Life Cycle of a Butterfly

Nicole McCloskey and Olivia Guthoff

First Grade
One hour lesson

Lesson Rational
Learner Outcomes/
Classroom Prep
Objectives
The lesson is about the life cycle of
Print the big and little

Students
will
use
a butterfly. We will discuss and read
butterflies on
listening skills while
cardstock paper, one
The Very Hungry Caterpillar that
listening to the short
each per student
was written by Eric Carle. We will
lesson
about
the

Make a poster board

talk about how the butterfly
butterfly
live
cycle.
depicting the life cycle
involves from first being an egg,

Students
will
use
their
of a butterfly, with
caterpillar, pupa/ chrysalis, and
listening skills when
Velcro pull off steps
finally a butterfly. This lesson is
listening
to
The
Very
Pass out and make sure
being taught because it is important
Hungry Caterpillar.
each student has some
that children understand the process
Students will learn the
writing materials
of a life cycle, and the butterfly is a
four stages of the life
available, whether its
perfect example. During the story
cycle of a butterfly.
markers, crayons, or
the students will be able to learn
colored pencils.
Students will use their
listening skills about the life cycle
Starting
the Lesson
knowledge about
in a creative way. The students will
Ask the students to
butterflies to make their
have a butterfly and there will be
own butterfly with the
gather around us on
four circles on the wings,
life cycle stages on
the carpet areas
identifying the egg, larva, pupa and
them.
Introduce ourselves by
butterfly stages of life. While
Students will use their
saying our names and
making art, the students will be
listening skills to learn a
that we are from Penn
responsible to color and decorate
new song about
State.
butterflies.
their butterfly by using fine motor
Pass out the little
Art Materials Need for the
skills. The students will also have to
butterflies already on
Lesson
identify which part of the life cycle
the Popsicle sticks to
Markers
they are at during their craft, and
each student. Have
Crayons
draw an appropriate representation
them write their
Color pencils
of the stage of life. The students will
names on them. Go
Popsicle sticks
get to choose if they will use
around and let every
markers, crayons, or color pencils,
One big butterfly per
student say their
and they will be able to express
student printed on
names and hold up the
8.5x11 white cardstock
themselves using these materials.
butterfly, so we get to
paper
Students may have to use problem
know the students
One small butterfly per
solving skills and try to remember
names a little.
student printed on
the book we read, or remember the

Bring students
colored cardstock paper
poster we went over. The children
attention to the poster
Additional
Materials
Behavior
Expectations
can go back to the poster if they
board
to start
our
The
Very
Hungry
Theneed
students
expected to respect
others and theirpeers
space.
The
students are expected to listen
quietly
to the
helpare
remembering.
The second
lesson.
teachers
they are talking
and
to respect
The students are expected to participate
in class discussions,
Caterpillar
craft when
is a butterfly
popsicle
that
will the teachers.
crafts, and the closing song.
Poster
already be made for the students.
Organizer
Song written on big
The students will be able to know the goals and activities of the lesson by the teachers giving the overview of the lesson.
We will say, Today we are going to learn about the life cycle of a butterfly. We will read a very fun book, use a poster to
help identify the different stages, and finally do a creative craft to help us remember. It is important for us to learn about
the life cycle of a butterfly because it helps us better understand other insects, animals, and plant life cycles as well.

Teacher Actions

Expected Learner Actions

10:00-10:05: The students come over to the
10:00-10:05: The teachers call students over to the carpet to
start the lesson, and ask the students to sit around the teachers
carpet and sit around the teachers in a circle.
in circle.
10:05-10:07: Students are listening to the
10:05: Nicole: Hello, my name is Nicole from Penn State
teachers names and taking the butterfly Popsicle
10:05: Olivia: Hello, my name is Olivia from Penn State.
sticks.
10:05-10:07: The teachers will then pass out a little butterfly

