Understanding the Lifecycle of a Butterfly

Attracting Birds, Butterflies, & Beneficial
Insects
Workshop
K-4K-4
School Garden Teacher Information Sheet
Presenter: Wayne Robins
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Understanding the Lifecycle of a Butterfly
Lesson duration will depend on age of students-may be completed
on different days.
Grades: K-4
Common Core Standards Addressed: Additional standards may be met by this lesson.
Science K.LS1.1 Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and
animals (including humans) need to survive.
Science 1.L2.2 Summarize the basic needs of a variety of different animals (including air, water, and food) for energy and growth.
Science 2.L1.1 Understand animal life cycles
ELA K.RL.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g.,
what moment in a story an illustration depicts).
ELA K.SL.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and
answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.
ELA K.SL.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.
ELA 1.L5.c Identify real-life connections between words and their use
ELA 1.W.3 Write narratives in which two or more appropriately sequenced events are recounted including details
ELA 1.W.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences
ELA 2.L.5.a Identify real-life connections between words & their use
ELA 3.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
ELA 3.SL.4 Report on a topic or text with appropriate and relevant, descriptive details, speaking clearly at an understandable pace
ELA 4.Sl.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
ELA 4.SL.2 Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats.
Objective: To understand the life stages of a butterfly.
Materials
•Magazines images or childrens’ drawings of butterfly at each stage
•Glue, paper, paper fasteners, crayons, makers, colored pencils, etc.
•Illustrated book on butterflies or other resources such as videos and other gardening books, or
access to internet.
Book suggestions for this topic and other butterfly lessons:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
From Caterpillar to Butterfly, by Deborah Heiligman
My Oh My A Butterfly, by Tish Rabe
Where the Butterflies Grow, by Joanne Ryder
Life of the Butterfly by Heide Rose and Andreas Fischer-Nagel
Websites:
The Butterfly Website: www.butterflywebsite.com
Gardening for Butterflies: www.familyofnature.com/gardenbutterflies.htm
Monarch Watch: www.MonarchWatch.org
U.S. Geological Survey, Butterflies of NorthAmerica: www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bfly-usa/bflyusa.htm
Brooklyn Childrens Museum: http://www.brooklynkids.org/attachments/Butterflies_31.pdf
Vocabulary:
caterpillar: the larval stage of a butterfly or moth
chrysalis: the hard shell covering the pupa; shaped like an upside down teardrop
larva: the second stage of metamorphosis, during which an insect is wormlike and has new wings
pupa: the third stage of metamorphosis; encased by a chrysalis
metamorphosis: a series of developmental stages often marked by body changes
Procedure Pre-Planning
Collect all materials ahead of time for students to use. Find a book or video on butterflies from your
local library.
Engage
Read the butterfly book to the class. Have students discuss as a group the stages of the butterfly
lifecycle. For older students you can show a video on butterflies.
Explore
Have students work in groups to review the stages of a butterfly lifecycle. Have students seen any of
the different stages? Consider the needs of the butterfly at each stage. Do we know what types of
butterflies are found in our area? If not, where can we find out? Students should use the available
resources they have to research these questions in order to design their garden.
Explain
Discuss with students how the butterfly develops through four stages of metamorphosis — egg, larva
(caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult (butterfly). The adult barely resembles the larval stage in
appearance or behavior. This is known as a complete metamorphosis.
To make a circle of life demonstrating each stage of metamorphosis, each student will
need two sheets of white construction paper, a file folder, and a brass paper fastener.
Here's how to assemble the circles.
Glue two sheets of paper together along one edge. Mark and cut out a 1-inch
window from the top sheet.
Cut out a circle from the file folder. The diameter of the circle should just about match the width
of the paper. Poke a small hole through the center of the circle.
Have students paste their caterpillar/butterfly drawings onto the circle, as shown.
Insert the circle between the sheets of paper, leaving one edge of the circle — which will now
function as the wheel — exposed. Adjust so that each picture shows up through the window
when you turn the wheel.
Using the paper fastener, fasten together the wheel and the paper, then glue the paper edges,
leaving only the section with the wheel edge open.
Students can share their circles with each other, narrating the changes seen through the window.
Elaborate
Have the students present their lifecycle wheel to the group. Students should be able to discuss the
four stages and transitions between each stage.
Evaluate
Have the students draw, write a sentence about or label the stages of metamorphosis.
