Bright Butterflies)
At Home: Students will complete a mapping/sequencing sheet