The Life Cycle of a Butterfly

The life cycle of a butterfly is very interesting. The butterfly first lays
her eggs on a leaf. Next, the caterpillar hatches from the egg. This is
also known as the larva. The caterpillar spends a lot of its time eating
and it can shed its skin four or five times while it grows. Then, the
caterpillar turns into a pupa. Its body goes through a big change here
and this can take a few weeks, a month or longer. Lastly, the butterfly
breaks out from the pupa. It flaps
its wings and flies off.

1. Where does the butterfly lay its eggs? 1 mark

2. Find and copy one adjective that describes the life cycle
of a butterfly.
 1 mark

3. Why do you think the caterpillar sheds its skin?

1 mark



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 The Life Cycle of a Butterfly

4. What do you think the butterfly may do after it flies off? 2 marks
Why do you think this?




5. Number the events from 1-5 in the boxes to show the order 1 mark
of the life cycle. The first one has been done for you.

The caterpillar spends a lot of its time eating.

The butterfly breaks out of the pupa.
1 The butterfly lays eggs.
The caterpillar turns into a pupa.
The caterpillar hatches from the egg.

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The Life Cycle of a Butterfly Answers
1. Where does the butterfly lay its eggs? 1 mark
A butterfly lays its eggs on a leaf.
2. Find and copy one adjective that describes the life cycle of a 1 mark
butterfly.
interesting
1 mark
3. Why do you think the caterpillar sheds its skin?
Award one mark for any answer that refers to the caterpillar
growing/getting bigger/the skin not fitting the body any
more.
2 marks
4. What do you think the butterfly may do after it flies off? Why
do you think this?
Award two marks for any answer that gives an opinion
supported by evidence from the text, such as:
I think that the butterfly may find a mate and lay eggs on a
leaf. I think this because it is the start of the life cycle of a
butterfly.
Award one mark for any answer that gives an opinion that
is not supported by evidence from the text, such as:
I think the butterfly may lay eggs.
1 mark
5. Number the events from 1-5 in the boxes to show the order of the
life cycle. The first one has been done for you.
3 The caterpillar spends a lot of its time eating.
5 The butterfly breaks out of the pupa.
1 The butterfly lays eggs.
4 The caterpillar turns into a pupa.
2 The caterpillar hatches from the egg.

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