Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Creepy Caterpillars to Beautiful Butterflies

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
Students will explore the life cycle of a butterfly using a website and observations of caterpillar metamorphosis. This lesson will incorporate science, mathematics, language arts, and art.
Activity
National Geographic

National Geographic: The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Its Life Cycle

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Engage students with a retelling of Eric Carle's "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" and watch a video from "Great Migrations" to enhance scientific discovery of the life of a butterfly.
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Alex: Butterfly Tales

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
During this activity, students will recall events from a story and describe the life cycle of the butterfly. Students will use their imaginations, writing, and computer skills to create a butterfly tale. They will discuss and integrate...
Activity
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Hhmi: Cool Science for Kids: Butterflies Come From?

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Hands-on activity for investigating the life stages of a butterfly.
Activity
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: Journey North: Monarch Butterfly

For Students Pre-K - 1st
All things related to the beautiful monarch butterfly are found here! Tons of links to everything you might imagine. Photos, video clips, plus teacher resources are also included.
Activity
Science Museum of Minnesota

Thinking Fountain: Monarch Watch

For Students 3rd - 6th
An activity to help students learn about the life cycle of a butterfly. Information about metamorphosis and migration is also included.
Lesson Plan
Better Lesson

Better Lesson: The Life of a Monarch Butterfly

For Teachers K - 1st
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.
Graphic
Science Museum of Minnesota

Science Museum of Minnesota: Butterfly Collection

For Students Pre-K - 1st
Site full of beautiful butterfly photographs including the emerging of a butterfly. One link also provides detailed information on the life cycle of a butterfly as well as a quiz to complete when finished.
Lesson Plan
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

Serc: Changes in a Monarch's Life Cycle

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students will observe and work with monarch larva. Once they have experienced the life cycle we will go outside to observe milkweed and identify the stages of monarch that are seen on the plant. Back inside the classroom we will discuss...
Interactive
Other

Iowa State University: Bug Guide: Butterflies

For Students 9th - 10th
The learning resource is a guide to a better understanding of butterflies. Some topics discussed are the identification, food, and life cycle of the butterfly. In addition to an information guide the activity has images of butterflies.
Article
Smithsonian Institution

Smithsonian Gardens: Butterfly Gardening Fact Sheet [Pdf]

For Students 9th - 10th
This fact sheet provides a comprehensive overview of butterfly gardening. Learn about the life cycle of the butterfly, what plants attract them and what we can do as a society to preserve these marvelous habitats.
Whiteboard
ClassFlow

Class Flow: Butterfly Stages of Life

For Teachers 1st - 3rd
[Free Registration/Login Required] This flipchart can me used to introduce or review the life cycle of a butterfly. Students will place the words and pictures in proper order as well as write down observations. This chart works well if...
Activity
Other

The Childen's Butterfly Site: Coloring the Monarch's Life Cycle

For Students Pre-K - 1st
A series of 4 blacklines for younger children to color. These detail the life stages of the monarch butterfly.
Unknown Type
Enchanted Learning

Enchanted Learning: French Theme Page

For Students 3rd - 5th
Learn the French of everyday objects using these "Label Me" printouts for everything from colors to clothes, from the life cycle of a butterfly to the rooms in a house.
Lesson Plan
Discovery Education

Discovery Education: Pollination Parties

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
This lesson helps learners understand the concept of pollination. Objectives, materials, procedures, adaptations, discussion questions, evaluation, extensions, suggested readings, links, vocabulary, and academic standards are all included!
Graphic
Curated OER

Life Cycle of a Butterfly

For Students 3rd - 5th
This diagram shows the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly.
Handout
PBS

Nh Pbs: Nature Works: Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

For Students 9th - 10th
Explore the world of the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail when you visit this resource. The content of this site includes a look at this species' characteristics, range, habitat, food, and more.
Lesson Plan
Utah Education Network

Uen: Butterfly, Butterfly: Teaching Vocabulary

For Teachers K Standards
This 2-day lesson engages students in determining and clarifying the meanings of unknown words and phrases found in Jenny Feely's nonfiction book, Butterfly. Students will exemplify their learning of new vocabulary by labeling what they...
Activity
Other

Springboard Magazine: The Circle of Life

For Students 3rd - 5th
A brief explanation of life cycle is provided along with pictoral respresentations of three different examples of life cycles (apple tree, butterfly and frog). The term metamorphosis is introduced and the resouce has an interactive...
Website
Other

The Florida Monarch Butterfly Website

For Students 9th - 10th
This inclusive site, contains information on how to tell a male from a female Monarch butterfly, great pictures of the Monarch life cycle, and links to other butterfly sites.
Activity
Middle School Science

Painted Lady Journal Entries

For Teachers Pre-K - 1st
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.
Handout
PBS

Nh Pbs: Nature Works: Zebra Longwing Butterfly

For Students Pre-K - 1st
A collection of information about the zebra longwing butterfly, ranging from its characteristics to life cycle, diet, habitat, behavior, and range.
Graphic
Curated OER

Zebra Longwing Butterfly

For Students Pre-K - 1st
A collection of information about the zebra longwing butterfly, ranging from its characteristics to life cycle, diet, habitat, behavior, and range.
Graphic
Curated OER

Zebra Longwing Butterfly

For Students Pre-K - 1st
A collection of information about the zebra longwing butterfly, ranging from its characteristics to life cycle, diet, habitat, behavior, and range.