Noodle Butterfly Life Cycles€¦ · Web viewAlmost all items (90%) that need to be identified have labels. It is clear which label goes with which structure

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Table of Contents

Classroom Library List tab 1

Unit Goals tab 2

Field Trip, Learning Center, and Website……………………………………………tab 3

Bulletin Board tab 4

Lesson Plans tab 5-11

From Tadpoles to Frogs (Language Arts)Help Frog Get Home with Consent Blends (Word Study/ Vocabulary)A Laugh and a Half: Frog Poem Mobiles (Art)Frog Alert! Frog Alert! (Social Studies)Butterfly Math Matchup (Math)Noodle Butterfly Lifecycle (Science)Butterfly Lifecycle (SMART Board)

Notes for SMART Board Lessontab 12

Frog and Butterfly Extra Resources tab 13,14

Unit Rubric………………………………………………………………………………….…..tab 15

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From Tadpoles to Frogs Lesson Plan

Teacher: Jackie King Date: March 9, 2010

Subject: Language Arts Time: 60 minutes

Topic/Concept/Question/Problem: Discovering the Life cycle of Frogs

SOL: 2.4

Rationale: To help children broaden their concepts of living things as they learn more about the metamorphosis and development of frogs.

Objective(s): Students will compare and contrast frogs and toads, also the students will be able to demonstrate and understanding of metamorphosis through creative writing.

Essential Understandings, Questions, Knowledge, and Skills: The student will investigate and understand that plants and animals undergo a series of orderly changes in their life cycles. Key concepts include

a) some animals (frogs and butterflies) undergo distinct stages during their lives, while others generally resemble their parents

Materials: Frogs by Gail Gibbons (enough copies for reading partners) Frog shaped paper Toad shaped paper Graphic organizer labeled Frog Life Cycle Graphic organizer compare and contrast Frog and Toad

Procedures/ Activities:

Exploratory Introduction (Before)- Amount of time: 5-10 minutes THE HOOK

(In preparation for this lesson, obtain tadpoles in advance. Be sure to arrange for adequate space to hold a tank with the tadpoles. The tank will be set up

following this lesson.)

Remind the children that their last unit was on the environment. Ask them to recall some activities from that unit.

Begin with a class discussion on tadpoles.

-Ask if anyone has ever seen or caught a tadpole. (Some of the children may while others will not have seen tadpoles.)

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-Ask the children what they think tadpoles look like. (Responses may include the idea that tadpoles are small, that they have long tails and large eyes.)-Ask how big or how long children think tadpoles are? (Children may estimate that tadpoles are small, about the size of a finger, the eraser on a pencil.)

-Ask the children if they know what happens to tadpoles as they grow. (Some children will know that the tadpoles develop into frogs; others may not know.)

At this point, show the children a picture of tadpoles. The picture will help the children to confirm or modify their concept of what tadpoles look like.

Ask if the children if they think it might be possible to grow tadpoles in our classroom. (The children will be very likely to want to try)

Explain that over the next several weeks the class will be studying frogs, and as part of the study, the children will be observing the tadpoles grow and develop. Explain also that they will need to learn as much as possible about tadpoles in order to care for them. Also, tell the children they will now read a book that will give them some important information about how tadpoles develop.

Development (During)- Amount of time 20 minutes

I read pages 1-4 aloud to the students. What is this section about? (Frog's laying eggs, embryos developing inside the eggs, eggs laid in clusters, embryos grow until they look like tadpoles inside the eggs)

I have the partners read page 5-6. While you read think about what happens next? (Tadpoles grow bigger, They break free, It takes 3 days to 3 weeks, they have a head, body, and tail)

I do an explanation for the word algae and feathery. Then the kids read page 7. We add information about the tadpoles to the graphic organizer. The kids read the sentence where they found the information that they want to add. I find with 2nd graders they need this extra reinforcement that there is information to use in the book. I call this "right there."

