Research Scenario

Research scenario:  When Sam was playing on the playground a butterfly came along and landed on him. As he looks at it, he starts to wonder where it came from. You want to help him by telling him how the butterfly goes through many changes. Some of these changes may be a surprise! Let's use this Online Research Model to answer the question below.

Essential question: How do living things change as they grow?

Tasks

1. Sequence the life cycle of the caterpillar on Kidspiration using a 'Simple Cycles' graphic organizer.

2.  Use PowerPoint to identify whether facts about the butterfly are true or false.

3. Compare and contrast the caterpillar and the butterfly by creating a Venn diagram on Kidspiration.

4. Create models of the caterpillar at each stage of its life cycle.

Assessments

    Life Cycle - Word ; html

    Venn Diagram - Word ; html

Questions

Subsidiary questions:

1.  What are the stages of the butterfly's life cycle?

2.  What does it mean when a caterpillar molts?

3.  What happens inside of a chrysalis?

4.  What does the word 'metamorphosis' mean? 

5. What do you notice happening to the caterpillar as it goes through the stages of its life cycle?

Gather & Sort

Knowledge

Fill in a KWL of the butterfly's life cycle.

Comprehension

	Go to the student resource page and access the various links to learn the answers to each question.
	As you learn more things about the life cycle, add them to the L section of your KWL.

Application

	Using the Simple Cycles organizer create and label the life cycle of a butterfly.
	View the PowerPoint and answer the questions.
	Create your butterfly life cycle according to the directions.

Synthesis

Keep a journal of the changes you observe as the butterfly goes through metamorphosis. On the last page of your journal, tell which you would rather be, a caterpillar or a butterfly. Explain why.

Evaluation

Ask yourself the following questions before sharing the life cycle you created for task 4 with the class.

1. Did I complete my model according to the directions?

2. Are all of my models placed in the correct order?

3. Did I place my models in a circular manner, showing how the cycle continues without end?

4. Did I check the rubric to make sure that I will receive all of the possible points?

5. Have I practiced presenting my project using all of my new vocabulary?

Conclusion

Extensions

	Watch a video of a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis here!
	See how another child created the butterfly's life cycle by visiting Jenna's Story.

Label patterns using pictures of caterpillars and butterflies. easy- Word ; html

       grade level - Word ; html

       hard - Word ; html

	How does observing a butterfly's changes help us?
	Read about the life cycle of a frog and compare it's stages to that of a butterfly.
	Read The Hungry Caterpillar and find the mistake that the author made about the butterfly's life cycle.