Infusion of Literacy into the Science Curriculum

Book Information:
Title:
Author:
Publisher:
Copyright Year
ISBN #:
Summary:
Availability:

A Butterfly is Patient
Dianna Hutts
Chronicle Books
2011
ISBN: 9780811864794
In this well illustrated book, you will find out more about the
many characteristics of butterflies, including their life cycle and
the role they play in the ecosystems they inhabit.
Arlington Central Library; Amazon for purchase

How can the book content be infused into the science curriculum?
Grade Level
Strands

3-5
Scientific Investigation, Reasoning, and Logic, Life
Processes, Living Systems, Earth Patterns, Cycles, and
Change, Earth Resources

Grade 3

3.1

The student will demonstrate an understanding of

scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science
by planning and conducting investigations in which
a) observations are made and are repeated to
ensure accuracy;
b) predictions are formulated using a variety of
sources of information;
c) objects with similar characteristics or properties
are classified into at least two sets and two
subsets;
d) natural events are sequenced chronologically;
g) questions are developed to formulate
hypotheses;
h) data are gathered, charted, graphed, and
analyzed;
j) inferences are made and conclusions are drawn;

3.4

The student will investigate and understand that

adaptations allow animals to satisfy life needs and
respond to the environment. Key concepts include
a) behavioral adaptations; and
b) physical adaptations.

3.5

The student will investigate and understand

relationships among organisms in aquatic and
terrestrial food chains. Key concepts include
a) producer, consumer, decomposer;
b) herbivore, carnivore, omnivore; and
c) predator and prey.

3.8

The student will investigate and understand basic

patterns and cycles occurring in nature. Key
concepts include
a) patterns of natural events such as day and night,
seasonal changes, simple phases of the moon,
and tides;
b) animal life cycles; and
c) plant life cycles.

3.10

Grade 4

4.1

4.5

Grade 5

5.1

5.5

The student will investigate and understand that

natural events and human influences can affect the
survival of species. Key concepts include
a) the interdependency of plants and animals;
b) the effects of human activity on the quality of air,
water, and habitat;
c) the effects of fire, flood, disease, and erosion on
organisms; and
d) conservation and resource renewal.
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science
by planning and conducting investigations in which
a) distinctions are made among observations,
conclusions, inferences, and predictions;
b) objects or events are classified and arranged
according to characteristics or properties;
e) predictions and inferences are made, and
conclusions are drawn based on data from a
variety of sources;
The student will investigate and understand how
plants and animals, including humans, in an
ecosystem interact with one another and with the
nonliving components in the ecosystem. Key
concepts include
a) plant and animal adaptations;
b) organization of populations, communities, and
ecosystems and how they interrelate;
c) flow of energy through food webs;
d) habitats and niches;
e) changes in an organisms niche at various stages
in its life cycle; and
f) influences of human activity on ecosystems.
The student will demonstrate an understanding of
scientific reasoning, logic, and the nature of science
by planning and conducting investigations in which
a) items such as rocks, minerals, and organisms are
identified using various classification keys;
The student will investigate and understand that
organisms are made of one or more cells and have
distinguishing characteristics that play a vital role in
the organisms ability to survive and thrive in its
environment. Key concepts include
a) basic cell structures and functions;
b) classification of organisms using physical

characteristics, body structures, and behavior of

the organism; and
c) traits of organisms that allow them to survive in
their environment.

Sample Activities:

Grade 3

Objectives: The objectives of this lesson are that the children will
discover through reading and discussion, the life cycle of the
caterpillar.
Introduction: To introduce this lesson, we will do the first and second
steps of the K-W-L chart. This will help you to learn what the children
already know about the life cycle of the butterfly, and what they would
like to learn from this lesson
Sequence of Activities: After working on the first two parts of the K-WL chart, read and discuss A Butterfly is Patient. Use a lot of openended questions to assess their knowledge and to help them to think
and focus.
After reading and discussing the book,write on our chart what the
children have learned. If the children still have unanswered questions,
we will refer to our book and find the answers. I will put our chart on
the wall where the children can refer to it. The book we read will also
be available in the same area in case the children want to learn more
later.
Materials: Book, A Butterfly is Patient, paper for K-W-L chart,
question worksheet, below.
Self-Evaluation: I will evaluate the childrens learning by reviewing the
K-W-L chart with them at the end of the unit to see what they have
learned and to answer and questions they still have.
Questions: 1. Where do most butterflies lay their eggs?
______________
2. Are some birds a predator of butterflies? ____________
3. Are any butterflies poisonous to predators?
_______________________
4. What is it called when one type of butterfly looks like a poisonous
type of butterfly ?______________