Then the partners/small group reads page 8 about the tadpoles getting teeth. I call on a few people to add a fact to the graphic organizer.

We repeat the same procedure for page 9, which discusses tadpoles at age 1 month.

Then the partners/small group reads pages 10-11 which discusses tadpoles at 2 months. I have the partners/small groups find 5

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important points to share with the group. I call on a group to share what they've learned. Then ask if any others have something else to add.

On page 13 look for the details to add onto the 3 months old heading. They find 5 key points to share with the group.

Graphic organizer now has these headings: egg, tadpole, 1 week old, 1 month old, 2 months old, and 3 months old

After the book, ask the children the following questions:

-In the book, we learned about what tadpoles need in order to grow. What are some of the things you remember from the book?(Responses should include adequate water, air and algae for food. As the children respond, list their contributions on a chart. Later, the chart will be posted next to the tadpole tank.)

-What happened to the tadpoles as they grew? (This question will test the behavioral objective of the lesson. The children should have observed that eggs developed into tadpoles, that the tadpoles developed legs, their tails became shorter and disappeared, and that the tadpoles became frogs.)

Closure: Review with the children the stages of development they have observed in the book and the chart listing what their tadpoles will need to order to grow. Then explain that the next activity in their study will be to prepare the tank for the tadpoles, that they will care for the tadpoles themselves, and watch them develop into frogs like the ones they saw in the book.

Expansion (After) – Amount of time 30 minutes

Guided readingSet purpose for reading: Find information about frogs and toads. I have started a compare and contrast graphic organizer to help us see the differences. Read with partners the rest of the Frogs book by Gail Gibbons. Find more information about frogs and toads. We add onto the graphic organizer. The kid’s partner read I Can Read About Frogs and Toads.

WritingWriting time is spent writing a book of facts about frogs. I have the kids write frog facts on frog shaped paper. Then the kids pick a frog that they like from the frog books. They color their cover like a frog. Then label the cover with the name of their frog.

Time is spent writing a book of facts about toads. I have the kids write the toad facts on the toad shaped paper. The kids use the following

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books: Frogs by Gail Gibbons, Frogs and Toads and Tadpoles, too by Allan Fowler, and Frogs and Toads by Garry Fleming and David Kirshner.

Assessment/ Evaluation:

Performance Assessment: The finished books are presented/ read to the class in pairs or solo.

Differentiation:

Students will differentiate them selves in their writers workshop when writing their frog and toad books. As for the reading students will be given books according to their reading levels for the guided reading exercise. Also students could be pair for those who still need practice, and if this happens students can chose either the frog or the toad to research.

Extensions:

Have students research types of frogs found in Virginia and predict what type of frog will the tadpoles become from our class pets. (write in your journal, or draw what they might look like as frogs)

Reflection: What worked? What didn’t? What will I never do again? Did I reach all students?

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Help Frog Get Home with Consent Blends Lesson Plan


Subject: Word Study/Vocabulary Time: 40 minutes

Topic/Concept/Question/Problem: Enforcing Word Study sorts while discovering

the Life cycle of Frogs.

Rationale: to help students practice word sorts with a fun frog game that enforces the theme of the unit.

Objective(s): Students will use games to provide additional practice of word sorts and weekly routines.

Essential Understandings, Questions, Knowledge, and Skills: The student will use phonetic strategies when reading and spelling.2.4 a) Use knowledge of consonants, consonant blends, and consonant digraphs to decode and spell words.

Materials:

Frog Markers (1 per student) Hopping Frog Game (1 per group) (Each Game will be different by Word Study

Groups)Procedures/ Activities:


Under the Elmo the teacher will read, “Little Critter Where is my Frog?” by Mercer Mayer. While the students read along ask them to find any word study words or words with the same consonant blend. Also ask questions about the book: why was Little Critter trying to find his frog and where did he finally find the frog. Try to get a sequence of events from the book.

Remind the children that they have been studying consonant blends in word study for the week and that their test will be at the end of the week so today is for practice.

