Lesson Planning Template

Lesson Title: The Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly Grade: 3rd

Learning Target: Students will be able to identify and order the four major stages in the life cycle of a
monarch butterfly. Students will be able to define and evaluate key vocabulary relating to monarch
butterflies and use those words in context. Students will compare the life cycles of different animals,
analyzing similarities and differences.

Grade Level Guide: Content Standards

Content Curriculum Focal Points Common Core State Interdisciplinary Connections

(ie: NCTM, IRA,…) Standards

International Reading Illinois, Grade 3: This lesson connects English

Association (IRA)
Standard 3
Students apply a wide range of
strategies to comprehend,
interpret, evaluate, and
appreciate texts. They draw on
their prior experience, their
interactions with other readers
and writers, their knowledge of
word meaning and of other texts,
their word identification
strategies, and their
understanding of textual features
(e.g., sound-letter
correspondence, sentence
structure, context, graphics).
National Science Teacher
Association (NSTA):
3-LS1-1
Develop models to describe that
organisms have unique and
diverse life cycles but all have in
common birth, growth,
reproduction, and death.
CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.RI.3.3
Describe the relationship
between a series of historical
events, scientific ideas or
concepts, or steps in
technical procedures in a
text, using language that
pertains to time, sequence,
and cause/effect.
Illinois, Grade 3:
CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.RI.3.4
Determine the meaning of
general academic and
domain-specific words and
phrases in a text relevant to
a grade 3 topic or subject
area.
Illinois, Grade 3:
Science Standard 3 –LS1-1
language arts and science within the
targeted standards themselves.
Students are addressing science
content through the use of a text
while also developing English
language arts skills related to
vocabulary and communication.
This lesson could also be connected
to math by looking more closely at
the times between life cycle stages.
Word problems could also be
written that relate to monarch
butterflies and focus on a variety of
mathematical concepts. Such word
problems could also incorporate
key vocabulary.

Develop models to describe

that organisms have unique
and diverse life cycles but all
have in common birth,
growth, reproduction, and
death.
 Illinois, Grade 3:

CCSS.ELA-
LITERACY.SL.3.1
Engage effectively in a range
of collaborative discussions
(one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse
partners on grade 3 topics
and texts, building on others'
ideas and expressing their
own clearly.

Academic Language: Life cycle, monarch, butterfly, caterpillar, chrysalis, predator, protected, egg,
larva, pupa, milkweed, camouflage
Key words should already have been introduced. For any words with which students are still unfamiliar,
the teacher will provide direct instruction during the initial review. The words will also be taught
through the reading of Eruca.

Students’ Needs: Prior to this lesson, students should be exposed to the life cycle of a monarch
butterfly. This lesson will serve to cement and deepen previous learning of the life cycle and the key
vocabulary. As students will have learned about the life cycle of a monarch butterfly and the related
vocabulary in a previous lesson or lessons, this lesson will begin with a review of content through the
use of discussion and magic squares.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

English Language Learners Students with Visual Students with Auditory

Impairments Impairments

The key vocabulary can be The print on the worksheets The student can be sat
reviewed prior to this can be enlarged. closer to the big book on
lesson. the rug.
The student can be sat
English Language Learners closer to the big book on The student can be sat
can be given a list of the the rug. toward the front of the
key vocabulary with the room to be better able to
words listed in both English During presentations, the hear and see the teacher and
and their native language to student can be sat at the presentations.
use as a reference. front of the room. Alternatively, the
classroom could be set up
in a circle or U shape so
that the student could more
easily see and hear all of
his or her peers during
 discussions and
presentations.

Materials:
Student Needs
 Pencil
 Paper
 Computer

Teacher Needs
 Eruca, a teacher-created Big Book
 Examining the Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly semantic feature analysis worksheets
 Examining the Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly semantic feature analysis answer key
 Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly Magic Square worksheets
 Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly answer key
 Computer
 Smart Board or Projector
 Presentation rubric

Language Function: Students will analyze the life cycle of a monarch butterfly by completing a
semantic feature analysis on the different stages. Students will explain how the life cycle of a monarch
butterfly is similar to and different from the life cycle of another animals by creating a PowerPoint,
video, poster, or other presentation.

Lesson Plan

Before: The whole class will engage in an oral Think-Pair-Share to discuss what they remember
about the life cycle of a butterfly. During the discussion, the teacher will prompt students to use any
vocabulary words they remember. If there are key words that students do not recall, the teacher will
provide these to students and check for understanding by questioning students about their meanings.
Direct instruction will be provided as necessary. After discussing, students will work with a partner to
complete the magic square activity. While students are working, the teacher will monitor and provide
feedback to scaffold student learning. Pairs that finish early will be asked to assist their peers. Once
all students have successfully found the magic number for the magic square activity, students will be
called to the rug.

