Science: Metamorphosis

Grade: 2nd
I.

Big Idea
Metamorphosis of butterflies and frogs

II.

Reference to PA & Common Core Standards

CC.1.2.2.J. Acquire and use grade-appropriate conversational, general
academic, and domain-specific words and phrases.
CC.1.4.2.P. Organize a short sequence of events, using temporal words to signal
event order; provide a sense of closure.
CC.1.5.2.C. Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to
clarify comprehension, gather additional information, or deepen understanding of
a topic or issue.
CC.1.5.2.F. Add drawings or other visual displays to presentations when
appropriate to clarify ideas, thoughts, and feelings.

III.

Essential Question
Can students have a basic understanding of metamorphosis and life cycles?

IV.

Lesson Objectives
TSWBAT
correctly recite and understand the life cycles of both a butterfly and a frog.

V.

Materials
Butterfly & Frog life cycle cards
SMARTboard - Prezi
Butterfly life cycle book
Stapler
Butterfly life cycle worksheet
Scissors
Glue
Crayons
CRAFT: paper plates, colored paper, googley-eyes, pipe cleaners
Frog life cycle spinner
Brads
Frog life cycle worksheet
YouTube time laps videos
Butterfly & Frog books

VI.

A. Introduction
Day 1: Divide students into two teams and bring them up to the carpet. Give one
group the life cycle cards of a butterfly and the other group the life cycle cards of
a frog. Give no prior information. Have the students work in their teams to do
their best at putting their life cycles in the correct order. Afterwards, discuss with
the students what this weeks science unit is going to be about. Give definitions
for life cycles and metamorphosis.
B. Lesson Development
Day 1: While students are still up on the carpet show them the butterfly Prezi.
When finished, send students back to their desks to put together a book about
the life cycle of a butterfly. They will read it, color it, and then have it brought up
to be stapled. When finished, show students movements to help them remember
each stage of the life cycle. Have them stand at their desks and do the
movements along with you a couple times.
- Egg: bend knees and curl up in a ball, Caterpillar: stand up straight, Chrysalis:
wrap arms around body, Butterfly: outstretch arms
Day 2: Start with a review of the butterflys life cycle and go through the
movements a couple times. Then, give each student a copy of the butterfly life
cycle worksheet. Each student will need a worksheet, a strip of the stage names,
scissors, glue, and crayons. They will cut out and glue the stages into the correct
box and then color the pictures in the cycle.
Finally, students will begin their craft. Each student will either decide
whether they want to make a butterfly or a frog. They will glue the pieces
together and decorate either the frog or the wings of the butterfly.

Day 3: First, review the stages of the butterflys life cycle. Then, bring students
up to the carpet to start the frog half of the unit. Show them the Prezi about the
frogs life cycle. Discuss how the cycles of the butterfly and the frog could be
similar and different. When finished, have the students return to their seats and
pass out the frog life cycle spinner. Have them color both pieces and go around

with brads to attach them. Finally, show students movements to go along with the
life cycle of the frog. Have them stand up at their desks and do them along with
you a couple times.
- Egg: bend knees and curl up in a ball, Tadpole: stand up straight with hands
behind you for a tail, Tadpole with legs: keep your tale but jump up and
spread legs apart, Froglet: keep legs apart and spread out arms half way,
Adult frog: jump down into a frog position
Day 4: Start with a review of the frogs life cycle and go through the movements
a couple times. Also, review the butterflys life cycle. Next, pass out the frog life
cycle worksheet. Each student will need a worksheet, a strip of the stage names,
scissors, glue, and crayons. They will cut out and glue the stages into the correct
box and then color the pictures in the cycle.
C. Closure/Summary
Day 4: Have students finish their butterfly/frog craft. The last piece will be writing
the life cycles. For the frogs, it will be written down the tongue and then glued
into its mouth. For the butterflies, it will be written down the body. They can be
used for review and then displayed.

VII.

Assessment/Evaluation
Day 5: Have a quick review of both life cycles with the whole class. Students will
then complete blank life cycles of both butterflies and frogs. They will write in the
phases and draw simple pictures to represent each phase. The stages of both
the butterfly and the frog will be written on the board to help the students fill in the
blanks.
+ Students will finish their crafts if necessary.

VIII.

Adaptations, Modifications, & Extension Activities

Adaptations/Modifications: All activities will be teacher-led and done as a
class. Individual reading and writing will be limited to help our non-readers and
lower students. Most activities are to be mainly visual.
Extension Activities: Students will watch time lapsed videos of a butterfly
coming out of its chrysalis and tadpoles hatching from their eggs. They can also
read through extra books about butterflies and frogs in their spare time.

IX.

Interdisciplinary Connections
Literature: extra fiction and nonfiction books about butterflies and frogs