Sort words first.

Begin with class participation with the game modeled by the teacher.

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At this point, show the children that they need to spin the spinner and move their frog marker to the first word with that consonant blend. They then pronounce this word and must say another word with the same consonant blend to stay on the space. The next player then spins and plays. The first player who can finish the course and hop the frog off the board wins.

Ask if the children if they think they could play in their word study groups. (The children will be very likely to want to try)

Pass out game boards that are marked for each word study group.


Each student gets a turn playing the game and saying words. As the teacher monitors by walking around making sure the games are being played correctly.

As the groups finish their game have the group then write the words they landed on down on paper and organize them into columns by consonant blends.

Have each group check each other’s work.


Have a class discussion on who in each group won the game and if they liked playing a game to practice their word study.


Formal Assessment: Word Study tests the next day will assess who has been working on their word study and who needs more help, also who can move forward to the next word study sort.

Extensions:

Have students write stories using their word study words about the journey their frog took as he traveled around the game board.

Differentiation: Each word study group will have a different game board with the set of words they are working with for the week. Students learn how to help monitor each other for correctness.


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Frog Alert! Frog Alert! Lesson Plan


Subject: Geography, social studies, science Time: 2-3 hours

(over a period of 3-4 days)

Topic/Concept/Question/Problem: Discovering the effects of the environment on

frogs

SOL: Geography 2.5, Science 2.5

Rationale: students will learn about the ways Hayes uses a combination of laboratory and field study to learn about changes in frogs' appearances as they relate to chemical contamination of water. Students will discuss the issue of water pollution and what can be done to decrease it.

Objective(s): Students will learn about the life and work of Tyrone Hayes; explain how Hayes's cultural and life experiences influenced his career choice and locations of study; explain how studying animals' development may provide insight into environmental hazards; and examine the issues around the uses and potential hazards of the chemical atrazine. [a-truh-zeen] a white crystalline compound, C8H14N5Cl, used as an herbicide to control weeds, esp. in corn crops.

Essential Understandings, Questions, Knowledge, and Skills: The student will develop map skills by

a) locating the equator, the seven continents, and the four oceans on maps and globes

The student will investigate and understand that living things are part of a system. Key concepts include

a) living organisms are interdependent with their living and nonliving surroundings; and b) habitats change over time due to many influences.

Materials: Computer with Internet access Printouts of the National Geographic Coloring Book: Giant Tree Frogs page Crayons or markers Printouts of several Earth Day Network Community Water Stories


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Have students visit the National Geographic Kids magazine article "The Weird World of Frogs" to learn some amazing facts about frogs. Tell students this lesson will teach them some other amazing things about frogs. ( This can be brought up on the Elmo.)

Ask students if they have ever heard frogs make noise late at night. Is it a sound they enjoyed or did it keep them awake? Have students listen to the collection of sounds available at the Exploratorium's Frog Tracker (Macromedia Shockwave required). Tell students that frog calls are generally a signal of mating, though many frogs call out throughout the year. But some frogs have another way of calling out, or signaling, distress—and they don't even know they're doing it!

Development (During)- Amount of time 60-90 minutesActivity 1:

Have students spend some time exploring the frogs on the Frog Tracker (Macromedia Shockwave required) by opening the pages for the individual frogs (Note: If students have difficulty opening the frog pages from the activity, they can access almost all of the pictures and sound from the beginning page). Ask students to notice the coloring of the frogs, and then have them color this National Geographic Coloring Book's Giant Tree Frogs page. Point out that this page represents a specific species of frog, but you want students to "transform" the frog into their favorite through the use of color.

Explain to students that animal transformations happen all the time. Tadpoles turn into frogs; caterpillars turn into butterflies, and so on. Explain that in this lesson, students will be learning about a man who studies frogs and the ways in which harmful chemicals in the environment are causing them to transform—and not necessarily for the better.

