Grade 3 Science Lesson Plan: Lesson 1

Date: December 4, 2014

Time: 50 minutes

Unit: Reproduction

Topic: Life Cycles

Overall Expectations: Students will understand that plants and animals have life cycles. Both plants and
animals begin life and develop into adults, reproduce, and eventually die. The details of this life cycle are
different for different organisms. Students will be able to describe the life cycle of familiar flowering
plants including the following stages: seed, plant, flower, and fruit. They will also be able to compare
and contrast the life cycles of different animals, birds and insects.
Specific Expectations: Students will gather information from selected books from the library about
different life cycles. Students will be able to use a graphic organizer to display their understanding of a
life cycle of either an animal, bird or insect and present an oral report to class.
Key vocabulary words: Metamorphosis, reproduce, larva, pupa, nymph, germination, and life cycle
Materials: Science Fusion Textbook 2, Insects Change by Lisa Trumbauer, Sunflower Life Cycle by Jeff
Bauer, Worksheet Focus on a cycle
Equipment: Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AUeM8MbaIk , PowerPoint slideshow
of images of different animals, insects, and birds.
Mental set (5 minutes): Students look through a PowerPoint slide made up of images of animals, birds
and insects at the early stages of their life cycle. Students have to guess what the animal, bird or insect
is.
Objective- Today, we will look at the life cycles of different animals, birds and insects. But before we do,
lets understand some of the key words: Metamorphosis, reproduce, larva, pupa, nymph, germination,
and life cycle.
Body (35 minutes):

Read-aloud: Insect Change by Lisa Trumbauer and Sunflower life cycle.

Youtube video on The lifecycle of a butterfly
Students gather the selected library books about the animal, insect, or bird they are interested
in.
Students complete the worksheet Focus on a Cycle, where they draw, color, and write labels
to show a lifecycle of an animal, bird or insect of their choice.
Students present their work to the class and answer any questions.

Peer Assessment: Each students writes down 2 wishes and a star for each student presentation.
Conclusion (10 minutes): The lesson will conclude with a review of the key words and a
question/answer period.