5. Do moths have feathery antennae ?___________________

6. In which stage of a butterfly's life cycle do the wings develop?
___________
7. Do most butterflies fly during the day or at night?
_______________________
8. What shape are each of the facets of a butterfly's compound eye?
____________
9. Do caterpillars have very good vision?
_________________________

Grade 4

10. Does a caterpillar's fuzz give it a sense of touch, taste, sight, or

smell?__________________
Life Cycle of a Butterfly Pasta Activity
Students will learn to identify the four stages of a butterflys life cycle.
Materials:

Butterfly patterns

spiral pasta-caterpilllar

shell pasta-chrysalis

bow tie pasta-butterfly

small pasta representing an egg

crayons or markers

glue

Lesson Plan:
1. Ask the students what they know about butterflies. Have they
ever seen one? Have they ever touched one? What did it look

like? Was it colorful?

2. Ask the students if they know what the butterfly was before it
was a butterfly?
3. What do caterpillars look like? How do you think they got to be
caterpillars? What do they feel like? Are they furry? Slimy?
4. How does a caterpillar turn into a butterfly?
5. Discuss or show a picture of a chrysalis.
6. Now put the stages of a butterfly in order.
7. The book, A Butterfly is Patient should be used and have
cards depicting each stage of a butterfly.
8. We also chanted a few times, egg, caterpillar, chrysalis,
butterfly. I had a few volunteers come up and put the life cycle
cards in order.
9. Have students create the butterfly life cycle on their own
butterfly.
10. Have butterfly patterns ready, and you may want to have
divided them into 4 sections already.
11. Show the students an example before they begin, so they are
sure they know what order to go in (left to right)
12. Have students decorate butterfly and before they start explain
using visuals that butterflies have the same pattern on each
side of their body.
13. Glue the pasta to the butterfly.
14. Write, or have the students write if they are able, the stages of
a butterfly under the corresponding piece of pasta.
15. Display.

Life Cycle of Butterflies

OBJECTIVES
Students will:

learn the term metamorphosis as it pertains to the insect order,

Lepidoptera.

recognize stages in a butterfly's life cycle.

begin researching and organizing scientific information into

categories (habitats, bodies, prey, and predators).

ask questions that will extend and inform their research.

MATERIALS

3 worksheets. See attached.

PROCEDURES
1. Introduce key vocabulary: chrysalis, larva, Lepidoptera,
metamorphosis, pupa.
2. Use the Butterfly Life Cycle worksheet to draw and label each
stage.

ASSESSMENT
Student progress can be measured by:

the information recorded on their worksheets.

a presentation of what they've learned to a small group, their

class, or another class.

the score they receive on the Butterfly Life Cycle quiz

Name _______________________

Date _______________

Butterfly Life Cycle

Directions: Read about the 4 stages in the metamorphosis of butterflies. Draw each
stage below and label the stages. Write one fact about each stage in the butterfly life
cycle.
Stage 1: ____________________________
Fact:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Drawing:

***********************************************************************************************
Stage 2: ____________________________
Fact:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Drawing:

************************************************************************************************

Stage 3: ____________________________
Fact:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Drawing

************************************************************************************************
Stage 4: ____________________________
Fact:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Drawing:

Name _______________________________ Date _________________

Butterfly Facts and Questions
Habitat (where they live)
__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Bodies (how caterpillars and butterflies look)

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Prey and Predators (what they eat and what eats them)

__________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________

Questions I have:
__________________________________________________________

Name _______________ Date_________

Butterfly Life Cycle Quiz Circle the correct answer
1.Metamorphosis means the process of:
Being born

Changing

Turning colors

Eating leaves

2. Butterflies and moths are in what insect family?

Lepidoptera

Hymenoptera

Cleoptera

Orthoptera

3. Another word for larva is?

Butterfly

Caterpillar

Moth

Worm

4. What do caterpillars eat?

Food their mother brings

Grass

Leaves from a host plant

Nectar from flowers

5. When a butterfly is in the pupa stage, the case around it is called a:

Cocoon

Shell

Chrysalis

Bud

6. How many wing parts do butterflies have?

2

7. Like all insects, butterflies have how many legs?

2

8. The butterfly uses what part of its body like a straw to sip flower nectar?
Proboscis

Antenna

Abdomen

Thorax

Write 2 things you learned about caterpillars or butterflies:

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________