The Life Cycle of a Butterfly

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	The Life Cycle of a Butterfly
Introduction What do you already know about butterflies? What would you like to learn? In this WebQuest you and your partner will find out lots of interesting facts about butterflies by going to different places on the Internet. You'll learn about the stages in the butterfly life cycle. We will also be growing butterflies in our classroom so that you can see for yourself how the Painted Lady butterfly develops.
The Task
Your teacher will read stories about butterflies. After listening to these stories, you and your partner will visit several web sites to learn more about their life cycles and view video clips about the changes in the life cycle.

The Process
Your teacher will ask students what they know about butterflies and read you some great books about them before starting this Webquest. The teacher will assign a partner for you to work with. It is important that you work well together and share ideas. You and your partner will look at the Webquest sites to see pictures and video clips of the life cycle of the butterfly. (Task 1) You and your partner will make a poster showing the life cycle of the butterfly. Your teacher will give you the materials and directions. (Task 2) You will make art project to show the symmetry of a butterfly. Your teacher will give you the materials and directions. (Task 3) Discuss with your partner what you have learned. Write 4 complete sentences about what you learned. (Task 4) Continue your study of butterflies at home. (Task 5) Lastly you can play a few butterfly games. (Task 6)

Task 1 - Life Cycle of a Butterfly		Return to Top
With your partner, visit the following web sites:
Stage 1:	The Egg The egg is a tiny, round object. The female attaches the egg to leaves, stems, or other objects.
	Watch a Caterpillar Hatch from Its Egg!

Stage 2:	The Caterpillar The caterpillar (or larva) is the long, worm-like stage of the butterfly. It often has a pattern of stripes and it may have spine-like hairs. It is the feeding and growth stage. As it grows, it sheds its skin four or more times so as to enclose its rapidly growing body.
	Watch these video clips:
	Caterpillar Feast
	Larva Locomotion

Stage 3:	The Chrysalis The chrysalis is the changing stage. The caterpillar tissues are broken down and the adult insect's body is formed.


Stage 4:	Emergence of the Adult Butterfly The adult comes out of the chrysalis.
	View this video clip of a butterfly emerging from its chrysalis.
	A Butterfly is Born!


Task 2 - Create your poster		Return to Top
With your partner, create a poster of the life cycle of a butterfly. Your teacher will give you the materials. You may visit this web site to help you along.
	Life Cycle Poster


Task 3 - Art Project Create your art project. Your teacher will give you the materials to make a symmetrical butterfly. Before you start, view this web site to see many different types of butterflies.
	http://www.butterflypictures.net/
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Task 4 - Writing		Return to Top
You have seen a learned a lot about butterflies. Think about and discuss with your partner these questions: How do these insects change as they grow? How many stages do they have? What do the stages look like? We saw pictures of different kinds of butterflies. Do they all look the same? Now write 4 sentences telling what you learned.

Task 5 - Butterfly Report		Return to Top
Use the information you have learned and continue your study at home. Have your mom or dad help you find more information about a butterfly of your choice. Then fill out the Butterfly Report with all the interesting information that you discover. Return it to school by the due date. Be prepared to share the information you learned with the class.


Task 6 - Games		Return to Top
Now that you have completed your study of the butterfly, it's time to have move fun. Click on the links below to play some fun butterfly games.
	Butterfly Games



Evaluation		Return to Top
This rubric will show how well you worked with your partner and completed each of your tasks. Click on the rubric link and print it. Then fill it out together with your partner. Next, take it to your teacher. Your teacher will talk to you about how you did and give you ideas about what you did best and how you might do better next time.
	Rubric


Conclusion		Return to Top
I hope you enjoyed learning all about butterflies. We have learned all about the life cycle of the butterfly along with many interesting facts. If you want to learn even more, here are some other web sites you can visit:
	The Fascinating World of Butterflies
	What is a Butterfly?
	Butterfly School

Introduction

What do you already know about butterflies? What would you like to learn?

The Task

Your teacher will ask students what they know about butterflies and read you some great books about them before starting this Webquest.

The teacher will assign a partner for you to work with. It is important that you work well together and share ideas.

You and your partner will look at the Webquest sites to see pictures and video clips of the life cycle of the butterfly. (Task 1)

You and your partner will make a poster showing the life cycle of the butterfly. Your teacher will give you the materials and directions. (Task 2)

You will make art project to show the symmetry of a butterfly. Your teacher will give you the materials and directions. (Task 3)

Discuss with your partner what you have learned. Write 4 complete sentences about what you learned. (Task 4)

With your partner, visit the following web sites:

How do these insects change as they grow?

How many stages do they have?

What do the stages look like?

We saw pictures of different kinds of butterflies. Do they all look the same?

Now write 4 sentences telling what you learned.

Now that you have completed your study of the butterfly, it's time to have move fun. Click on the links below to play some fun butterfly games.