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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