Art and Science: Butterfly Metamorphosis Activity:
This is a simple, fun activity for the students to learn the stages of metamorphosis.
Florida State Standards aligned for this activity:
*SC.2.L.16.1 Observe and describe major stages in the life cycles of plants and animals, including beans and butterflies.
*SC.3.N.3.2 Recognize that scientists use models to help understand and explain how things work.
*SC.4.L.16.1 Identify processes of sexual reproduction in flowering plants, including pollination, fertilization (seed production), seed dispersal, and germination.
Materials:
Procedure:
Students use the ruler to divide their paper plate into four sections. Each section is labeled in a clockwise direction: egg, caterpillar(larva), cocoon(chrysalis), and adult butterfly.
The teacher can choose to give each student (or group of students) a set of the materials and allow them to decide which items will represent each stage of metamorphosis, or the teacher can provide specific directions for what part of the life cycle each item will represent.
Students glue the parts representing each of the four stages of the butterfly life cycle in their proper positions on the paper plate. They can make a colorful display by hanging their finished work around the classroom, or they can string some of the plates together to make a mobile or just use them to decorate a bulletin board.
bean = egg
pipe cleaner piece = caterpillar
Popsicle stick covered with plastic wrap = chrysalis
butterfly pattern cut out & colored however the student wishes = butterfly adult
This is a simple, fun activity for the students to learn the stages of metamorphosis.
Florida State Standards aligned for this activity:
*SC.2.L.16.1 Observe and describe major stages in the life cycles of plants and animals, including beans and butterflies.
*SC.3.N.3.2 Recognize that scientists use models to help understand and explain how things work.
*SC.4.L.16.1 Identify processes of sexual reproduction in flowering plants, including pollination, fertilization (seed production), seed dispersal, and germination.
Materials:
- plain paper plates / one per student
- bag of small dried seeds (like black bean seeds)
- several pipe cleaners
- Popsicle stick / one per student
- clear or colored plastic wrap
- crayons
- school paste
- scissors
- ruler
- a butterfly pattern to cut out (see the link at end of page for the butterfly pattern)
Procedure:
Students use the ruler to divide their paper plate into four sections. Each section is labeled in a clockwise direction: egg, caterpillar(larva), cocoon(chrysalis), and adult butterfly.
The teacher can choose to give each student (or group of students) a set of the materials and allow them to decide which items will represent each stage of metamorphosis, or the teacher can provide specific directions for what part of the life cycle each item will represent.
Students glue the parts representing each of the four stages of the butterfly life cycle in their proper positions on the paper plate. They can make a colorful display by hanging their finished work around the classroom, or they can string some of the plates together to make a mobile or just use them to decorate a bulletin board.
bean = egg
pipe cleaner piece = caterpillar
Popsicle stick covered with plastic wrap = chrysalis
butterfly pattern cut out & colored however the student wishes = butterfly adult
Note: This activity would be excellent accompanied with the rearing of butterflies in the classroom as I described on my : pre-reading activity page
Consider hatching cocoons of painted lady butterflies as a great classroom project. Kids love to check up on them and be the first to see the insects as they hatch out from their cocoons. Remember you'll eventually have to let them go, so please make a proper ecological decision to rear only those butterflies that are environmentally safe for your particular locale. I have ordered live materials from Carolina Biological Supply in the past. There are many other reliable supply companies you could check into as well.