Extension
Students should visit the Botanical Gardens or a local park to look for butterflies in different stages
and what environments they are attracted to live in.
Lessons adapted from Science NetLinks Lesson Plan: Butterfly 2: A Butterfly’s Home and Study Life
Cycles with Butterflies by Lynne Kepler
Creating a Butterfly Garden
K-4K-4
Lesson duration will depend on age of students-may be
completed on
different days.
Grades: K-4
Common Core Standards Addressed: Additional standards may be met by this
lesson.
Science K.LS1.1 Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including
humans) need to survive.
Science 1.LS1.1 Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including
humans) need to survive.
Science 2.LS4.1 Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats
Science 3.LS4.3 Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well
Science 4.LS1.1. Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some cannot
survive at all.
ELA K.RL.7 With prompting and support, describe the relationship between illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what
moment in a story an illustration depicts).
ELA K.SL.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.
ELA K.SL.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.
ELA 1.L5.c Identify real-life connections between words and their use
ELA 1.W.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences
ELA 2.L.5.a Identify real-life connections between words & their use
ELA 2.W.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects
ELA 3.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
ELA 4.SL.1 Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led)
ELA 4.SL.2 Paraphrase portions of a text read aloud or information presented in diverse media and formats.
Objective: To determine which environmental characteristics are needed to create favorable habitat
for butterflies native to WNY
Materials
•Magazines, garden images
•Glue, paper, crayons, makers, colored pencils, etc.
•Small objects to use for a collage (beans, pasta, cotton balls, fabric, etc.) If the weather allows
gather materials from the school garden or yard.
•Illustrated book on butterflies or other resources such as videos and other gardening books, or
access to internet.
Book suggestions for this topic and other butterfly lessons:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle
From Caterpillar to Butterfly, by Deborah Heiligman
My Oh My A Butterfly, by Tish Rabe
Where the Butterflies Grow, by Joanne Ryder
Life of the Butterfly by Heide Rose and Andreas Fischer-Nagel
Websites:
The Butterfly Website: www.butterflywebsite.com
Gardening for Butterflies: www.familyofnature.com/gardenbutterflies.htm
Monarch Watch: www.MonarchWatch.org
U.S. Geological Survey, Butterflies of North America: www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bfly-usa/bflyusa.htm
Brooklyn Childrens Museum: http://www.brooklynkids.org/attachments/Butterflies_31.pdf
Vocabulary:
camouflage: protective coloring that helps an animal hide by blending in with its environment
habitat: the place where a plant or animal normally lives and grows
Procedure Pre-Planning
Collect all materials ahead of time for students to use. Find a book on butterflies from your local
library.
Engage
Read the butterfly book to the class. Have students discuss as a group what types of things
butterflies would need in their environment. For older students you can show a video on butterflies.
Explore
Have students work in groups to research how they would design their butterfly garden. Have
students keep in mind the following questions: What are the four basic elements of wildlife habitat?
(food, water, shelter, place to raise young); What do butterflies eat?; Where do they rest?; Where
do they get water?; Do we know what types of butterflies are found in our area? If not, where can
we find out?; What types of things, other than just plants, should be in a butterfly garden? Students should use the available resources they have to research these questions in order to design their garden.
Explain
Students will work within their groups or individually using magazines, computer images,
photographs they have taken themselves, collage objects to create a 3-D collage of the types of
plants and materials that should be in a butterfly garden. Older students can research the specific
host and nectar plants for each species of butterfly to include in their garden, they can use a
computer to print out images or if your garden is already created they can take pictures of the plants
you have.
Elaborate
Have students present their gardens to the group. Students should answer the following questions
when they present: Why is this a good habitat for a butterfly?; Can you think of something that we
would not want to add to the garden? Why? ; Would it be good for other insects or animals? What
types and why? ; How does your garden resemble the garden that you saw in the story or in the
video clips?
Evaluate
Have students describe an “ideal” butterfly environment. They can either draw this habitat and label
the things in their drawing that help the butterfly survive or thrive OR they can write a paragraph
about what an “ideal” butterfly habitat would look like.
Extension
Students could be part of the process of building and creating a butterfly garden in your
program.
Lessons adapted from Science Net Links Lesson Plan: Butterfly 2: A Butterfly’s Home and Study Life Cycles with
Butterflies by Lynne Kepler