1.

Title of Lesson: Butterfly Life Cycle

2.

Grade Level: 2nd grade

3.

Which Georgia Performance Standards does this lesson cover:

(Can be interdisciplinary) S2L1. Students will investigate the life cycles of different
living organisms.
a. Determine the sequence of the life cycle of common animals in your area: a
mammal such as a cat or dog or classroom pet, a bird such as a chicken, an
amphibian such as a frog, and an insect such as a butterfly
4.

What are the goals of this lesson? The student will be able to describe
differentiate between the 4 stages of the butterfly life cycle and the plants important
for each stage.

5.

What steps did you take to accomplish the goal(s)?

a.
Plants in our current school garden were labeled with the appropriate
butterfly life cycle stage. Particularly passion vine (Gulf Fritillary butterfly host) and
milkweed (Monarch butterfly host).
b.
Students used microscopes to search passion flower leaves for eggs or
caterpillars.
c.
Each class took a potted vine and placed it in their butterfly netted habitat
with a leaf containing an egg for their classroom so they could track the butterfly life
cycle of one particular egg.
d.
Classrooms journaled each day about the progress of their
egg/caterpillar/chrysalis/butterfly.
e.
Butterflies are released back into the garden.
f.
Classrooms check the passion vine in the garden for additional
egg/caterpillar/chrysalis/butterfly during recess and chart what they see so we can
make guesses about how many butterflies our gardens have produced.
g.
Students also use plants to assist in identifying a variety of caterpillars and
what they will turn in to.

6.

What suggestions do you have for other teachers who teach this lesson?
a.
Be sure to have a large staple of passion vine as they attract LOTS of
butterflies which means lots of caterpillars eating the leaves.

b.
Passion Vine is very invasive if not controlled but the flowers are beautiful.
c.
This lesson can be done in August as this is when there are lots of leaves
on the vine and the butterflies are attracted to the flowers and lay eggs.

7.

Please attach pictures, supporting items, etc. that would be helpful to

others.
http://theherbgardener.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-to-grow-passionflower.html

8.

Teachers Name: Tami Shields

School: Brumby Elementary School
Date of Lesson: Best done in August as the butterflies are laying eggs.