Life Cycles!

Introduction

There are living things all around us! There are living people, mammals, reptiles, birds, insects, and even plants! You know that all living things grow and develop as they change over different stages of life. But do you ever wonder how a tadpole becomes a butterfly? Or think about everyone's favorite book, The Very Hungry Caterpillar.... HOW DID THAT CATERPILLAR TURN INTO A BUTTERFLY? You will be working with a partner to research the life cycles of organisms and understand how they work! Make sure you are observing very closely and recognizing similarities and differences. 

Task

As you research the life cycle of the butterfly and frog, you will complete a diagram that represents the stages of each organism’s life cycle. You will complete the graphic organizer templates that are listed below for you. After your research and graphic organizers are complete, you will answer the listed questions to show what you know!  

After all these steps are complete, you and a partner will independently create a poster of the organisms’ life cycles to show the stages of its life cycle. You will use your own models, labels, and drawings to present the information which you have researched.  

LIFE CYCLE OF A BUTTERFLY 

LIFE CYCLE OF A FROG 

 

Process

WHAT IS A LIFE CYCLE?  

Any living thing has a life cycle.  

A life cycle shows how living things grow and change over time. 

ALL life cycles start at birth, end with death and involve growth & reproduction. 

Life cycles repeat again and again. 

Some species go through a change called metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is when a living thing changes form dramatically over the course of its life, such as a caterpillar becoming a butterfly. 

 
 

Here is a fun video below that will keep you entertained but give you a quick rundown of what a life cycle means! 

The Life Cycle Song | Science Songs | Scratch Garden 

 

Life cycles can be very special and unique. Life cycles of all organisms are not always the same. Here are two organisms that you will be studying to understand the model of a life cycle and recognize similarities and differences.  

 

THE LIFE CYCLE OF A FROG  
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF A FROG 

  

 

 

THE LIFE CYCLE OF A BUTTERFLY  

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LIFE CYCLE OF A BUTTERFLY 

 

 

SHOW WHAT YOU KNOW 

  1. What is a life cycle?  
    _______________________________________________________________________ 

 

  1. What do ALL life cycles include? (choose one) 
    - eggs 
    - birth, growth, reproduction, death  
    - a frog  
    - larvae 

 

  1. Why are life cycles in the shape of a circle?  
    _________________________________________________________________ 

 

  1. ALL LIFE CYCLES ARE THE SAME? TRUE OR FALSE  
    - TRUE  
    - FALSE  

 

  1. What is metamorphosis?  
    _______________________________________________________________________ 

 

  1. At what stage do frogs begin to lay eggs and reproduce?  
    ________________________________________________________________________ 

 

  1. According to the information about a frog’s life cycle, do tadpoles live on land or in the water? What body parts do they use to survive?  
    ______________________________________________________________________________ 

 

  1. Frogs and Butterflies both undergo the process called metamorphosis. TRUE or False  
    - TRUE  
    - FALSE  

 

  1. How many stages is the life cycle of the Butterfly? Name each stage.  
    _____________________________________________________________________________ 

 

  1. How long does stage 3 of the butterfly life cycle last?  
    _____________________________________________________________________________ 

 

  1. What are some similarities and differences between the life cycles of the frog and butterfly?  
    ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Evaluation

You have made it so far and learned so much knowledge about particular life cycles!  

After researching the life cycles of the frog and butterfly, you will now create a poster of the life cycle model for THE FROG and THE BUTTERFLY.  

You and your partner will decide who will choose frog or butterfly and create the life cycle model.  
 

  1. Choose FROG or BUTTERFLY  

  1. Create a model to represent the life cycle of the chosen organism.  

  1. LABEL EACH STAGE.  

  1. Use color & creativity for the model.  

  1. Write one fact you learned about the organism’s life cycle.  

You will work independently on this activity.  

Conclusion

CONGRATULATIONS!  

You have completed your quest about these life cycles.  

I am very proud of you and cannot wait to see each of your models of the life cycles!  

Credits

Lever, A. (2021, June 30). The Frog Life Cycle For Kids. National Geographic Kids. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/science/nature/frog-life-cycle/ 

NG, A. (2020, September 16). The Butterfly Life Cycle! National Geographic Kids. Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/discover/animals/insects/butterfly-life-cycle/ 

Plant and Animal Life Cycles: Science Lesson for kids: Grades 3-5. Generation Genius. (2021, August 16). Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://www.generationgenius.com/plant-and-animal-life-cycle-lesson-for-kids/ 

Teacher Page

Objective:  
I can create a model to show the changes in stages of an organism's life cycle.  
I can compare the similarities and differences between the life cycles of organisms.  

Performance Expectation:
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. 

Clarification Statement: 
Changes that organisms go through during their lives form a pattern. For plant life cycles there is an emphasis on flowering plants.

Disciplinary Core Ideas: 
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF ORGANISMS
Reproduction is essential to the continued existence of every kind of organism. Plants and animals have unique and diverse life cycles. (UE.LS1B.a)

Crosscutting Concepts: 
Patterns of change can be used to make predictions