Teacher Page

The Very Busy Butterfly

Project Description

Each spring nature renews itself. The life cycle of a butterfly is an example of this renewal. There are several stages in the life cycle of a butterfly and they each affect the environment in different ways.

Weather, predators, and plant life are part of the environment. Students will learn how weather affects the life of the butterfly. They will determine what predators keep the butterfly population under natural control. They will discover the host plants and nectaring plants necessary to a butterfly’s existence.

Students will work in small groups to develop a model of the life cycle of the butterfly. Students will create a pictorial or written chart showing the relationship between plants and butterflies during the four stages of development. Their final projects can take many forms: a butterfly book, a PowerPoint presentation, or a butterfly poster board.

Project Goals

Essential Question:

How do butterflies affect the environment?

Specific Questions:

What is the life cycle of a butterfly?

Where do butterflies lay their eggs?

What do caterpillars eat?

Where and why do caterpillars hide from predators?

How do caterpillars know when it’s time to change into a chrysalis?

How long does it take for a chrysalis to change into a butterfly?

What are some of the butterflies’ predators?

How do butterflies respond to adverse weather conditions?

When and where are butterflies found?

Why are there various types of butterflies?

What plants are beneficial to butterflies?

Illinois and CPS Learning Standards

GRADE 2

SCIENCE

STATE GOAL 12:

HAVE A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE LIFE, PHYSICAL, AND EARTH/SPACE SCIENCES AND THEIR CONNECTIONS.

CAS A.

Compare and describe life cycles, basic needs, characteristics, and component parts of organisms.

CFS

1. Compare living things to non-living things; classify living things as plants or animals.

2.Describe stages in the life cycles of plants, insects, and vertebrates (e.g., bean plant, butterfly, frog).

CAS B.

Understand effects of organisms on the environment and some features that help them survive and reproduce after a change in their environment.

CFS

3. Identify factors that affect animal and plant growth and reproduction.

4. Describe relationships among various organisms in their environment (e.g., predator/prey, parasite/host, food chains and webs).

5. Describe ways in which organisms cause changes in their environments.

LANGUAGE ARTS

STATE GOAL 3:

WRITE TO COMMUNICATE FOR A VARIETY OF PURPOSES.

CAS A.

Produce documents and other written works that adhere to Standard English conventions.

CFS

1. Write and edit manuscripts to demonstrate correct use of grammar:

nouns, verbs, subject/verb agreement, adjectives, and pronouns.

2. Use standard punctuation conventions:

periods, question marks, exclamation marks, commas, and apostrophes.

3. Use correct capitalization:

first word of the sentence.
the pronoun "I".
names and proper nouns.

4. Use appropriate headings on papers.

CAS C.

Use stages of the writing process to develop short narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive texts that communicate in terms of audience, purpose, and context.

2. Write and illustrate stories to convey meaning.

Unit Prerequisites

Students will show prior knowledge of butterflies using a KWL chart.

Students should be familiar with the vocabulary words or terms associated with the story “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle.

Students should have a general understanding about predator/prey relationships.

Students must be able to navigate the Internet.

Performance Tasks

Task: Channel 11 is having a contest for primary students. The task is to develop two model exhibits, one of the anatomy of a caterpillar and one explaining the butterfly’s life cycle. All students will be involved in all the tasks. Your team should be able to explain orally and display in poster form the important aspects of each exhibit to other primary classes. Channel 11 will pick a first, a second, and a third place winner. These winners will appear on the Channel 11 program “Science Life for Kids”, which airs every Thursday at 7:00 p.m. CST.

Performance Assessment Plan

STATE GOALS