butterfly life cycle · tell students that they are going to create life cycle wheels to show the...

Preschool–KindergartenObjective

• Studentswillidentifyanddescribethestagesofthebutterflylifecycle.

Materials Needed• The Very Hungry CaterpillarbyEricCarle• LifeCycleWheeltemplate• Crayons• Scissors• Brassfasteners• LifeCycleoftheButterflysequencingstrip• LifeCyclePictureCards• NumberSpinner• Paperclips• Pencils

Introduction

ReadThe Very Hungry CaterpillarbyEricCarle.

Explaintostudentsthattheycanseethelifecycleofabutterflyinthestory.Turnbacktothebeginningofthebookandpointtothepicturesthatshoweachstage—egg,caterpillar,cocoonandbutterfly.Explaintostudentsthatabutterflycocooniscalledachrysalis.

Procedure

1. Tellstudentsthattheyaregoingtocreatelifecyclewheelstoshowthestagesofabutterfly’slife.

2.GiveeachstudentaLifeCycleWheeltemplateandhavestudentscutoutthetwowheels.(Youmaywanttocutoutthewheelsinadvanceforyoungerstudents.)

3.Invitestudentstocolorthepicturesonthefirstwheel.

4.Havestudentscutoutthe“window”fromthesecondwheel.

5.Helpstudentsplacethesecondwheelontopofthefirstwheel.Pushabrassfastenerthroughthecenterofthewheelstosecurethemtogether.

6.Demonstratehowtoturnthebottomwheelsothateachstageofthelifecycleappearsinthewindow.

7.ReadThe Very Hungry Caterpillaragainandasyougettothepartofthebookthatshowseachstage,havestudentsturntheirwheeltorevealthecorrectstageandholditup.

Independent Practice

1. Dividestudentsintopairs.GiveeachstudentasequencingstripandasetofLifeCyclePictureCards.

2.Haveeachstudentcutapartthepicturecardsandspreadthemoutfaceup.

3.GiveeachpairofstudentsaNumberSpinner,apaperclipanda

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pencil.Showstudentshowtousethepaperclipasthearrowforthespinner:Takethepaperclipandslideitontothepencil.Thenholdthepenciluprightwiththetipinthecenterofthespinner.Flickthepapercliptomakeitspinaroundthepencil.

4.Havestudentstaketurnsspinningthepapercliptoselectastageofthelifecycle(1,2,3or4).Studentschoosethepicturecardforthatstageofthelifecycleandplaceitontheirsequencingstrip.(Ifastudenthasalreadyplacedthepicturecardforthatstage,thenextplayertakesaturn.)

5.Thefirststudenttosequenceallfourstagesisthewinner!

Extension

Setupabutterflynurseryinyourclassroomtoletstudentsobservethebutterflylifecycleinaction!SeeLakeshore'sButterflyNursery onlineatLakeshoreLearning.comtoorder.Invitestudentstohelpyoumakeadailyclasslogtotrackthebutterflies’growth.

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