Heading:
Subject Area: Science Grade Level: Kindergarten
Concept/Topic: Insects – Life Cycle of a Butterfly Time: 10:00-11:00
Desired Results:
Lesson Background:
PA Early Learning Standards
3.1a.3: Life Cycles
*Identify stages of life cycles for plants and animals
9.1a.3: Creation
*Use imagination and creativity to design and perform music and dance
*Work with partners or others to represent forms in space
Objectives:
-Students will be able to identify and describe the four stages of the butterfly life cycle.
-Students will use movement to demonstrate what occurs in the four stages of the butterfly life cycle.
Procedure (Learning Plan):
Materials and Technology:
Teacher:
-A Monarch Butterfly’s Life by John Himmelman, pictures of caterpillars and butterflies, pictures representing four stages of the life cycle
Step-By-Step Procedure:
-The teacher will read the book, A Monarch Butterfly’s Life by John Himmelman aloud to the class. She will remind the students to pay close attention to how the caterpillar changes and becomes a butterfly throughout the story.
-Following the reading of the story, the teacher will ask students what they remember happened to the caterpillar.
-She will ask students to volunteer to describe what is occurring in each picture.
-Students will then have the opportunity to come to the board and sequence the four pictures in order to accurately depict the butterfly life cycle.
-The students will be encouraged to creatively look at the four stages of the life cycle and use their bodies to represent what occurs in each stage.
-After the groups have developed their dances, they will be asked to perform them for the class.
-The teacher will use a rubric to assess a small group in order to assess students’ understanding of
Evaluation:
Throughout the duration of the lesson, students will be informally assessed on their participation in both whole-group and small-group activities. The teacher will monitor students’ responses and understanding of the content presented. Students will be formally assessed on their ability to accurately describe what occurs in each stage of the life cycle through movement.
Differentiation:
-ESL Students: Pictures will be used to demonstrate each stage of the life cycle so that students with limited English proficiency will be able to recognize what occurs in each stage and recognize the order of the four stages.
-Gifted Students: Following the reading of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, students will complete an activity in which they draw pictures to depict the four stages and demonstrate their understanding of the life cycle. Rather than sequencing pictures gifted students will be able to draw their own illustrations and describe what occurs in each stage to a peer.
-Students with physical handicap: If students are prevented from participating in movement activity due to physical impairment, they will partake in a visual arts assignment in which they use four different types of pasta to depict the four stages of the butterfly life cycle and demonstrate their understanding of the cycle.
Subject Area: Science Grade Level: Kindergarten
Concept/Topic: Insects – Life Cycle of a Butterfly Time: 10:00-11:00
Desired Results:
Lesson Background:
- Big Ideas: This lesson addresses the life cycle of living things with a specific focus on the butterfly life cycle. The overall unit addresses insects and this lesson discusses the specific life cycle of one type of insect. Students will also understand that living things grow and change throughout their lives.
- Background Knowledge: In order to teach this lesson the teacher must be familiar with the four stages of the butterfly life cycle and the transformation that takes place in each stage. Students must have prior understanding that living things grow and change and will be introduced to the specific life cycle.
PA Early Learning Standards
3.1a.3: Life Cycles
*Identify stages of life cycles for plants and animals
9.1a.3: Creation
*Use imagination and creativity to design and perform music and dance
*Work with partners or others to represent forms in space
Objectives:
-Students will be able to identify and describe the four stages of the butterfly life cycle.
-Students will use movement to demonstrate what occurs in the four stages of the butterfly life cycle.
Procedure (Learning Plan):
Materials and Technology:
Teacher:
-A Monarch Butterfly’s Life by John Himmelman, pictures of caterpillars and butterflies, pictures representing four stages of the life cycle
Step-By-Step Procedure:
- Engagement/Introduction:
- Explain the “hook” or lead-in part of the lesson: The teacher will bring in pictures of both baby animals and what they grow to look like. She will also bring in a picture of herself as a baby. The teacher will engage students in a conversation regarding how many baby animals look similar to their parents. She will then show a picture of caterpillar and a picture of a butterfly. She will explain that though they look very different, a caterpillar will grow to become a butterfly.
- Exploration/Explicit Instruction with Modeling and Guided Practice:
- Explicit Instruction:
-The teacher will read the book, A Monarch Butterfly’s Life by John Himmelman aloud to the class. She will remind the students to pay close attention to how the caterpillar changes and becomes a butterfly throughout the story.
-Following the reading of the story, the teacher will ask students what they remember happened to the caterpillar.
- Modeling:
-She will ask students to volunteer to describe what is occurring in each picture.
-Students will then have the opportunity to come to the board and sequence the four pictures in order to accurately depict the butterfly life cycle.
- Guided Practice:
-The students will be encouraged to creatively look at the four stages of the life cycle and use their bodies to represent what occurs in each stage.
-After the groups have developed their dances, they will be asked to perform them for the class.
-The teacher will use a rubric to assess a small group in order to assess students’ understanding of
Evaluation:
Throughout the duration of the lesson, students will be informally assessed on their participation in both whole-group and small-group activities. The teacher will monitor students’ responses and understanding of the content presented. Students will be formally assessed on their ability to accurately describe what occurs in each stage of the life cycle through movement.
Differentiation:
-ESL Students: Pictures will be used to demonstrate each stage of the life cycle so that students with limited English proficiency will be able to recognize what occurs in each stage and recognize the order of the four stages.
-Gifted Students: Following the reading of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, students will complete an activity in which they draw pictures to depict the four stages and demonstrate their understanding of the life cycle. Rather than sequencing pictures gifted students will be able to draw their own illustrations and describe what occurs in each stage to a peer.
-Students with physical handicap: If students are prevented from participating in movement activity due to physical impairment, they will partake in a visual arts assignment in which they use four different types of pasta to depict the four stages of the butterfly life cycle and demonstrate their understanding of the cycle.