Download Butterfly Science

Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
Topic
The topic of butterflies allows you to observe, compare, and explore the life cycle
of a butterfly. Children are expected to be able to explain that living things experience a
life cycle and distinguish between animals that undergo metamorphosis and those who do
not. With my lesson plans there will be an emphasis on the characteristics of the four
different stages. After learning the anatomy of the butterfly, children will be asked to
compare the stages of the butterfly to their own lives. This investigation of butterflies will
include class discussions, hands on activities, and observations.
There are hundreds of types of butterflies in the world. They come in all different
colors, patterns, and sizes. A butterfly is an insect with two pairs of large patterned
wings, a pair of antennae, and has three parts to its body: a head, thorax, and an abdomen.
A butterfly’s head has compound eyes, which means they are made up of many smaller
eyes called facets. This type of eyes help butterflies sense movement and color in their
vision. The thorax is the middle part the insect’s body and the abdomen is its tail part.
Strong muscles in their thorax moves up and down helping propel them forward in the air
allowing them to fly. The antennae on the butterfly’s head are long and slender whose
purpose is to provide a sense of smell that helps the butterfly find nectar. This part of a
butterfly also warns them of dangerous animals and helps make butterflies find female
butterflies. Wings of butterflies are mainly made up of veins covered with tiny scales.
Each scale has a color, which creates beautiful patterns on their wings. Just like every
insect, all butterflies have six legs. The abdomen of the butterfly holds all of the organs.
Instead of bones protecting their organs, they have exoskeletons that are a hard casing on
the outside of an insect’s body that provide protection to the organs from being smashed.
During its life, the butterfly goes through many changes physically. The life cycle
a butterfly goes through occurs in four stages. These stages are known as the egg, larva,
pupa, and adult. A female butterfly searches for the right kind of plant to lay her eggs on.
Once the eggs are safely laid, the adult butterflies die. The egg usually takes between
three and nine days to hatch and butterfly larvae will crawl out, which are known as
caterpillars. As the caterpillars eat and grow, its skin becomes very tight. When the
caterpillar is fully grown it stops eating, uses silk to attach itself to a leaf, and soon their
skin splits. The old skin will shed ad the new skin forma a hard shell around the
caterpillar and the caterpillar becomes a pupa. A chrysalis now covers the pupa. Inside
the chrysalis, the pupa’s body is growing wings and changing into an adult butterfly.
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
After a couple of weeks, the chrysalis becomes clear and the butterfly will finally break
from the shell. Once the wings are dry and harden, the butterfly can then fly away, look
for food, and explore the world.
Immediately after they are freed, butterflies starts eating. As caterpillars they eat
lots of leaves but as an adult butterfly some eat flower nectar, milkweed plants, tree sap,
or juices from rotten fruits. This gives them energy and makes them strong. Generally
adult butterflies do not use the bathroom but occasionally they might release a liquid
from the tip of their abdomen from drinking so much. On the other hand, caterpillars
continually defecate as a result of all of their eating. Butterflies can communicate with
one another just like other animals. They use color, sounds, chemicals, and physical
actions. Color patterns are used to signal their sex or species to one another. Chemical
pheromones are used by both sexes of the butterflies to attract the opposite sex or signal
species identity. A few butterflies make noises to protect their space, resources, and
others. Physical actions and aggression may be used to protect themselves and food.
Butterflies have many enemies that they try to avoid. Birds, insects, spiders, and
lizards like to eat butterflies. Other insects try to eat butterfly eggs and some birds like to
eat caterpillars’ whole. Some caterpillars have spikes that are prickly and other
caterpillars and butterflies can blend into their environments. A butterfly’s wings can
also be used to scare away enemies. On their wings are eyespots that look like eyes. The
bright colors of a butterfly’s wings are a warning that they are poisonous and to stay
away. Like the monarch butterfly, they are bright orange that advertises that they taste
awful and are poisonous.
Butterflies lives all over the world and in all different climates. If you were
looking for a species of a butterfly, it would all depend on the season. Any hot or warm
climate would be best for a butterfly since they are cold-blooded creatures. However
there are a few butterflies that live in cold climates like the Butler’s Mountain White that
lives in the Himalayan Mountains and like to blend into the snow. Bright colored
butterflies typically live in hot, tropical areas like South America. You can find
butterflies in most states around springtime mainly because they migrate to reach the
warmer weather. For example, the monarch butterflies fly from Canada and northern
United States all the way to Mexico, Florida, and California. They will spend their winter
there and after they give birth to their offspring in the spring, there offspring will fly back
to northern U.S and Canada.
