Katie Millard
June 2010
Science
2nd Grade
45-60 minutes
Link back to CALLT-KatieM Wiki
Page:
http://callt-km.wikispaces.com/
Life Cycles Unit- Day 2: Life Cycle of a Butterfly
RATIONALE:
As part of a life cycles unit, this lesson will teach students about the various stages of a
butterfly's life, and how these stages are similar to ours. The purpose of this lesson is to
familiarize the students with the life cycle stages of a butterfly. This lesson is for second grade
students. Students had 1 previous lesson about the life cycle of a butterfly. The English
language learners (ELLs) are in the speech emergence stage if language development. All ELLs
in this class are Hispanic.
OBJECTIVES:
 The learner will listen attentively to the book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric
Carle.
 After reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, TLW be able to identify and
describe the four different stages of a butterfly life cycle (from egg, caterpillar, pupa or
chrysalis, to a full-grown adult butterfly).
 After discussing the different stages in the life cycle of a butterfly TLW design their own
butterfly life cycle plates.
 After discussing the different stages in the life cycle of a butterfly TLW be able to work
in a group to explain and share the stages of a butterfly's life using voicethread.com.
 After reviewing the Quizlet adjective flashcards with a partner TLW incorporate
adjectives into their explanations of the stages of a butterfly’s life cycle using
voicethread.com.
 After completing all components of this lesson TLW write a short story of where the
adult butterfly might go after the cycle is over. (Only if the learner finishes early.)
MATERIALS:
 The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
 Paper plates (one per student)
 Colored pencils (handful per table)
 Ziploc bags (one per student)
 Glue
 Various forms of pasta/rice (prepared in Ziploc bags by the teacher)
o grain of white rice (egg)
o curly colored pasta (caterpillar or larva)
o shell pasta (cocoon or pupa)
o bow-tie pasta (adult butterfly)
 10 computers (or 1 per pair of students)
 Quizlet adjective flashcards http://quizlet.com/2438324/adjectives-flash-cards/

Voicethread.com activity link http://voicethread.com/#u973977.b1208871.i6519257
CURRICULUM ANALYSIS AND LINGUISTIC ANALYSIS: Students will be made aware
of things such as:
 Each of the four stages in a butterfly’s life cycle: egg, caterpillar/pupa, chrysalis/larva,
adult.
 Then the animal life cycle begins all over again.
 Students will use language as a means of communication to complete the life cycle
activity.
 Students will use language structures that are developmentally appropriate. Students in
this class are capable of producing basic sentence structures using the content-based
language for the unit.
 Students will use oral and written language to communicate the different stages in a
butterfly’s life cycle.
 Students will be using adjectives, the language skill we are focused on this week.
 Students will learn the vocabulary words: egg, caterpillar, pupa, larva, chrysalis, adult,
butterfly, life cycle
PROCEDURE:
A. Introduction and Motivation:
The teacher will invite the children to the carpet and ask: "Who can remember what
insect we read about yesterday"? The teacher will reactivate prior knowledge and discuss the
term cycle with the students. Describe to the students that a cycle of life is also the different
stages of life. Ask, "Can you describe the stages of your life? As "a class, discuss the fact that the
stages of our lives are very similar to the life cycle of a butterfly. As the teacher, you can
compare the egg, caterpillar, pupa or chrysalis, and adult butterfly stage to our baby, toddler,
teenager and adult stages of our lives.
B. Lesson Body
1. Invite the students to the carpet.
2. Introduce the reading selection The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle.
3. With the class, review some of the prior facts discussed about the life and stages of a
butterfly.
4. Reinforce prior knowledge of fiction and non-fiction reading selections about
butterflies.
5. Pose a few high orders of thinking questions for the students, such as:
o Where did you come from?
o Can you describe the stages of your life?
o How are the stages of your life similar to the stages of a butterfly?
6. 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.
7. Explain independent activity and provide model.
8. Invite the students back to their seats.
9. Distribute a paper plate to each of the students.
10. Invite the students to take a colored pencil and make four equal parts.
11. Model this concept for the students, while walking around and monitoring the
students' progress.
12. Direct the students' in the labeling process. The students will need to write the four
different stages of the life of a butterfly.
13. 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.
14. Direct the students in placing the appropriate pieces of pasta in the correct life stage
of the butterfly.
15. Instruct a clean up.
*All procedures are adjusted and adapted to meet individual needs of integrated students. *
C. Lesson Closure:
Upon completion of the hands-on activity, the students will be directed to the table with
computers. With a partner, students will review adjectives using the Quizlet adjective flashcards
(http://quizlet.com/2438324/adjectives-flash-cards/). With the same partner, students will record
their descriptions of the different stages in the life cycle of a butterfly including the use of
adjectives using voicethread.com. Link to activity:
http://voicethread.com/#u973977.b1208871.i6519257
 The students will add their recordings to previously chosen pictures of each life cycle
stage and save their recordings using their names.
 The teacher will upload the links to students recording to our Wiki page and our Class
Blog on EduBlogs.org http://2mcomets.edublogs.org/newbloguser/679e3/ for parents to
view.

Differentiated Instruction:
o 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.
o Students that need assistance with the activity will work with the teacher at a
table.
o Students that need assistance with the voicethread.com component of the lesson
will be paired with a peer for assistance if possible. If teacher assistance is needed
the teacher will assist.
EVALUATION:
o The students will be able to create a butterfly life cycle plate identifying each stage of the
cycle.
o Students will explain each of the steps of the life cycle of a butterfly using
voicethread.com. Students will record themselves and a partner describing the stage of
the life cycle that is depicted in each picture using adjectives.