Unit Topic or Theme: Science:The Life cycles: the life cycle of butterflies
Grade: second grade
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Lesson Topic or Theme: The phases of butterflies as they go through their life cycle.
Lesson Objectives:
The students will be able to state each phase a butterfly goes through.
The students will be able to example what metamorphosis means.
Instructional Technique:
Students will do a worksheet at their desks by coloring in visuals of the different phases of butterflies as well as trying to figure out which phase is first to last in the life cycle of butterflies.
Students will listen to the teacher as she reads a book and
conduct an experiment.
Instructional Materials:
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
a small container with leaves and caterpillar food.
Crayons
paper
scissors
staple
Theoretical Perspective:
This information is important so students will learn the life cycle of a butterfly.
Procedure: (As a teacher, what will you and the students do.)
First, I will have my students sit in a circle on the carpet for a story. I will read to them the book called, The Very Hungry Caterpillar. After reading this novel I will then explain to them that there are four stages that a caterpillar goes through to become a butterfly. I will then write on the board the word 'metamorphosis', and explain that this word means change. I will explain to the children how butterflies go through metamorphosis.
Next, I will tell the students to sit at their seats for an activity. I will give them a worksheet with the four different phases that butterflies go through. I will ask them to color it in and attempt to put the pictures in the right order. After they have done that, we will go through the right order as a class. I will make sure that I clearly state that the egg becomes a larva which is the caterpillar. The caterpillar becomes a pupa and wraps itself in a chrysalis where it grows into a butterfly. Highlight to the students how a butterfly is able to get out of a chrysalis (by chewing its way out). Ask students if they know of any other animals that go through a cycle kind of like butterflies. (frogs)
Lastly, I will take the kids outside to go searching for caterpillars so we can but it in a container to watch it grow. (You would have to do this lesson on a hot Spring day.) Once you find at least three caterpillars, place them in a container and but the container in the back of the room. Make sure the container has caterpillar food in it!!! Have students go to the back of the room to look at the container everyday in the beginning of class to look for changes. Once the caterpillars turn into butterflies, let the students release them outside.