Activity 2:

Introduce students to Tyrone Hayes by summarizing for them some of the information on his National Geographic Emerging Explorers profile page. Then, show them this video from the Exploratorium in which Dr. Hayes explains his fascination with frogs (audio file, RealPlayer required).

Ask students what they think of Dr. Hayes. Do they like to look at "crawly things?" What do they think about Dr. Hayes and his opinion about frogs? How does he believe that frogs can help humans?

Explain to students that one of the ways Dr. Hayes learns about frogs is by studying them in their natural habitats, and another way is by watching them in a laboratory. Dr. Hayes learns about ways frogs may be affected by changes in their environment (like water pollution), and then does experiments with frogs in his lab to test his theories about what might be

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harmful to them. Ask students why they think this is important work.

Activity 3:

Share some of the students' coloring sheets and ask them to describe what they liked about the colors of the frogs they saw in the web activity. Explain to students that the frogs Dr. Hayes studies do something interesting with their colors—though not on purpose.

Show students the picture of the male and female African reed frogs on the Exploratorium site. Explain that the African reed frog has different colors to show which ones are male and which ones are female. Then explain that Dr. Hayes has found that some chemicals that get into the water cause problems for the frogs that make them change colors. Show students the pictures on the Cancer Connection page. Point out the control frog in the upper left of the grid. Explain that with that frog Dr. Hayes didn't put any chemicals in its water, but that with all the other frogs, different chemicals were added to their water to see if they were dangerous for the frogs. Draw students' attention to the ways in which many of the frogs changed to look more like the females in coloration. Explain that these changes indicate to Dr. Hayes and many others that the chemicals introduced had a negative effect on the frogs—and therefore could be chemicals that cause problems for humans.

Explain to students that these studies are giving us a great deal of information about chemicals that get into water in a variety of ways (runoff from farms, industrial pollution, waste disposal), and the types of dangers they may pose for humans. For more information about groundwater pollution from pesticides, visit the U.S. Geological Survey’s Pesticides in Groundwater site.

Expansion (After) – Amount of time 30-40 minutesClosing:

Ask students to think about what they might do to help prevent the types of water pollution that can harm frogs—and humans. Visit the Earth Day Network's Water for Life campaign page and assign students to work with a family member to learn more about one of the Community Water Stories. Have students create a poster or drawing that illustrates what the problems is, and then share their work in class by explaining the drawing and what they think about the issue. (These community stories are brief and can be printed to send home with students if Internet access is an issue in students' homes.)


Performance Assessment: Student presentations should reflect a clear understanding of the information they have studied. While there are clearly varied opinions on the issue of atrazine use, students should

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demonstrate their awareness of the importance of the studies.Extensions:

Students may enjoy the Froggy Chuckles available on this page from the Center for Global Environmental Education. Challenge students to come up with some originals!

Have students learn more about pollution and how difficult it is to protect plants and animals from pollution by doing all or part of the National Geographic: Xpeditions—No Magic Borders.

Have students learn more about how rivers can be polluted by doing one or more of the activities from National Geographic Geography Action! Rivers 2001: Down the Drain, Into the River.

Work with students, or suggest that students work with a parent or family member, to learn more about water conservation and health issues by visiting the Earth Day Network's Water for Life action pages. What's in Your Water has a comprehensive guide to water quality, with suggestions for citizen action on a local and global scale. Additionally, your class, school, or community may wish to participate in an Earth Day event. Use the available search page to find events that may be close to you; or, design an event of your own!

Related Links:Amphibian Conservation Alliance: FROGS.orgEarth Day NetworkExploratorium: FrogsJournal of Young Investigators: For the Love of Frogs—Featuring Dr. Tyrone HayesNBII: FrogWeb—Amphibian Declines & MalformationsNational Geographic Geography Action! Rivers 2001: Down the Drain, Into the RiverNational Geographic Magazine: The Fragile World of FrogsNational Geographic News: Hermaphrodite Frogs Caused by Popular Weed Killer?National Geographic News: Pesticides, Parasite May Cause Frog DeformitiesNational Geographic: Coloring BookNational Geographic: Emerging ExplorersNational Geographic: Xpeditions—No Magic BordersUSGS: Water Science for SchoolsVanishing Frogs


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A Laugh and a Half: Frog Poem Mobiles


Subject: Arts, Language, Poems Time: 50 minutes

(over a period of 3-4 days)

Topic/Concept/Question/Problem: Discovering the use for poems and how to use them for expression.