During: The teacher will read Eruca to the whole class. The Velcro vocabulary words will not be in
the book. While going through the story, the teacher will stop at the blanks and call on students to
share what word should be in the blank. Then, the student will come up to attach the Velcro word and
fill in the blank. The word will be discussed, with the teacher asking questions to gauge student
understanding. Questions will relate to the meaning of the word or connections between the word in
this context and in other contexts. The sentence with the blank will be reread after this brief discussion
and the story will continue. At the end of the story, the life cycle of a monarch butterfly page will
have both Velcro pictures and words removed prior to reading. Again, students will be called on to
select the picture or word that belongs in each position and attach that object to the book. Throughout
the reading of the book, behavior specific praise will be provided to students. Next, students will be
asked to complete the semantic feature analysis worksheet on the life cycle of a butterfly in pairs.
 Students will have access to computers so that they can use the provided online resources as needed to
find information. While students complete this worksheet, the teacher will monitor and provide
scaffolding. For students who are lacking understanding, the teacher can provide a visual aid of the
life cycle of a monarch butterfly and provide further instruction using this visual aid. Pairs that finish
early will be asked to brainstorm ways in which the life cycle of a butterfly is similar to and different
from another animal of their choosing. When all pairs have completed the worksheet, the class will
discuss the semantic feature analysis and the teacher will clear up any misconceptions, showing
students where the correct information can be found within the resources provided. Finally, students
will be asked to work in groups of three to choose another animal and research its life cycle. Groups
will be expected to create a presentation (PowerPoint, poster, video, or other teacher-approved format)
that compares and contrasts the life cycle of a monarch butterfly with the life cycle of their chosen
animal. These presentations should incorporate the key vocabulary from this lesson. Students will
then share their presentations with the class.

After: Students will be asked to reflect on what they noticed about the life cycles of different animals
with their elbow partners. What was the same for all animals? What was different between some
animals? Would the same patterns apply to plants? Are there different terms for similar stages within
the life cycles of different animals? After discussing with partners, students will share their thoughts
with the whole class. At the end of the discussion, students will complete exit slips by sharing one
thing they learned during this lesson and one thing they would like to learn more about or one
question they have related to this lesson.

Assessment:

Type of Description of Modifications Evaluation Criteria

assessment assessment

Informal Think-Pair-Share Students can use Students will share at least one idea
Formative assistive with their partner. Each pair will share
technology as at least one thought with the whole
needed to group.
overcome
communication
difficulties.

Formal Magic Square Print can be Students should be able to correctly

Formative Worksheet enlarged for match at least 90% of the words with
students with their respective definitions.
visual See answer key
impairments.

Informal Big Book activity Students with Every student will answer at least one
Formative visual or auditory question and will answer the question
impairments can accurately. This may involve choosing
 be sat closer to a correct Velcro word or picture. It
the book and could also involve providing an
teacher. accurate definition or example during
the discussion which follows a word
being chosen.

Formal Semantic Feature Print can be Students should be able to complete the
Formative Analysis worksheet enlarged for semantic feature analysis with no more
students with than two errors.
visual See answer key
impairments.

Formal Presentations Students with See rubric

Summative visual or auditory
impairments can
be sat toward the
front of the room.

Resources:

Examining the Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly semantic feature analysis worksheet and answer key
(below)
Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly Magic Square worksheet and answer key (below)
Life Cycle Presentation Rubric (below)

Vacca, R. T., Vacca, J. A. L., & Mraz, M. (2014). Content area reading: Literacy and learning across
the curriculum (11th ed.). Upper Saddle River: Pearson.
This textbook highlights the strategies used within this lesson, specifically magic squares and semantic
feature analysis. Both of these strategies support vocabulary development and study. The book describes
how to create and use these tools to aid student learning of content area vocabulary.
 Examining the Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly
Directions: Determine which statements are true for each stage of a monarch butterfly’s life. Put an X in the box
if the statement is true for that stage. If needed, use one or more of the following resources to locate the
necessary information:

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/monarch-life-cycle
https://blog.nwf.org/2014/09/a-visual-journey-through-the-monarch-life-cycle/
https://ansp.org/exhibits/online-exhibits/butterflies/lifecycle/
https://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle

