This is an integrated lesson which is introduced using the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Butterfly metamorphosis is explored through art, math, and writing.

A lesson plan for grades 1–2 Visual Arts Education, English Language Arts, and Science

Learning outcomes

Students will:

• pronounce the word metamorphosis, and explain what it means.
• match word cards for the butterfly stages with plastic models.
• construct a model of butterfly metamorphosis, and label the stages.
• write a paragraph explaining the process of butterfly metamorphosis.

Teacher planning

Time required for lesson

1 Week

Materials/resources

• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
• plastic butterfly models
• sentence strips for word cards
• white paper plates
• green and white construction paper
• lentil seeds
• colored pipe cleaners
• small twigs
• colored tissue paper
• scissors
• glue
• black marker
• chalkboard

Pre-activities

Before I do this lesson, I like for the students to have already seen pictures and live examples of caterpillars and butterflies.

Activities

Day One

1. Show students the pictures in the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Have them predict what the story is about.
2. Read The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
3. Discuss the changes the butterfly goes through, and introduce the word metamorphosis.
4. Have the students clap the number of syllables and pronounce the word several times.
5. Show the plastic models of each stage of metamorphosis with the word card to match the stage. Discuss the changes the children notice with each new stage.

Day Two

1. Review the word metamorphosis and the stages for a butterfly using the plastic models and word cards.
2. Show an example of the paper plate model of the butterfly’s life cycle.
3. Divide a paper plate in half by drawing a black line with a marker. Then divide the plate into quarters. Discuss halves and equal parts with students.
4. Draw a large circle divided into quarters on the chalkboard. Starting in the upper left quadrant and continuing in a clockwise manner, label the quadrants “egg,” “larva,” “pupa,” and “adult butterfly.”
5. Students label their paper plates accordingly.
6. In the section labeled “egg” students cut and glue a green construction paper leaf and put a dried lentil on a spot of glue on the leaf.
7. For the section labeled “larva” students twist two different colored pipe cleaners together and glue the resulting caterpillar to the plate.
8. For the “pupa,” students cut a triangle from white construction paper, roll it, and glue it, alongside a twig, to the plate.
9. For the “adult butterfly” stage, students accordion fold a square of tissue paper, hold it together in the middle with a piece of pipe cleaner, and glue it to the plate.

Day Three

1. Let several students show their paper plate models to the class and describe the stages orally.
2. Have students help come up with a good introductory sentence to write about the stages that the butterfly goes through.
3. Have students write a paragraph to describe the life cycle. Encourage them to use words such as “first,” “second,” “next,” and “last.”

Day Four

1. Review things to look for when editing and editing symbols.
2. Have students edit their paragraphs in pairs; and then meet with the teacher to edit further.

Day Five

1. Students rewrite their edited paragraphs.
2. Hang paper plate models on the wall along with rewritten paragraphs.

Assessment

The teacher can assess whether or not objectives are being met by listening to the students’ oral descriptions of metamorphosis and by reading the paragraphs written by the students.

By Laura Byers