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Unit of Study #3
Unit Components
School District:Mitchell
Unit of Study Title:Caterpillars to Butterflies
Grade Level:K-2
Time Frame:Three Weeks
Key Words:butterflies
 
Unit Designer:Wendi Diedtrich
Unit Designer E-mail:Wendi.Diedtrich@k12.sd.us
Date Added:6/6/2002 2:30:14 PM
Date Last Revised:6/12/2002 11:28:00 AM
 
Topic Area:Communications/Language Arts
 
Peer Reviewer:Jean Diedtrich
Peer Reviewer E-mail:Wendi.Schnabel@k12.sd.us

Brief Summary of Unit: Kindergarteners will explore the world of butterflies by watching first hand how caterpillars grow, change into chrysalides and finally emerge as butterflies in the classroom. Students will participate in a variety of activities that will allow them to discover about the care of butterflies, caterpillars and chrysalides, butterfly body parts and the life cycle of butterflies.
Students will Understand: The stages of the life cycle of the butterfly in correct order.
The physical attributes of the egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and butterfly.
The basic needs of the caterpillar, chrysalis and butterfly to survive.
The size of caterpillars in comparison to familiar objects within their world.
The length that the caterpillar and chrysalis spend in each stage.
The different body parts of the butterfly.

SD Content Standards
Link to Standards #1
Goal:

Communications/Language Arts
Students will read at increasing levels of complexity for various purposes.
Indicator:
Benchmark(s):
Other Content Standards:None Listed

Other Components
Essential Questions to Guide this Unit and Focus Teaching and Learning: What are the different stages of the life cycle of the butterfly?
How do we care for the caterpillars, chrysalides and butterflies?
What are the names of the basic body parts of the butterfly and what are they used for?
What do caterpillars, chrysalides and butterflies need to survive?
How are caterpillars and butterflies different?
Key Knowledge and Skills Students will Acquire: What are the different stages of the life cycle of the butterfly?
How do we care for the caterpillars, chrysalides and butterflies?
What are the names of the basic body parts of the butterfly and what are they used for?
What do caterpillars, chrysalides and butterflies need to survive?
How are caterpillars and butterflies different?
Assessment Plan: Students will demonstrate their knowledge of caterpillars to butterflies in various ways and through different mediums throughout the unit. The students will draw and briefly write in butterfly journals about every other day. These journals will show what they are learning, observing and exploring. The students will also participate in group activities and discussion to demonstrate their knowledge of caterpillars to butterflies. The students will complete various activities to show what they are learning. The students will demonstrate their knowledge of the four stages of the butterfly life cycle by correctly identifying the order and what an egg, caterpillar, chrysalis and butterfly look like through their journaling, discussion and group activities. The students will be able to demonstrate their knowledge of butterfly body parts by atomically correctly drawing a butterfly, participating in group activities and answering questions about the body parts. The students will show their knowledge of the care, needs and survival methods of butterflies by helping to take care of the caterpillars, chrysalides and butterflies in the classroom.
Learning Activities: The students will spend a span of three weeks learning about caterpillars to butterflies. The students will experince first hand about caterpillars to butterflies within the classroom environment. The students will explore and discover the basic body parts of a butterfly, the life cycle of a butterfly and what caterpillars to butterflies need ot surive. This will be done through activities, discussions, observations, projects and journaling.
Notes:I got some of my great ideas from The Butterfly Guide. Santa Fe: Earth's Birthday Project.
Internet Resource Link: http://www.mesc.usgs.gov/resources/education/butterfly/bfly_intro.asp; http://www.npsc.nbs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/sd/toc.htm#brush-foot;

Adapted from the the work of Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins. Understanding by
Design. Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Alexandria, VA. 1998.

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