Some butterflies remain in temperate regions where the weather isn’t necessarily hot or
cold. They’re typically brown and hard to spot since they live in woodland areas with
many kinds of plants and trees.
In science, butterflies can represent change, new beginnings, and natural beauty.
There transformation through the process of metamorphosis and stages is beautiful to
witness, as caterpillars become butterflies. Many people enjoy collecting and displaying
them because of their beautiful colorful wings. Today, many butterflies are actually in
danger because of they have nowhere to stay. People are clearing areas where butterflies
stay and without the proper plants the butterflies die. So in order to save butterfly species
from becoming extinct it is important to not destroy their areas and where they call home.
Glossary
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
Abdomen- The tail section of an insect’s body
Antennae – The feelers on an insect’s head
Caterpillar- A crawling insect that hatches from a butterfly’s eggs which changes into a
butterfly after a cycle.
Chrysalis- The case (pupa) inside which a caterpillar turns into a butterfly
Environment- The surrounding that affect a living creature
Extinct- Something that no longer exists
Fertilized- An egg is fertilized when a male and female animal mate
Larva- The stage of an insect’s life that comes between hatching and pupa
Nectar-The Sweet liquid formed in many flowers
Pupa- Another word for chrysalis; the stage between larva and an adult
Silk- Sticky substance produced by some insects like a thread
Thorax- The middle section of an insect’s
Bibliography
Websites
http://www.kidsbutterfly.org
http://www.butterflyschool.org/student/index.html
http://www.thebutterflysite.com/life-cycle.shtml
Book Title: Butterflies
Juvenile Non-Fiction
Author & Illustrator: Cari Meister
Level: 1-3
Genre:
Interest
Brief Outline: This book uses colorful photographs and highlights unfamiliar words as it
discusses the physical structure, growth, diet, habitat, and enemies of butterflies. Fun
facts about butterflies and the labeling of a butterfly’s body are also included in this book.
Science Content/ Concepts: Butterflies are insects that reproduce, eat, fight off enemies
and go through many changes throughout its life in order to survive. Organisms change in
form and behavior as part of their life cycles. Some organisms undergo metamorphosis
while others grow and change.
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
Science Process Skills:
Observing: Children will be observing the life cycle a butterfly goes through.
Classifying: Children will classify each stage of the life cycle and be able to identify the
different body parts of a butterfly.
Comparing: Students will begin to draw conclusions between their expectations of
butterflies and facts they learned.
Science Vocabulary: Antennae, chrysalis, continent, environment, extinct, flit, larva,
migrate, mimic, nectar, pollinate, pupa, proboscis, temperate, vein
Connecticut Curriculum Framework
Concepts: 1.3 — Organisms change in form and behavior as part of their life cycles.
1.3.a. Some organisms undergo metamorphosis during their life cycles; other
organisms grow and change, but their basic form stays essentially the same.
1. Plants and animals have life cycles that include a predictable sequence of stages: they
begin life, develop into adults, reproduce and eventually die.
3.Animals are either born alive (for example, humans, dogs and cows) or hatched from
eggs.
7. Butterflies are insects that undergo metamorphosis during their life cycle. As they go
through egg, larva, pupa and adult stages, butterflies develop different structures that help
them meet their basic needs on land and in the air:
7.a Caterpillars hatch from eggs, live on plants, get food by chewing leaves and move
about using legs. As they metamorphose into butterflies inside a chrysalis, they develop
wings, antennae and different mouthparts.
7.b Butterflies live on land and in the air. They get food by sucking nectar from flowers
and move around primarily using wings to fly. After a female butterfly mates, she
searches for the proper host plant to lay her eggs, and the cycle begins again.
GLE:
1. Explain that living things experience a life cycle that includes birth, growth,
reproduction, and death.
2. Compare and contrast the changes in structure and behavior that occur during the
life cycles of animals that undergo metamorphosis with those that do not.
3. Analyze recorded observations to compare the metamorphosis stages of different
animals and make predictions based on observed patterns.
Other Related Books:
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
Life As a Butterfly by Victoria Parker
The Life Cycle of a Butterfly by Colleen Sexton
From Caterpillar to Butterfly: Following The Life Cycle by Suzanne Slade
Related Websites:
http://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle
http://www.butterflyschool.org
www.ex.ac.uk/bugclub/
Book Title: The Migration of A Butterfly
Author & Illustrator: Tanya Kant/ Carolyn Franklin
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
Interest Level: 1-3
Brief Outline: This book shares the journey of the Monarch butterfly as it migrates from
North to South America and back again. It includes pictures, informative captions, maps
and answers questions about the monarch’s diet, birth, and journey across the country.