Rationale: Students will use poems for increasing fluency and vocabulary. Using frogs as a topic, students continue learning the structure of poems and how to create art from an array of mediums.

Objective(s): Students will read a variety of funny poems. share those poems within their groups. choose their favorite poems. use those poems as inspiration as they write funny poems of their own. create smile-mobiles on which they display their favorite funny poems. present their favorite funny poems to their classmates.

Essential Understandings, Questions, Knowledge, and Skills: 2.7 The student will read fiction and nonfiction, using a variety of strategies

independently. a) Preview the selection by using pictures, diagrams, titles, and headings. b) Set purpose for reading. c) Read stories, poems, and passages with fluency and expression. d) Reread and self-correct when necessary.

2.1 The student will demonstrate an understanding of oral language structure. a) Create oral stories to share with others. b) Create and participate in oral dramatic activities. c) Use correct verb tenses in oral communication. d) Use increasingly complex sentence structures in oral communication.

Materials: books of poems that include many humorous poems and/or copies of funny

poems printed from the Internet (See Funny Poems on the Internet below.) funny poem work sheet (provided) materials for creating mobiles (See Make a Mobile below for a variety of

different mobiles students might create.)

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April is Poetry appreciation month, so to celebrate we are going to find funny poems that are our favorites and write them in Freddy the funny frog’s mouth and see what the class comes up with. Then read a favorite funny poem as an example picking out any unfamiliar vocabulary. Also use many kinds of mediums to create art mobiles.

Development (During)- Amount of time 30-minute segments over a week or two

This activity can be done in the classroom, the computer lab, or the library. In advance of the lesson, gather a large number of books of poems. You might include humorous poems by such poets as Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky, Karla Kuskin, Grandpa Tucker, Kenn Nesbitt, Dr. Seuss, Ogden Nash, Robert Pottle, and Edward Lear.

Explain to students that they are going to create mobiles from which they will hang six funny poems -- five of their favorites plus one original funny poem!

Organize students into small groups. Divide the funny poems you gather from book and Internet sources into stacks; you should have as many stacks as you have groups of students. Provide each group with a stack of poem sources and a pad of sticky notes. Allow students to spend 15 minutes of each session simply reading funny poems. Have each student mark his or her favorite poem with a sticky note with his or her name on it so kids don't lose track of where they found the poems and so other students don't select the same poems. At the end of 15 minutes, ask each student to share one funny poem with the other members of his or her group. During the last five minutes of the period, have each student write on a sheet of paper the title of the funniest poem he or she found that day and the source (book title or URL) of the poem.

Repeat this activity on successive days. Rotate the stacks of books so each group gets a new stack each day. At the end of the week, each student will have collected five funny poems.

Now that you have inspired students with laughter, use one more class period to have students write original funny poems.

The next step is to have students create funny poem mobiles. Education World has provided a work sheet with a large laughing mouth on it. Distribute six copies of the work sheet to each student. Have students write each of their five favorite poems and their one original poem inside the mouth of a work sheet. Then have them glue the mouths to a sheet of thin poster board or oak tag.

Now they are ready to create mobiles of funny poems. Mobiles can be created in many ways; a variety of mobiles are provided below.

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Make a Mobile Following are directions for making a variety of mobiles from simple materials.

Make a mobile using coat hangers and string.Make a mobile from drinking straws and paper clips.Make a mobile using twigs and thread.Make a mobile from cardboard and string.