10:07-10:10: Students take turns passing the

on the Popsicle stick. We will also pass some sharpies around.
markers around and writing their names on the
10:07-10:10: Nicole: Please take turns with the sharpies and
butterfly Popsicle sticks and share their name.
write your name on your butterfly. Once every student is done,
have the students go around the room and hold up their
10:10-10:11: The students are paying attention
butterfly and say their name.
to the poster and learning the four stages of the
10:10: Nicole: Okay, good job. Now lay your butterflies in
butterflys life. The students are repeating the
front of you to be used later.
order of the stages with the teachers.
10:10: Nicole: Today we are going to be learning about the life

10:12: A student volunteers to share the first

cycle of a butterfly. We will read a very fun book, use our
stage of life. A second student volunteers to
poster to help identify the different stages and finally do a
creative craft to help us remember. It is important for us to
share the second stage of life. A third student
learn about the life cycle of a butterfly because it helps us
volunteers to share the third stage of life. A
better understand other insects, animals and plants life cycles
fourth student volunteers to share the fourth
as well. Everyone please look at this poster we brought to
stage of life.
share with you.

10:12-10:15: A student will come up to the

10:10- 10:11: The first stage is eggs. Then the Larva stage, or
board after being asked, and place the 4 stages
the caterpillar stage. The next stage is the Pupa stage. The last
stage is the butterfly. Repeat the stages again in order.
of life in the correct order on the Velcro poster.
10:11-10:12: Nicole: Can someone tell me what the first stage
10:15-10:20: Students are sitting and listening
is? The second stage? The third stage? The last stage? Good
to the teacher read The Very Hungry
Job.
Caterpillar
10:12-10:15: Does someone think they can Velcro all 4 steps
10:20-10:25: Students are listening to the
correctly on the poster? Very good job.
instructions given by the teacher and are headed
10:15-10:20: Olivia: reads The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
back to their seats to begin their craft.
10:20-10:25: Olivia gives the students instructions for the
10:25-10:45: Students are working on their art
craft. Show the students the sample craft. Instruct the students
Adaptations
to color the big butterfly and fill in the steps of the butterfly
project and are being prompted by the teachers
educators
we
are
open
to their
making accommodations
are the
willing
to
lifeAs
cycle.
If the students
have
timevery
they can
decorate
about questionsand
regarding
life cycle.
little
butterfly
on
the
Popsicle
stick.
10:25-10:40:
Teachers
make sure all students are able to enjoy and learn
from
this lesson.
poster
10:40:
Students
are warnedThe
of the
5 minute
walk around and assist the students that need help. Teachers
can
be
moved
anywhere
so
anyone
can
see
it
and
participate
in
the
Velcro
warning
and
begin
completing
their
craft.
interact with students and spark questions with the students
stages
of
the
life
cycle
section.
Students
can
also
choose
what
material
about the life cycle of butterflies. Teachers can ask the
10:45-10:50: Student clean up all their art
students,
how arecrayon,
you going or
to show
the butterfly
stage? The
(marker,
colored
pencils)
best suits them
and put
areaway
most
materials,
theircomfortable.
butterfly and come
egg stage?
Assessment back to the carpet.
10:40- 10:45 minute warning to wrap up our art project and
10:50-11:00: Students are listening to the
begin
cleaning
up.
The
students
will be able to correctly draw the four
steps
of the
butterflys
life
butterfly
poster
one more
time and are
10:45- 10:50: Students clean up their materials and put their
cycle
on
their
own
personal
butterfly.
We
will
evaluate
their
knowledge
of
the
responding and engaged to the questions
big butterfly away. Students are asked to join us back on the

lifeforcycle
by observing
carpet
the closing
activity.

pictures.

asked.
that every correctly drawsbeing
the life
cycle, and taking

10:50-11:00: Closing. Nicole: goes over the butterfly chart one

Documentation
more time. Olivia introduces the closing song. Teachers
lead

10:55-11:00: The students will sing the

closing butterfly songs with the teachers.

We will take pictures of the students making their art projects, making sure
that we do not get any pictures of the students faces. The pictures will show
the students learnings ad it will also provide a way to share the evidence to