Science Content/Concepts: Monarch butterflies migrate to warm weather because that
is their natural habitat and cold weather means less food. They migrate during the season
change to improve their chance of survival. Like other butterflies, they go through
metamorphosis and change dramatically.
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
Science Process Skills:
Observing: Students will observe the migration of monarch butterflies.
Classifying: Students will be able to classify the monarch butterfly and what make it
unique.
Measuring: Students can use the map in the book to measure how far the monarch
butterflies migrate.
Comparing: Students will be able compare the monarch butterflies to other butterflies
that they may know or read about.
Science Vocabulary: Abdomen, antennae, caterpillar, chrysalis, cluster, fertilized, hatch,
insect, mate, migration, milkweed, nectar, offspring, overwintering, predator, pupa, silk,
thorax, wanderer
Connecticut Curriculum Framework:
Concepts: 1.3 — Organisms change in form and behavior as part of their life cycles.
1.3.a. Some organisms undergo metamorphosis during their life cycles; other
organisms grow and change, but their basic form stays essentially the same.
1. Plants and animals have life cycles that include a predictable sequence of stages; they
begin life, develop into adults, reproduce and eventually die.
2. Plants and animals produce offspring of their own kind. Offspring closely resemble
their parents, but individuals vary in appearance and behavior.
4. Animals change during their life cycle. Many animals begin life as smaller, less
capable forms of the adult. As they develop, they grow larger and become more
independent.
7. Butterflies are insects that undergo metamorphosis during their life cycle. As they go
through egg, larva, pupa and adult stages, butterflies develop different structures that help
them meet their basic needs on land and in the air:
a. Caterpillars hatch from eggs, live on plants, get food by chewing leaves
and move about using legs. As they metamorphose into butterflies inside a
chrysalis, they develop wings, antennae and different mouthparts.
b. Butterflies live on land and in the air. They get food by sucking nectar
from flowers and move around primarily using wings to fly. After a
female butterfly mates, she searches for the proper host plant to lay her
eggs, and the cycle begins again.
8. Comparing the life cycle stages of different organisms shows how they are alike
in some ways and unique in other ways.
GLE:
1.Explain that living things experience a life cycle that includes Compare and contrast the
changes in structure and behavior that occur during the life cycles of animals that
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
undergo metamorphosis with those that do not.
3.Compare and contrast the changes in structure and behavior that occur during the life
cycles of animals that undergo metamorphosis with those that do not.
4.Analyze recorded observations to compare the metamorphosis stages of different
animals and make predictions based on observed patterns.
Other Related Books:
Great Migrations Butterflies by Laura Marsh
A Monarch Butterfly’s Journey by Suzanne Slade
Let’s Look At Monarch Butterflies by Laura Hamilton Waxman
Related Websites:
http://www.monarch-butterfly.com
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/bugs/monarch-butterfly/
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/monarchbutterfly/migration/
5E STEM Earth Science Experience
Engaged
Activity:
1. Inform students that today they will be learning about the life cycle of a butterfly.
1. Students will be shown different pictures of butterflies and caterpillars on the
projector.
2. They will be asked to describe what they see or notice about the insects.
3. With the class, review some of the prior facts and knowledge about the life and
stages of a butterfly. This information will be written in a KWL chart which be
used to help guide their learning.
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
4. Read Cari Meister’s book “Butterflies”.
5. Review the life cycle of a butterfly as described in the book: egg, larva, chrysalis,
and butterfly. Discuss some of the vocabulary the book use.
Learning Outcome or Objective:
 Students will reveal their prior knowledge before instruction begins.
 Students will reveal questions they want answered while exploring the
topic of butterflies.
Materials: Projector, pictures of butterflies and caterpillars, chart paper, marker,
whiteboard
Standards Emphasized in Activity:
CC.1.SL.1- Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1
topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups.
CC.1.SL.2- Ask and answer questions about key details in a text read aloud or
information presented orally or through other media.
Science Process Skills Exercised:
Observing: Students will shared what they have observed or know about butterflies.
Comparing: Students can compare past experiences and thoughts about caterpillars and
butterflies to other students.
Predicting: Students can predict the process a butterfly undergoes.
Explore
Activity:
1. Students will be asked to compare and contrast the stages of the butterfly
to the stages of a human being. They will be given a paper divided into 4
quadrants and will draw themselves as babies, first graders, teenagers, and
adults. This will allow students to think of themselves as evolving beings
similar to the metamorphosis cycle the butterfly undergoes.
