Better Lesson
Better Lesson: The Life of a Monarch Butterfly
Students love the magic of the metamorphosis that produces a butterfly. We will listen to the story and write about our favorite part and include a picture. Examples of the student's work are included.
TED Talks
Ted: Ted Ed: The Weird and Wonderful Metamorphosis of the Butterfly
Franziska Bauer explains how a butterfly emerges from squishy larvae to an armored, aerodynamic, and nimble adult.
San Diego Zoo Global
San Diego Zoo: Kids: Animals: Butterfly: Winged Wonders
Provides basic facts about butterflies, with photographs and an explanation of metamorphosis.
Center for Literacy and Disability Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Tar Heel Reader: Where Do Butterflies Come From
A digital version of a butterfly life cycle picture book for young readers.
Science Buddies
Science Buddies: Does Temperature Affect the Rate of Butterfly Development?
This is an interesting experiment for an Investigator who is 1) curious about insect metamorphosis and 2) patient. You'll need to set up different controlled environments for the chrysalides, and then check on them regularly as you wait...
Utah Education Network
Uen: From Caterpillars to Butterflies: Life Cycles
Second graders will illustrate and compare the life cycle of a butterfly.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Butterfly Life Cycle
Students explore how butterflies change and grow throughout their life cycle in this interactive lesson.
Other
Academy of Natural Science: Butterfly Life Cycle
With this resource, learners examine the four stages of butterfly metamorphosis in this succinct presentation from the Academy of Natural Sciences in Pennsylvania.
Science Museum of Minnesota
Science Museum of Minnesota: Metamorphosis
A very simple, interactive, and informative explanation of things students can do to learn more about butterflies. Elementary appropriate.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Life Stages Cards: Frog, Butterfly, and Dragonfly
All animals develop and grow over time. The animals in this document undergo one of the most dramatic developmental processes known, metamorphosis. See if you can place the developmental stages in their proper order.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Creepy Caterpillars to Beautiful Butterflies
Students will explore the life cycle of a butterfly using a website and observations of caterpillar metamorphosis. This lesson plan will incorporate science, mathematics, language arts, and art.
SMART Technologies
Smart: Butterfly Life Cycle
Learn and review the life cycle of a butterfly, with slides for taking notes. Includes a link to a great YouTube Video!
Other
Vida: Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly
Use these images to study the monarch butterfly's life cycle.
Scholastic
Scholastic: Study Life Cycles With Butterflies
This site is a lesson plan for teachers. It is a lesson to study the life cycles of a butterfly. It explains how the students would find caterpillars and build a home for them.
Mocomi & Anibrain Digital Technologies
Mocomi: Life Cycle of a Butterfly
Gives a basic explanation of the four stages in the life cycle of a butterfly.
SMART Technologies
Smart: Life Cycle of a Butterfly
Students learn about the life cycle of a butterfly and put the stages of a butterfly's life cycle in order in this SMART whiteboard activity.
Ducksters
Ducksters: Butterfly for Kids: Learn About the Flying Insect
What are butterflies? Kids find out about the metamorphasis that makes a catterpillar turn into a butterfly.
Lone Star Junction
Lone Star Junction: The Texas State Insect: Monarch Butterfly
Some facts about the monarch butterfly, which is the state insect of Texas.
Science Museum of Minnesota
Thinking Fountain: Monarch Watch
An activity to help students learn about the life cycle of a butterfly. Information about metamorphosis and migration is also included.
Science Museum of Minnesota
Science Museum of Minnesota: Monarchs & Migration
Read all about monarch butterflies and their migrations. Find out what teachers, students, and families across America are saying and doing about monarch butterflies.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: The Very Hungry Class
Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" is a great trade book to teach many concepts across the curriculum. This lesson has activities to excite your students in all subject areas. Students will be familiar with the metamorphosis...
Curated OER
Life Cycle of a Butterfly
This diagram shows the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly.
Middle School Science
Painted Lady Journal Entries
In this lab experiment site, you will observe the complete metamorphosis of a Painted Lady Butterfly, identify the four stages of complete metamorphosis, and understand the difference between incomplete and complete metamorphosis.