Lesson Notes

Every poem on the students' mobiles must include source information, including the author's name and the title of the book or the Web site URL where they found the poem. That information can be written on the back of the mouth.

If a poem is too long to fit inside the mouth work sheet, students can choose a verse or two to include on their mobiles.

The mouth on the work sheet does not include any lines to help guide students' printing or handwriting. If your students would benefit from having a lined version of this work sheet, you can print the work sheet, draw in lines of an appropriate width, and then copy the lined version of the work sheet for students.

Students can also use a word processor to type the poems onto the work sheets. Teachers of younger students might need to set the margins for this activity so students' poems print within the mouth illustration on the work sheet.

Students might use paint, glitter, lipstick, or other art materials to add

Expansion (After) – Amount of time 30-40 minutes

% After students create their mobiles, each student should prepare his or her favorite funny poem to present to the class in a mini poetry slam! If possible, have students memorize their poems and practice in small groups before presenting their poems to the entire class. Students should also be prepared to share the names of the authors and the sources of their poems.

% Video or tape record students' presentations, and share them with parents on parent's night.

% Hang student mobiles from the classroom ceiling.% If this activity stretches over several days, spend at least one of those days in the

computer lab. Provide students with the list of URLs below. Those URLs offer sources of some very funny poems!

%Funny Poems on the Internet Following are some excellent Internet sources of humorous poems:

% Giggle Poetry

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% Grandpa Tucker's Funny Rhymes and Tales % Poetry4Kids by Kenn Nesbitt % Giggle, Giggle, Snicker, Laugh -- Poems by Robert Pottle % Poems by Shel Silverstein % The Best of Shel Silverstein % Edward Lear: A Book of Nonsense % Poem Hunter: Ogden Nash


Students and teachers grade each poem presentation on a scale of 1 to 4:

4 = superb presentation of the poem -- read with lots of expression and humor3 = very good presentation of the poem -- well practiced and entertaining2 = solid presentation of the poem -- could have used a little more expression

1 = good presentation of the poem -- expression needs some work Allow students whose presentations receive a score of 1 or 2 to redo them to raise their scores.

Extensions:For students that excel at poetry, have them write different kinds of poems (limerick, haiku, and free verse).


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Butterfly Math Matchup


Subject: Math, Science (Butterflies) Time: 50-60 minutes

Topic/Concept/Question/Problem: Discovering additions of multiple numbers and learning about the parts of a butterfly.

Rationale: Students will use the parts of the butterflies to add multiple numbers in math.

Objective(s): Practice adding multiple numbers and learn about the various parts of the butterfly.

2.2 The student will compare two whole numbers between 0 and 999, using symbols (>, <, or =) and words (greater than, less than, or equal to).

2.6 The student will recall basic addition facts ó i.e., sums to 18 or less ó and the corresponding subtraction facts.

2.7 The student, given two whole numbers whose sum is 99 or less, will a) estimate the sum; and b) find the sum, using various methods of calculation (mental computation, concrete materials, and paper and pencil).

Essential Understandings, Questions, Knowledge, and Skills: Identify numbers that are greater than or less than a given

number between 0 and 999. Compare two numbers between 0 and 999, represented

pictorially or with concrete objects (e.g., base-10 blocks), using the terms greater than, less than, or equal to.

Compare the numerical value of two whole numbers between 0 and 999 by identifying one as greater than, less than, or equal to the other.

Write the symbols for less than (<), greater than (>), and equal to (=) to compare two numbers between 0 and 999.

Recall and write the basic addition facts for sums to 18 or less and the corresponding subtraction facts.

Recall and write the basic addition facts for sums to 18 or less and the corresponding subtraction facts, when addition or subtraction problems are presented in either horizontal or vertical written format.

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Regroup 10 ones for 1 ten, using base-10 models, when finding the sum of two whole numbers whose sum is 99 or less.

Estimate the sum of two whole numbers whose sum is 99 or less and recognize whether the estimation is reasonable.