Materials: Paper, crayons, markers, pencils.
Standards Emphasized in Activity:
CC.1.R.I.2- Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
CC.1.R.I.3- Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of
information in a text.
Science Process Skills Exercised:
Comparing: Students will compare the human life cycle to the butterfly life cycle.
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
Hypothesizing: Students can hypothesize how these changes happen and their
importance.
Explain
Activity:
Since pasta comes in a variety of shapes, students will be using pasta in recreating
the life cycle of the butterfly. (Couscous= Egg, Rotini=Larva, Shells= Pupa/Chrysalis,
Bowties=Butterfly)
1. Students will use markers and write the name of the four stages on a paper
plate and an arrow going clockwise to show the sequence.
2. Students will use glue on a piece of pasta that looks the most similar to that
stage.
3. Students will then draw and write about each stage of the butterfly cycle in
their science journals.
Learning Outcome or Objective:
 Students will identity the stages in a butterfly life cycle.
 Students will create a model of a complete life cycle.
 Students will demonstrate the correct order of a butterfly life cycle.
Materials: Paper plates, pasta types (Couscous, rotini, shells, bow-ties), glue, markers
science journals
Standards Emphasized in Activity:
CC.1.R.I.7- Use the illustrations and details in a text to describe its key ideas.
CC.1.W.2- Write informative/explanatory texts in which they name a topic, supply some
facts about the topic, and provide some sense of closure.
Science Process Skills Exercised:
Observing: Students can use the model to observe to life cycle of a butterfly.
Classifying: Students will be able to classify the specific stage of change after an egg is
hatched.
Measuring: Students will be able to measure and include how long a butterfly is in a
particular stage of its cycle.
Extend
Activity: Children will have a choice of fun activities they can participate in. They can
create a flipbook of metamorphosis; create their own symmetrical butterfly wings; or
write a story from the perspective of a butterfly and talk about what it feels like to change
and be inside of a chrysalis.
Learning Objective or Outcome:
 Students will creatively show their understanding of metamorphosis and
butterflies.
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
 Students will use their imagination to create narratives while learning
about science.
Materials: Paper, pencils, markers, crayons, glitter, scissors, pipe cleaners, glue,
Standards Emphasized in Activities:
C CC.1.R.I.2- Identify the main topic and retell key details of a text.
C.1.W.1- Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they
are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some
sense of closure.
CC.1.R.I.3- Describe the connection between two individuals, events, ideas, or pieces of
information in a text.
Science Process Skills Exercised:
Predicting: Students will be predicting the feelings of the caterpillar as it goes through
metamorphosis.
Observe: Students will create their own flipbooks of metamorphosis and be able to
observe the changes.
Evaluate
Activity: Students will be evaluated on what was written in their science journals during
the explain part of this activity. They will also demonstrate if they have achieved the
lesson objectives by writing two factual sentences on what they have learned about
butterflies and two questions that weren’t answered that they can research to find out.
Learning Outcome or Objective:
 Students will reflect on what they have learned about butterflies after our
exploration.
 Students will discover questions that weren’t answered and be encouraged
to find the answers.
Materials: Paper/ Science journals, pencils
Many of the activities are designed for visual and auditory learners, however they
can be altered to fit others children abilities in the classroom. For the kinesthetic learners,
physically doing the actions of the four stages of the butterfly will better help them
understand the concept. Children who are having difficulty with these activities will be
encouraged to look at the KWL chart and big display of the four stages on the white
board for information. Reteaching the lesson with other children’s literature and real
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
pictures of butterflies in a small group will also be another option for children having
trouble understanding the life cycle.
To be an effective science teacher this lesson is hands on and will be driven from
the student’s knowledge and interest. My science center will be based on the life cycle of
butterfly which would include children’s literature focused on different types of
butterflies, child-friendly information posters, math games involving matching the
symmetrical wing of butterflies, and real butterfly wings they can look at with a
magnifying glass. The available science materials and resources will be accessible to
children throughout the day and really engage and spark their scientific inquiry skills.
This science center will be a safe working environment and a great help to helping
children understand butterflies.
Since we will be discussing the habitats of butterflies a great way to involve home
participation are encouraging families to create a butterfly garden. This will allow
students to observe butterfly life cycles, provide children the knowledge of gardening,
and encourage further research for both students and their families about butterflies. Once
a caterpillar have grown in a child’s garden, their parent would be welcomed to bring it to
class and share their observations of the butterfly life cycle. Children and families will
also be encouraged to go to their local science museum or zoo to check out their exhibits
of butterflies.
