Eat Up! Lesson Plan

Download this lesson

Academic Standards

 

Reading Objective:

Children will sequence the butterfly life cycle.

 

Science Focus:

Butterflies

 

CCSS:

SL.1.2 Discuss a video; L.1.4 Clarify words and phrases; RI.1.1 Key details; L.1.1a Capitalization; RI.1.5 Text features; RI.1.3 Sequencing ; RI.1.10 Read and discuss first-grade texts

Download TEKS Standards
Download CCSS Standards
  • Before watching The Life of a Butterfly, ask kids what they know about how caterpillars grow up.
  • After watching, have them turn and talk with a partner what they learned. (SKILL: SL.1.2 Discuss a video)
  • Play the vocabulary slideshow. This issue’s featured words are hatch, shell, and chrysalis. (SKILL: L.1.4 Clarify words and phrases)
  • Then read the issue together.
  • Get kids up and moving with the Dance Break video.
  • Finally, project and discuss the reading checkpoint skill sheet. Later, children can fill in their own copies. (SKILL: RI.1.1 Key details)

 

  • Kids practice capitalization in this fun game. (SKILL: L.1.1a Capitalization)
  • Kids hunt for nonfiction text features with this skill sheet. (SKILL: RI.1.5 Text features)
  • With this skill sheet, children cut and paste the steps of the butterfl y life cycle in order. (SKILL: RI.1.3 Sequencing)
Children acting out the life cycle of a butterfly

Objective: Children will use movement to act out the life cycle of a butterfly.

Materials: none

  • The movements in this activity are easy to teach, and doing them is a fun, kinesthetic way to reinforce the butterfly life cycle and its sequence! Give children the following directions:
  • First, curl up in a ball like an egg shape.
  • Next, crawl like a caterpillar.
  • Then, put your feet in the air to hang like a chrysalis.
  • Last, stretch your arms like wings and fly like a butterfly!
  • Once children know the movements, you can mix them up and make it a game. For instance, call out “Show me step 3!” and have kids do the chrysalis position. “What is step 1?” (Kids should curl up like an egg.) (SKILLS: Gross-motor/locomotor movements, Sequencing, Following directions)

 

Thank you to Alison Rose Juarez, Elementary Dance Educator, for sharing this activity with us!