Materials: Students will need the butterfly bodies and wings for practicing addition. The Book My, Oh my—A Butterfly!: All About Butterflies( Cat in the Hat’s

Learning Library) by Tish Rabe, Aristides Ruiz, and Joe Mathieu White Paper for foldable and markers, crayons.



Read My, Oh my—A Butterfly! : All About Butterflies to establish a knowing of the parts of a butterfly. Then ask how many students can add multiple numbers to get an answer. Explain that we will be using our knowledge of the butterfly to add up multiple numbers to make our butterflies whole again.


How to make: Make 10 butterflies by creating 10 bodies and 40 wings.

Draw two sets of wings on paper and five bodies on another piece.

Xerox the drawing parts onto color paper and cut them out.

Then lay the butterflies out and create math problems for each wing and an answer for the body.

Ex. Body has 24 written on it, then on the four wings that match the body, they must equal 24.

Use a laminated manila folder to have answers so children can check on their own.

Expansion (After) – Amount of time 10-20 minutes

% After students create their butterflies, each student should get a solid white piece of paper to make a foldable.

% Each draws their butterflies, two beside each other with a space in between. They will work on their skills of less than, greater than, and equal to. With the butterflies as their problems. Lift the flap in the middle to see the sign.

%

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Assessment/ Evaluation:Each foldable will be graded for correctness of the multiple numbers problem

and the equality relations, also for neatness.

Extensions:For students that excel at Math special Butterflies can be made to increase the difficulty of the math problems.


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Noodle Butterfly Life Cycle


Subject: Science (Butterflies) Time: 40-50 minutes

Topic/Concept/Question/Problem: Learning about the parts of a butterfly and its life cycle.

Rationale: students will use an art project to visualize the life cycle of a butterfly.

Objective(s): Students will learn to identify the four stages of a butterfly's life cycle.

2.1 The student will conduct investigations in which a) observation is differentiated from personal interpretation, and conclusions are drawn based on observations; b) observations are repeated to ensure accuracy; c) two or more attributes are used to classify items; f) pictures and bar graphs are constructed using numbered axes; h) simple physical models are constructed.

2.4 The student will investigate and understand that plants and animals undergo a series of orderly changes in their life cycles. Key concepts include a) some animals (frogs and butterflies) undergo distinct stages during their lives, while others generally resemble their parents; and b) flowering plants undergo many changes, from the formation of the flower to the development of the fruit.

Essential Understandings, Questions, Knowledge, and Skills:

The students should be able to:• describe changes in the life cycles of a frog and a butterfly; • identify and describe changes in a plant from flower (blossom) to fruit; • compare and contrast life cycles of a frog and a butterfly; • construct and interpret models/diagrams of animal and plant life cycles.

Materials: Butterfly patterns spiral pasta-caterpillar shell pasta-chrysalis bow tie pasta-butterfly

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small pasta representing an egg crayons or markers glue The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle



Ask the students what they know about butterflies. Have they ever seen one? Have they ever touched one? What did it look like? Was it colorful?

Ask the student if they know what the butterfly was before it was a butterfly? What do caterpillars look like? How do you think they got to be caterpillars?

What do they feel like? Are they furry? Slimy? How does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly? Discuss or show a picture of a chrysalis. Now put the stages of a butterfly in order.

The book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle can be used or have cards depicting each stage of a butterfly.

Development (During)- Amount of time 20-30 minutes

We also chanted a few times, egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly, I had a few volunteers’ come up and put the life cycle cards in order.

Have students create the butterfly life cycle on their own butterfly. Have butterfly patterns ready, and you may want to have divided them into 4

sections already. Show the students an example before they begin, so they are sure they know

what order to go in (left to right) Have students decorate butterfly and before they start explain using visuals

that butterflies have the same pattern on each side of their body. Glue the pasta to the butterfly. Write, or have the students write if they are able, the stages of a butterfly

under the corresponding piece of pasta. Display.