Rubric for performance assessment for Life Cycle of the Butterfly for First Grade
Student Name: __________________________________________________
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
5E MODEL
Engage
Explore
Explore
Extend
Evaluate
5
Student was highly
engaged in class
discussions; were
able to demonstrate
prior knowledge of
butterflies and their
life cycle.
Student can identify
similarities and
difference between
humans and
butterflies life cycle.
Student can
correctly name and
identify the stages
of life in the correct
order.
Student can
correctly label a
picture and/or use
the correct
vocabulary in a
story based on the
knowledge from the
read literature.
Student is able to
show an
understanding of 2
facts learned about
butterflies.
3
Student participated
in class discussions;
were able to
demonstrate a basic
understanding of
butterflies and life
cycles
Student have
difficulty
concluding
differences and
similarities in
human and butterfly
life cycle
Student can
correctly name and
identify 2 stages of
life in the correct
order.
Student incorrectly
uses information
and terms in his/her
art or story.
1
Student participated
minimally in class
discussions; were unable
to demonstrate a basic
understanding of
butterflies and their life
cycles.
Student is unable to
demonstrate understanding
differences and similarities
between human and
butterfly development.
Student is able to
provide only 1 fact
on their knowledge
about butterflies.
Student is unable to reflect
on their new knowledge of
butterflies after the
exploration of butterflies.
Student has difficulty
naming and placing the
stages of life in the correct
order.
Student is unable to use
knowledge of butterflies in
his/her artwork or story.
Early Childhood Education Technology Evaluation Toolkit
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
From: McManis, L. D., & Gunnewig, S. B. (2012). Finding the education in educational technology
with early learners.Young Children, 67(3), 14-24.
Complete the following worksheet for each major educational technology purchase consideration. Please see accompanying directions for further
explanation and examples.
Date:_____10/23/2013________
Evaluator(s):Chamari Davis
Organization:____________ReImagination of Learning_________________________
Age group: ___5-7_Older Toddlers _____Preschoolers _____School Age (Grades__Kindergarten-1st Grade
Type: __ __Regular Education ___ _Special Needs ( Disability:___Difficulty Hearing_____________________) ____ELL
____Title 1
___ _a. Approaches to learning (curiosity, attention, flexible thinking/creativity, persistence)
GOALS
___ _b. Language/Literacy _____c. Mathematics __ __d. Science
____e. Social Studies ____f. Social-Emotional (cooperation, collaboration, identifying emotions)
HARDWARE
___ _a. Desktop or laptop computer (mouse and keyboard) ____b. Desktop or laptop computer (touch screen)
__ __c. Interactive whiteboard ____d. Tablet ____e. Multi-touch table or surface
Software Title:_Butterfly Life Cycle________________________________
(1=No 2=Unsure
3=Somewhat 4=Yes)
1. Educational
SOFTWARE
2. Appropriate
a. Learning versus focus on winning?
b. Content research and/or learning standards based?
c. Feedback informative/teaches?
a. Appropriate cognitive skill(s)/subject matter?
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3. Child-Friendly
b. Set in interesting/appealing context?
c. Pre/non-readers can navigate?
d. Free from bias?
a. Simple/clear choices?
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b. Multiple, positive opportunities for success?
c. After adult support, children can use independently?
4. Enjoyable/Engaging a. Enough activities with varieties?
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b. Appropriate use of rewards?
c. Realistic graphics and appealing to intended age?
d. Activities match well to attention span?
5. Progress Monitoring/Assessment
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a. Covers all the key areas the software teaches?
b. Easy to use and interpret?
6. Individualizing Features
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a. Can be customized for child’s needs?
b. Allows creation of new activities?
INTEGRATION
a. Initial training/professional development on integration included?
b. Ongoing training/professional development opportunities?
Chamari Davis
ECE 415
Science Through Trade Books
October 18th, 2013
SCORE
COMMENTS
(Total Score ÷ 80) x 100 = _______68.75_____
____Purchase ____Continue to Consider this Option
(90-100=A,80-89=B, 70-79=C, 60-69=D, <59=F)
____Do Not Purchase __ __Consider other Options
This program was very animated and lacked options for other activities. Although it was very childfriendly, there wasn’t a plethora of knowledge about butterflies available. Only the same repeating
concept of what the life cycle of butterflies were was provided. This program could be used for
children having a hard time understanding but for many students they would be able to complete this
program rather quickly.
http://www.turtlediary.com/kindergarten-games/science-games/butterfly-life-cycle.html