Life of a Butterfly Lesson Plan

First Grade
Raigen Huss
EDU 214
Ms. Huss: Good morning first grade!
Class: Good morning, Ms. Huss!
Ms. Huss: How is everyone doing today?
Class: Good!
Ms. Huss: I’m so glad to hear that. I’m doing quite well too. Do you know why?
Student: Because you are with us?
Ms. Huss: Well, yes. But also, because I saw something amazing this morning! While
driving to school, I looked out my window and saw a butterfly! I just love springtime.
Who can guess what color the butterfly was?
Student 1: Orange?
Student 2: Purple?
Ms. Huss: Orange is correct! The orange butterfly landed on my window, and I started
thinking: what are some interesting things about butterflies?
Student 1: They fly!
Student 2: They can be different colors!
Student 3: They have antennae!
Ms. Huss: Fantastic! I can see you all know a thing or two about butterflies! Look
on the board: What is this letter? (Writes letter K)
Class: K!
Ms. Huss: Great! And this one? (Writes letter W)
Class: W!
Ms. Huss: Wonderful! And the last letter? (Writes letter L)
Class: L!
Ms. Huss: Great! These three letters stand for what I Know, what I Want to know,
and what I’ve Learned.
Ms. Huss: Okay, now I will call on each of you to come up and write one thing you
know about butterflies, and one thing you want to know! Student 1 (visually impaired),
tell me what you know and what you want to know, and I will write it on the board for
you!
Student 1: Thank you, Ms. Huss. I know they can fly, and I want to know how they are
born!
Student 2: I know they have antennae, but I want to know how many legs they have!
Student 3: I know they drink nectar, but I want to know if they also drink water?
Ms. Huss: These are all wonderful ideas! Everyone take your seats; we are going to
talk about how butterflies are born and what they start as! Who knows what butterflies
are before they are butterflies?
Class: Waits for answer
Ms. Huss: They start out as caterpillars!
Class: Wow!
Ms. Huss: I know! After the caterpillar hatches from its egg, for a week or two, they will
crawl around eating leaves and getting nice and strong.
Student 1: How do they crawl? Do they have legs?
Ms. Huss: That is a fantastic question. Caterpillars do have 6 tiny legs, but their bodies
also help them crawl, like this (make inchworm movement with finger)
Class: (Makes inchworm movement with fingers)
Ms. Huss: Next, the caterpillar will find a high, safe spot away from predators. Does
anyone know what happens next?
Student 2: They take a nap?
Ms. Huss: Good guess! They sort of take a nap, but that isn’t what it’s called. The
caterpillar will climb up and spin a type of silk into what is called a chrysalis or
sometimes pupa. Can everyone say those words? Chrysalis and pupa.
Class: Chrysalis and pupa.
Ms. Huss: Great! Who can guess what happens inside the chrysalis?
Student 3: They become a butterfly?
Ms. Huss: Exactly! Through the process of metamorphosis, the caterpillar will turn into a
butterfly! Can everyone say that? Metamorphosis.
Class: Metamorphosis.
Student 1: How long does it take?
Ms. Huss: Great question. The process of metamorphosis can take about a week, or about
three weeks, it just depends! So, let’s review. What is the very first step of the life cycle of
a butterfly?
Student 1: Caterpillar?
Ms. Huss: Close. What must happen to have a caterpillar?
Student 2: It must hatch!
Ms. Huss: Right! So the first step in the life cycle is the….
Class: Egg!
Ms. Huss: Great job. Then, the caterpillar is born, and will crawl around for about how
long?
Student 1: A week or two, right?
Ms. Huss: Right! Then after the caterpillar is strong, where does he go? You may all
answer together.
Class: Chrysalis!
Ms. Huss: Fantastic! Is this chrysalis on the ground?
Student 3: No, it is high up away from predators!
Ms. Huss: Great job. And who remembers how long this lasts?
Student 2: It can take a week, or it can take up to three!
Ms. Huss: That’s right. Okay, now I would like to do a bit of practice.
I’m going to draw the stages of a butterfly and from what I say,
everyone will have a chance to tell me which phase is happening!
So, the caterpillar hasn’t hatched yet. Student 1, which phase would
this be in the cycle? You may tell me and I will write your name
next to it.
Student 1: That’s the egg phase!
Ms. Huss: That’s right!
And student 2, what happens after the egg phase?
Student 2: The egg hatches a caterpillar!
Ms. Huss: Great! Go ahead and write your name next to the phase we are
in now. Student 3, now the caterpillar is climbing high up. What is he
about to do?
Student 3: Make a chrysalis!
Ms. Huss: Great! Come write your name next to that picture! Finally, the
chrysalis will open and out pops a….cow?
Class: No, Ms. Huss! A butterfly!
Ms. Huss: Oh, that’s right! Nice job first grade.

