The Life Cycle of A Butterfly

1. The Life Cycle of A Butterfly By Shea Hartman

2. Introduction • Lesson and activity for First Grade • I choose this lesson because I once observed in a classroom that was working with a live butterfly kit. The students were always engaged in this learning because they could see what they had learned at work in their own classroom. • I think it is important to teach this because it is a part of nature and our everyday environment. Some children may be unaware of the fact that caterpillars and butterflies are part of the same life cycle. Lastly, it is important for children to understand that all living things go through changes, even us!

3. Materials Needed • Materials for Demonstration • Pillow case • Small ball • Stuffed Sock • Butterfly • Materials for Craft • Coffee Filters • Washable Markers • Clothespins • Pipe Cleaners • Spray Bottle with Water The Very Hungry Caterpillar – By Eric Carle

4. Have you ever seen…?

5. The First Stage  Egg • A butterfly begins its life as a very small egg. • The eggs can be all different sizes, it depends on what type of butterfly laid it. • Butterfly eggs are laid by a female on the leaves of plants. • The size of an egg is about 2 millimeters! That’s small! • This stage usually lasts for about 4 days.

6. The Second Stage  Larva • A larva hatches from the egg. • A more common name for the larva is a caterpillar. • The main thing that caterpillars do in this stage is eat. • They eat lots so that they can grow quickly. • As they grow larger and larger, they shed their skin about 5 times! • Caterpillars can grow up to 100 times the size of their egg. • This stage usually lasts about 2 weeks.

7. The Third Stage  Pupa • When the caterpillar is fully grown and stops eating, it becomes a pupa or cocoon. • The pupa is covered with a hard shell called a chrysalis. • Most pupas are attached to a branch or hidden in leaves. • To us it looks like nothing is happening, but inside transformations are occurring. • This is called metamorphosis. • This stage is usually around 2 weeks but can be much longer for some species.

8. The Fourth Stage Adult • The adult butterfly breaks out of the chrysalis and flies away. • The job of the adult butterfly is to find a mate and lay eggs. • Once the female lays eggs, the cycle starts all over again! • Most butterflies only live from one to six weeks.

9. The Very Hungry CaterpillarBy Eric Carle

10. Activity

11. Birth of A ButterflyBy MeishGoldish (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

12. Resources • http://www.suite101.com/content/the-very-hungry-caterpillar-kindergarten-lesson-a100725 • http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf89626266.tip.html • http://www.thebutterflysite.com/life-cycle.shtml • http://www.eric-carle.com/home.html • http://www.canteach.ca/elementary/songspoems26.html