Expansion (After) – Amount of time 2 to 5 weeks (along with the unit)

% Monarch butterflies are a great way to let students experience the life cycle of a butterfly. They can be ordered at Monarchwatch.org and this activity could be a culminating activity to a unit on the monarch butterflies.


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Each butterfly will be graded for correctness of the Life cycle and correct position, also for neatness. See Rubric Below

Extensions:Students who finish early can use this time to study the life cycle of the butterfly and or use the class library to research, which butterflies our caterpillars, will be. Have them write their predictions and why.


Noodle Butterfly Life Cycles

Teacher Name: Mrs. King

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Labels Every item that needs to be identified has a label. It is clear which label goes with which structure.

Almost all items (90%) that need to be identified have labels. It is clear which label goes with which structure.

Most items (75-89%) that need to be identified have labels. It is clear which label goes with which structure.

Less than 75% of the items that need to be identified have labels OR it is not clear which label goes with item.

Drawing - details

All assigned details have been added. The details are clear and easy to identify.

Almost all assigned details (at least 85%) have been added. The details are clear and easy to identify.

Almost all assigned details (at least 85%) have been added. A few details are difficult to identify.

Fewer than 85% of the assigned details are present OR most details are difficult to identify.

Knowledge Gained

When asked about 4 items in an unlabeled drawing of the same plant or animal, the student can identify all of them accurately.

When asked about 4 items in an unlabeled drawing of the same plant or animal, the student can identify 3 of them accurately.

When asked about 4 items in an unlabeled drawing of the same plant or animal, the student can identify 2 of them accurately.

When asked about 4 items in an unlabeled drawing of the same plant or animal, the student can identify 1 or less of them accurately.

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Butterfly Life Cycle (SMART Board)


Subject: Science (Butterflies) Time: 90 minutes (over a few weeks)

Topic/Concept/Question/Problem: Learning about the parts of a butterfly and its life cycle.

Rationale: students will use an art project to visualize the life cycle of a butterfly.

Objective(s): Students will learn to identify the four stages of a butterfly's life cycle.

2.1 The student will conduct investigations in which a) observation is differentiated from personal interpretation, and conclusions are drawn based on observations; b) observations are repeated to ensure accuracy; c) two or more attributes are used to classify items; f) pictures and bar graphs are constructed using numbered axes; h) simple physical models are constructed.

2.4 The student will investigate and understand that plants and animals undergo a series of orderly changes in their life cycles. Key concepts include a) some animals (frogs and butterflies) undergo distinct stages during their lives, while others generally resemble their parents; and b) flowering plants undergo many changes, from the formation of the flower to the development of the fruit.

Essential Understandings, Questions, Knowledge, and Skills:

The students should be able to:• describe changes in the life cycles of a frog and a butterfly; • compare and contrast life cycles of a frog and a butterfly; • construct and interpret models/diagrams of animal and plant life cycles.

Materials: Print outs of the Activity worksheets for the SMART board activities SMART board


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The students have been learning about life cycles and in this lesson they will use all their knowledge to get through the activities to at the end do a small power point or KIDPIX of the stages of the butterfly.

Development (During)- Amount of time 20-30 minutes (over a week or two)

Smart board Activity “Yr 2-3 Butterfly Lifecycle Each student will be in groups or pairs to complete the six activities before

they do their final project. They will complete each activity during an independent SMART board time

while the teacher conferences with other groups on their progress. As the groups come to their final projects they will use the planning sheets to

present to the teacher for approval before beginning on the presentation.


% Each group will present their slideshow to the class. This will be the time they hand in all their activity sheets. Presentations should last only 5-7 minutes.


Each student will be graded for correctness of the Life cycle and correct activity sheets, also for neatness. See Rubric Extensions:Students who finish early can use this time to work on other conclusion activities, such as: crafts, games, and other butterfly related work.


Documents

Noodle Butterfly Life Cycles€¦ · Web viewAlmost all items (90%) that need to be identified have labels. It is clear which label goes with which structure