Ms. Huss: Okay, you all did a great job with the chalkboard activity. There is a lot more to a butterfly than
just the life cycle though! Student 3, your question about the nectar was great. What do you all think? Do
you think butterflies drink water?
Student 1: No, I think they only drink nectar
Student 2: I think they drink nectar and water.
Student 3: I think they drink water…and what is nectar?
Ms. Huss: Good question! Nectar is the sugary fluid that comes out of plants. Mainly
flowers give off nectar. Many animals eat nectar! Bees and butterflies eat nectar, but so
do some birds like hummingbirds, bats and even squirrels!
Student 3: Oh! Well then, I think they drink the water and eat the nectar and the leaves!
Ms. Huss: You are all correct! Butterflies eat nectar from flowers, but they also love to
sip on fruits, and take a drink of water when it’s hot outside.
Student 1: Do they have teeth?
Ms. Huss: No, they do not have teeth. They have a straw-like tongue called a proboscis.
Can everyone say that word? Proboscis.
Class: Proboscis.
Student 2: Like probe! My brother says aliens have probes.
Ms. Huss: Yes, like probe. The proboscis sticks into whatever the butterfly wants to
eat, then curls up when he is not using it. They can even eat meat if they want to!
Student 1: Without teeth?!
Ms. Huss: Yes, the proboscis can lick the surface of the meat to get some of the salt
and fats. What other animals have a tongue or nose that can be curled up the way a
butterfly can?
Class: (thinking)
Ms. Huss: Maybe an elephant?
Class: Yes, an elephant!
Ms. Huss: Right. But do elephant's trunks curl up when they are done using it?
Student 3: No, it hangs in front of them. I like it when they suck up water and blow it
out to take a shower!
Student 1: I like when the babies hold their mommy’s tails!
Ms. Huss: Okay class, lets stay on topic.
Class: Sorry, Ms. Huss!
Ms. Huss: That’s okay! It’s important to have fun while learning! I’m glad you all seem to be
enjoying learning about butterflies!

Ms. Huss: Okay, we have one last thing to do. Now

that we have practiced placing the phases in the
correct places and know how to read each word, you
are all going to play this game called The Life of a
Butterfly on ecosystemkids.com. Student 2, will you
please get the class iPad and bring it to me?
Student 2: Yes!
Ms. Huss: Thank you! Okay, as you
can see here, the game has 4 boxes
and 4 words. Who can guess what
we are going to do?
Student 1: Put the words in the right
boxes?
Ms. Huss: Correct! I will
demonstrate how to do it. First, put
your finger on the word and
bring it to the correct box. Student 1, are you able to see the boxes?
Student 1: Yes, but I cannot see the numbers.
Ms. Huss: Okay, I will tell you where the numbers are and read the words to
you. Is everyone ready?
Class: Yes!
Ms. Huss: Student 1, you can start. May I have
your hand?
Student 1: Yes.
Ms. Huss: Okay, this box is number 1, this box
is number 2, this box is number 3, and this one
is number 4. The words listed are, “eggs,
caterpillar, pupa, and butterfly.” Which word
would you like to place in box 1?
Student 1: Hm…The egg?
Ms. Huss: Great. And box 2?
Student 1: What is pupa again?
Ms. Huss: Class, who can remind student 1 of
what the pupa is?
Student 2: It’s another word for chrysalis!
Ms. Huss: Did that help?
Student 2: Yes, I want to put the pupa in box
3!
Ms. Huss: Okay, now you have two boxes
left, 2 and 4. Your words are Caterpillar and
Butterfly.
Student 1: Well I know butterfly is last. So
box 4 for butterfly.
Ms. Huss: Great, now box 2.
Student 1: Caterpillar!
Ms. Huss: Great job! Okay, student 2 you’re
next!
Student 2: Eggs, caterpillar, pupa, and
butterfly… I know Caterpillar isn’t first. I’m
putting caterpillar in box 2.
Ms. Huss: Okay, great.
Student 2: Is that right Ms. Huss?
Ms. Huss: I will tell you when everyone has
finished.
Student 2: Okay. Pupa…oh, chrysalis!
Chrysalis is after caterpillar. Which means egg
is first and butterfly is last!
Ms. Huss: Alright, great job! Student 3, your
turn!
Student 3: Okay, I hope I get them right. Ms.
Huss, I have a question first.
Ms. Huss: Go ahead.
Student 3: Why are there two words for
chrysalis?
Ms. Huss: Sometimes two words have the
same meaning. Just like happy and cheerful!
Student 3: Oh, okay. I think the egg goes first! Then the egg turns into a pupa, so that goes
second. Then the caterpillar turns into a butterfly! Okay done!
Ms. Huss: Okay, now lets see how everyone did!
Student 1, you placed every phase in the correct box.
Student 2, you also placed every phrase in the correct box.
Student 3, I think you worked a little quickly. You placed the egg and butterfly in the
correct boxes, but the pupa and caterpillar incorrect. That’s okay though! You can always
practice more at home.
Now, before recess, I would like to finish our KWL chart. Student 1, tell me one thing
you learned about the life cycle of the butterfly and I will put it on the board for you!
Student 1: Hm… I learned that a caterpillar stays in a chrysalis before becoming a
butterfly!
Ms. Huss: Fabulous. Student 2? What is one thing you learned about the life cycle of a
butterfly?
Student 2: I learned that a caterpillar doesn’t crawl around for very long before going to take
his nap!
Ms. Huss: Right, but is it called a nap?
Class: No…
Ms. Huss: Meta…
Class: Metamorphosis!
Ms. Huss: Wonderful, nice job! Your turn student 3, what did you learn today about the life
cycle of the butterfly?
Student 3: I learned what metamorphosis means! And I learned to slow down a little when
I’m doing my work.
Ms. Huss: That’s a great lesson to learn. Nice job today class.
Now, before we go to recess, I need each of you to
come to the front and grab one of each of these
activities to take home. For the first worksheet you
will need scissors and a glue stick. For the second
one, you will just be writing in your answers in the
boxes, so you will only need a paper. These will
need to be turned in by the end of next week.
Student 1, I printed out braille stickers for your
worksheets so you can read the words. Can you feel
them?
Student 1: Yes, thank you Ms. Huss.
Ms. Huss: You are welcome. Okay class, everyone
may get your water bottles and line up at the door
for recess!
Thank You