Edith Cowan University

School of Education

LESSON PLAN
Subject: Science Date: 12th August 2017
Time: 2:00-2:55pm
Topic: The Life Cycle of the Butterfly Year level: 1-2

Students Prior Knowledge

The students bring the following knowledge experience:

Students will have an idea that living things have life cycles and they start small in size and get bigger.

StudentsLearning
Specific Prior Knowledge:
OutcomesStudents bring the following knowledge,
Proposedskills
Student Evaluation
and experience to this learning experience:
At the conclusion of this lesson students will: Evidence of student achievement of specific learning outcomes
Understand that living things have life cycles will be collected and recorded.
and will be able to identify the growth stage of
the butterfly. Sample of drawing and narrative
Be able to sequence the life cycle of the butterfly Use of video to test retention
Understand the timing of the sequence
Appreciate protection mechanism at each stage
Understand the concept of metamorphosis

LEARNING EXPERIENCES:
Timing Focus Resources
Questions Preparation
Introduction
10 mins Materials/Resources
Teacher to bring in inflated models of butterfly stages What are : inflated egg,
these caterpillar, chrysalis
Ask students what they believe the models represent. components? and butterfly.

Ask students to name components of the cycle. (Jack Hartmann

(Picture 3 below) What do these video- fun melody
components and illustration of
Play video of the butterfly cycle represent? cycle to assist in
learning 1min
Discuss video compare the look and the size of the 30secs)
butterfly at its different stages of the cycle.
https://www.youtube.
Touch on the concept of Metamorphosis com/watch?v=k4Pglj
carTA
 Main Boby

10mins Talk about the resources and their purpose. Ask

students if they remember the sequence in the butterfly
life cycle

Explain that a sequence is the order of something. What is the

This happens first, then this and finally this happens. sequence of Flow diagram
the butterfly life showing egg into
Use the diagram to review the life cycle with the class cycle? caterpillar into
(egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly). Quiz students if chrysalis and finally
caterpillar stage comes before or after egg stage? a butterfly.

Explain progression between stages drawing attention

to time in each stage and protection mechanism. What is the
time span
Show video to recap stages. Pause at 0.40 seconds between https://www.youtube.
and ask the students to repeat the name of the sequences? com/watch?v=Giiz81
individual stages of the butterfly cycle. Then continue _uzK8
with the video.

Demonstrate to students the activity they will be doing

15 mins and list expectations on the board. We are going to:
1- Draw the steps in the life cycle of the butterfly
2- Number each step 1,2,3 and 4
3- Write an explanation on what is happening at each
stage
4- Identify time in each step

Demonstrate drawing the butterfly life cycle in its

sequence on the board (see Picture 2 below) One sheet of blank
paper each
Show the students how you could write an explanation
on each step. For example, write, eggs hatch after a Crayons
few days under the picture of the eggs. The
caterpillar eats and eats leaves. The caterpillar
moults and wriggles out of its old skin under caterpillar What is
drawing. happening at
each step?
Tell the students they now get the chance to draw the
butterfly life cycle

INDEPENDENT W ORKING TIM E- 15m ins

How good are
students at
Hand out one sheet of paper per student and instruct
retaining
commencement and working time of 15mins.
information?
Write instructions on the board: Draw the butterfly in its
sequence of 4 stages of growth, number each stage
and write a brief description of what is happening at
each stage.

Go around the classroom and assist individual students

Closure & Transition
5 mins Have some students share their picture and writing

Compare sequence to other life cycles students are

familiar with, such as human or frog life cycles.

Introduce next lesson- Frog Life Cycle

Evaluation of Student Learning Outcomes:
Are students able to name and list the four stages of the butterfly life cycle?

Illustration using flow diagram

Label and number the four stages on a card

Reflection/Notes

What went well today?

How did students respond to video?

How did students go at summarizing life cycle post demonstration?

Did any students require more assistance?

What improvements can be made to lesson material?

Picture 1-Inflatables to be used at the start of the lesson

Picture 2- Stages of the butterfly life cycle (From page 22 A Butterflys Life by Nancy Dickmann)
Picture 3- Quiz style to do with students at beginning of the lesson after showing inflatables (From
Giant Inflatable Butterfly Life Cycle Activity Guide by Learning Resources).