LIFE CYCLE OF A

BUTTERFLY
SCIENCE 5
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the lesson the student should be able to

◦ name the four stages of the life cycle of a butterfly and
describe what happens in each stage with accuracy
◦ recognize that caterpillars and butterflies have unique
anatomies and discuss the functions of the parts of
anatomy accurately
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNIQUE:

◦ Read out loud 

◦ Group discussion about The Ugly Caterpillar 
◦ Video presentation about the actual caterpillars go through the
life cycle 
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS:

◦ The Ugly Caterpillar Book

◦ Life Cycle Information Worksheet
◦ Caterpillar and Butterfly Anatomy Worksheet
◦ Video “The Butterfly Life Cycle”
◦ PowerPoint Presentation 
◦ paper
◦ Crayons
◦ Markers
◦ Scissors
◦ Glue / tape
THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE:

This information is important for the students to learn because it

demonstrates the changes that all living creatures must experience as
they transform from a baby to an adult. This particular lesson
focuses on the life cycle of a butterfly but it can be recognized that
all living creatures go through changes, although they may not be as
drastic as the butterflies’ changes.
PROCEDURE:
A. ROUTINARY ACTIVITIES
 Greetings
 Checking of attendance
 Lesson review (Question and Answer)

B. MOTIVATION
 The students will sing an action song (Fly Fly Fly the Butterfly)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jflZseWtmyI

◦ 
PRESENTATION:
The introduction activity is to read The Ugly Caterpillar, which is a
book about a caterpillar named Katy, whom most of the other insects
made fun of and wouldn’t play with because he was what they
considered “ugly”. As the story goes on, his one friend Annie the ant
says that it is what is on the inside, not the outside that is beautiful. The
story introduces the children to all of the changes that caterpillars
experience to become butterflies as Katy goes through change after
change.
 PRESENTATION:

It is not until the end of the story, when Katy emerges from her
chrysalis that the other insects want to be her friend, envious of how
beautiful she has become. After the students read this story out loud,
the teacher will ask the students what they liked about it and what they
have learned about caterpillars and butterflies after hearing it. 
DISCUSSION:
◦ The teacher will present the video presentation about the four
stages life cycle of a butterfly using this link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1S8WzwLPlM.
DISCUSSION:

◦ After showing the stages life cycle of a butterfly, the teacher

will present another video about different anatomies of a
caterpillar and butterfly(
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uK_iZZ4Bx2o).
 DRILL/PRACTICE EXERCISES
◦ The teacher will break the students up into groups of four. Each group is going to
make a visual representative of each of the four stages of the life cycle.
 Within each group of four, each student will randomly pick a piece of paper,
labeled one through four.
 The person who has paper one is assigned the first stage of the life cycle, the
person who has paper two is assigned the second stage of the life cycle, the
person who has paper three is assigned the third stage of the life cycle, and the
person who has paper four is assigned the fourth stage of the life cycle.
 DRILL/PRACTICE EXERCISES
 Each student will represent their stage of the life cycle through the
use of constructional paper, crayons, markers, scissors, glue, and
tape. They are encouraged to be creative when making their life
cycle stage. After all groups have completed their tasks, each group
will present their four stages of the life cycle and one interesting
fact about each stage to the class.
EVALUATION:
◦ After all of the activities are completed, the students will be given an examination on everything they
have learned.
Direction: Cut out the
stages of the butterfly
life cycle and paste it on
the correct picture.

o Caterpillar
o Chrysalis
o Butterfly
o Egg
Click icon to add picture
Direction: Label
the parts of the
Caterpillar.
Thorax
 
Abdomen
 
Head
 
Legs
 
Abdominal prolegs
 
Anal prolegs
Click icon to add picture
Direction: Label
the Parts of the
Butterfly.
Thorax
 
Abdomen
 
Head
 
Legs
 
Forewings
 
Antennae
 
Hindwings
ASSIGNMENT: