Life Cycle of

a Butterfly

By: Katelyn Kohout

Jenny Grainger

Life Cycle of a Butterfly

Age/Grade Level: 4-5 years old, 4 Year

Old Kindergarten-5 Year Old Kindergarten

WI Model Academic Standards for

Science-Standard: F

Science, Life and Environmental, Performance Standards

F.4.3 Illustrate the different ways that organisms

grow through life stages and survive to produce

new members of their type.

Class Overview

20 students

10 Boys

10 Girls

5 students with ADHD

1 student has sensory integration issues

3 students are gifted in the area of art

Lesson Overview

Youtube Video

Reading books

Creating their own life cycle of a butterfly

Observation of a caterpillars

Keeping a journal

Objectives

1. Students will be able to understand the life cycle of a butterfly by watching and listening to the butterfly video/song, which will be played on YouTube by the teacher and students singing along if they choose to do so.

2. Students will be able to understand the life cycle of a butterfly by tracing, coloring, cutting out, and ordering the different stages on a large circle, which will be prepared and demonstrated by the teacher and correctly placing the stages in order.

3. Students will be able to understand the life cycle of a butterfly by observing the behavior of a caterpillar, which will be brought in by the teacher and students record the daily activity.

Creating the Life Cycle of a

Butterfly

Materials

20 large cut out circles, tag board

20 copies of the butterfly life cycle

20 scissors

Glue

Markers, crayons, coloring pencils, etc…

Art Example One

Art Example Two

Books

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

From Caterpillar to Butterfly Big Book by

Deborah Heiligman

The Crunching Munching Caterpillar by

Sheridan Cain

Youtube Video

Students will get the opportunity to watch

a short video and learn a song to help

with their understanding of the life cycle

of the butterfly.

Life Cycle of a Butterfly song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnSeJOfTpSc

Music Playlist

The Butterfly Song by Austin and Ally http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctxzINcw2Zg

Butterfly Song for Children by Turn on Your

English http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BECfo6XF86U

One Month Before

Research science standards for

4K/Kindergarten (10 min)

Research, develop and type written

lesson plan (3 hours 30 min)

Look up videos on YouTube (15 min)

Research where to purchase caterpillars

(30 min)

Two Weeks Before

Check to see what art supplies is there

and order any needed materials (30 min)

Make two samples of butterfly life cycle

art project (1 hour)

Develop and print out handouts of the

butterfly life cycle for students to cut out

(15 min)

Order caterpillars (10 min)

One Week Before

Prepare art supplies (15 min)

Prepare caterpillar observation journal (30

min)

Three Days Before

Check art supplies (10 min)

Make sure YouTube video works (5 min)

Set up caterpillar in cage, not in

classroom yet (20 min)

Print off caterpillar observation journal (15

min)

The Day of the Lesson

Layout art materials on tables (15 min)

Set up the demonstration area (10 min)

Set up YouTube video (5 min)

Draw the butterfly’s life cycle on the board (10 min)

Bring out and set up caterpillar in its cage in the classroom (15 min)

Get caterpillar observation journals out and ready to pass out (5 min)

Lesson Schedule

9:00 a.m. 15 min Motivational activities

1. YouTube video

2. Go through the butterfly’s life cycle drawn on the board 9:15 5 min Demonstration of Butterfly Life Cycle art

activity

9:20 25 min Work time

9:45 5 min Clean up

9:50 10 min Introduce class caterpillar

10:00 15 min Observe and write/draw what they see

1 hour and 15 min TOTAL

Student Self-Assessment

1. Students will be given time to work on the

project by themselves to see if they can put

the stages in order

2. Students will talk about what they have

learned in a group discussion

3. Students art work will be displayed in the

classroom

4. Students will reflect and make observations

and predictions in their butterfly journals

Teacher Self-Assessment

1. Instructor will reflect on how the lesson went by seeing how well the students were able to put the stages in order.

2. Instructor will listen to group discussion to see what they liked and didn’t like about the lesson.

3. Instructor will ask children individual questions to see how much they learned from the lesson.

4. Instructor will look as student’s butterfly journals to reflect on things that went well and could have gone better.

Accommodation/Differentiation

Students with Sensory Integration Issues

Students will have opportunity to work with

a partner

Students will be able to choose which type

of materials they would like to color with

Students will be able to work with either

another classmate or the teacher when

working with glue.

Accommodation/Differentiation

Students with ADHD

Teacher will provide step-by-step visual

instructional plan for assignments

Teacher will accommodate by allowing

students to stand while working if they

choose to do so

Teacher will ask students with ADHD to

place materials on each table.

Accommodation/Differentiation

Gifted Learners

Teacher will ask these students if they would

rather draw out each stage rather than cut

out and glue

Teachers will ask these students if they

would rather write each stage rather than

cut out the cycle stage name and glue it