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CURIOUS CRAWLERS

Butterflies & Caterpillars
Children will explore the life cycle of a butterfly.

Lesson Objective
Children will learn about the life cycle of a butterfly as it grows from caterpillar to butterfly.
(Science) Science
What You'll Need
- Butterfly cage – available at discount stores, or use a 10-gallon aquarium with a mesh lid
- Monarch caterpillars – 5 – white, yellow, and black stripes (see Lesson Tips)
- Dirt – 2“ in cage
- Grass with roots
- Milkweed
- Branch of milkweed plant (where caterpillars and their eggs are found)
- Magnifying glasses – 1 per child
What To Do
Note: This lesson will take 2–3 weeks to complete. Try using monarch caterpillars (see Lesson Tips) because they will emerge from their chrysalis in only 14 days. You will need a daily supply of fresh milkweed for the caterpillar, enough for approximately 14 days.
- Display the caterpillar(s), and activate children’s background knowledge about caterpillars and butterflies (see Did You Know?).
- Tell the children they will be exploring the life cycle of a butterfly as it emerges from being a caterpillar to a beautiful butterfly. Make the children aware that once the butterflies have their wings, they will be released.
- Place dirt in bottom of the aquarium 2" deep. Plant the grass in the dirt. If you are using a butterfly cage, you can omit this step.
- Place caterpillar(s) attached to the branch of the milkweed plant where you found them in the cage/aquarium. Add another branch with leaves (replace with fresh leaves daily). Place the cage outside in a shady area. Lightly mist it once per day to maintain humidity.
- Have the children observe the caterpillar daily, add fresh milkweed, remove old leaves and excrement, and document any changes.
- Once the chrysalis has formed, have the children make predictions and track on a calendar the time it takes for the butterfly to emerge.
- When the butterfly emerges, its wings will be very wet, and it will not be able to fly until they are dry (3–4 hours).
- Once the butterfly’s wings are dry, release it to the outdoors.
Resources
Home School Resources
Home educators: use these printable lesson PDFs to teach this lesson to your home schoolers. They're available in English and Spanish.
Content Provided By
Common Core State Standards Initiative – These lessons are aligned with the Common Core State Standards ("CCSS"). The CCSS provide a consistent, clear understanding of the concepts and skills children are expected to learn and guide teachers to provide their students with opportunities to gain these important skills and foundational knowledge [1]. (External) Visit the CCSS