Has legs Eats plants or Attached to Can fly Has hard shell
nectar leaf/plant for protection

Egg

Larva

Pupa

Adult
 Examining the Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly
Directions: Determine which statements are true for each stage of a monarch butterfly’s life. Put an X in the box
if the statement is true for that stage. If needed, use one or more of the following resources to locate the
necessary information:

https://askabiologist.asu.edu/monarch-life-cycle
https://blog.nwf.org/2014/09/a-visual-journey-through-the-monarch-life-cycle/
https://ansp.org/exhibits/online-exhibits/butterflies/lifecycle/
https://www.kidsbutterfly.org/life-cycle

Has legs Eats plants or Attached to Can fly Has hard shell
nectar leaf/plant for protection

X X
Egg

X X
Larva

X X
Pupa

X X X
Adult
 Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly Magic Square
Directions: Select the best answer for each of the words on the left from the numbered definitions on the right.
Put the number in the proper space in the magic square box. If the totals of the numbers are the same both
across and down, you have found the magic number!

A. Milkweed 1. Emerges from an egg; eats and grows; also called a caterpillar

B. Molt 2. The stage in which the monarch no longer eats or moves but
transforms inside its chrysalis
C. Predator
3. A part of the growing process; when an animal sheds its skin
D. Pupa
4. A way of hiding; when the color of something is made to look like
E. Camouflage the things around it so that it is hard to see

F. Butterfly 5. An animal that eats another animal

G. Chrysalis 6. The shell in which a monarch’s transformation takes place

H. Caterpillar 7. The plant on which a monarch butterfly lays her eggs

I. Larva 8. Emerges from an egg; eats and grows; also called larva

9. An adult monarch

A B C

D E F

G H I
 Life Cycle of a Monarch Butterfly Magic Square
Directions: Select the best answer for each of the words on the left from the numbered definitions on the right.
Put the number in the proper space in the magic square box. If the totals of the numbers are the same both
across and down, you have found the magic number!

A. Milkweed 1. Emerges from an egg; eats and grows; also called a caterpillar

B. Molt 2. The stage in which the monarch no longer eats or moves but
transforms inside its chrysalis
C. Predator
3. A part of the growing process; when an animal sheds its skin
D. Pupa
4. A way of hiding; when the color of something is made to look like
E. Camouflage the things around it so that it is hard to see

F. Butterfly 5. An animal that eats another animal

G. Chrysalis 6. The shell in which a monarch’s transformation takes place

H. Caterpillar 7. The plant on which a monarch butterfly lays her eggs

I. Larva 8. Emerges from an egg; eats and grows; also called larva

9. An adult monarch

A 7 B 3 C 5 15

D 2 E 4 F 9 15

G 6 H 8 I 1 15

15 15 15
 Life Cycle Presentation Rubric
Needs Improvement Meets Expectations Exceeds Expectations

Life Cycle of a Presentation does not Presentation includes all The presentation includes
Monarch Butterfly include all four stages or four stages of a monarch all four stages of a
the stages are not in the butterfly. The order of monarch butterfly in the
proper order. the stages is clear and correct order. Detailed
correct. information about each
stage is provided.

Key Vocabulary Less than six of the key Six of the key vocabulary More than six of the key
Included vocabulary terms related terms related to the life vocabulary terms related
to the life cycle of a cycle of a monarch to the life cycle of a
monarch butterfly are butterfly are included in monarch butterfly are
included in the the presentation and included in the
presentation and/or accurate definitions of presentation and
inaccurate definitions of each are given. accurate definitions of
the words are given. each are given.

Life Cycle of Chosen Major stages of the life Basic stages of the life Stages of the life cycle are
Animal cycle are missing or cycle are given and given and explained in
stages are incorrectly explained. All stages are detail. All stages are in
sequenced. in the proper sequence. the proper sequence.

Comparisons Made No comparison is made One accurate comparison More than one accurate
between the life cycle of is made between the life comparison is made
a monarch butterfly and cycle of a monarch between the life cycle of
the life cycle of the butterfly and the life a monarch butterfly and
chosen animal or the cycle of the chosen the life cycle of the
comparison made is animal. chosen animal.
inaccurate.

Contrasts Made No contrast is made One accurate contrast is More than one accurate
between the life cycle of made between the life contrast is made between
a monarch butterfly and cycle of a monarch the life cycle of a
the life cycle of the butterfly and the life monarch butterfly and
chosen animal or the cycle of the chosen the life cycle of the
contrast made is animal. chosen animal.
inaccurate.