UNLV/Department of Teaching & Learning

Elementary Lesson Plan Template

UNLV Student:
Lesson Plan Title:

Savannah McDonald
Is it a butterfly yet?

PSMT Name:
Lesson Plan Topic:

Date:
Grade Level:

May 16th , 2016

2nd

Estimated Time:
School Site:

Corianne Guerin
Life cycle of a
caterpillar
20 minutes each day
Harriet Treem
Elementary

1. State Standard(s): 2-LS4-1

Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
2. Teaching Model(s):
Cooperative Learning: Student Centered

3. Objective(s):
Student will be able to make observations and predictions about the life cycle of a
caterpillar.
4. Materials and Technology Resources

Caterpillars
Butterfly Inside Home
Pencils
Markers
Crayons
Life Cycle Packet

5. InstructionalProcedures:
a. Motivation/Engagement: The teacher will ask students if they know how a caterpillar
turns into a butterfly.

b. Developmental Activities or Learning Experiences:

1. The teacher will display and talk about the objective.
2. The teacher will discuss with the students how they will be observing caterpillars
turning into butterflies and making predictions.
3. The teacher will give the students their life cycle packets and explain how they will be
using it.
4. The teacher will show the students the caterpillars.
5. The students will make observations and predictions in their lifecycle packet.
6. The students will share their observations and predictions with their classmates.
7. The students will continue to make observations and predictions every day.
8. The students will continue to share their observations and predictions with their
classmates daily.
c. Closure: When the butterflies come out of their cocoons, the students will write one
last observation and will have a class discussion about what they learned about
caterpillars turning into butterflies.
d. Extension: The class will go out to the courtyard and release the butterflies.

LEMOV STRATEGIES:

Habits of Discussion- The Habits of Discussion strategy is when students listen carefully
and comment on what other classmates have said by making a specific effort to connect a
point theyre making with what someone else said. This strategy allows conversations to
be more efficiently cohesive and connected. I used this strategy when students shared
their predictions and observations with their classmates.

6. Accommodations, Modifications and Differentiations for Diverse Learners:

If students are struggling with writing full sentences for their observations and
predictions, they may draw pictures and label the pictures with one or two words.

7. Assessment and Evaluation of Learning:

a. Formative: Students will make predictions of the life cycle of a caterpillar in their life
cycle packet.
b. Summative: Students will make observations of the life cycle of a caterpillar in their
life cycle packet.

8. Homework Assignment: None

9. Reflection:
a. Strengths: There were a lot of strengths in this lesson plan. The students loved seeing
caterpillars turn into butterflies! Some of their observations and predictions were detailed
and I could tell that they were learning something new almost every day. By the end of
this unit, I think that my students were very knowledgeable about how caterpillars turn
into butterflies. I believe they learned more from this hands-on activity than they
wouldve learned from watching a video of it.

b. Concerns: Some of the daily observations became boring because they did not
always change daily. Maybe next time, I could have them learn about what is happening
inside the cocoon while we are all waiting for the butterfly to come out.
c. Insights: All of the grade level teachers taught this lesson sometime throughout the
school year. They recommended that the students make daily observations and let the
butterflies free the day after they come out of their cocoon.