Try the butterfly life cycle science project and learn how the butterfly life cycle works! This lesson works well with any third-grade life cycle lesson.
If you are trying to do spring science experiments, you can’t go wrong with this fun 3D butterfly activity that will help kids learn how the lifecycle of a butterfly works.
There is a lot you can learn about butterflies from their life cycles!
Life Cycle of a Butterfly Science Project
This life cycle of a butterfly science project is easy for young kids to build and make on their own and is a helpful representation of a butterfly life cycle.
If you have more time to spend on this lesson, we recommend picking up a live butterfly garden kit so you can see the butterfly life cycle work before your very eyes!
3D life cycle of a butterfly NGSS Alignment
This life cycle of a butterfly model is designed to go along with NGSS 3 LS 1: Inheritance and Variation of Traits: Life Cycles and Traits.
This particular life cycle of a butterfly science project aligns with 3-LS1-1: Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
The module in the Jarring Science Club that focuses on this lesson describes how to compare and contrast the life cycle’s of living things to meet this NGSS objective.
Keep reading to find out how to make your own life cycle of a butterfly model.
But first, watch this bee life cycle model!
Supplies for the life cycle of butterfly model using clay
- Clay or play dough
- 4 jars (you can also use cups or plates)
- Labels
Get the Lesson Plan for this butterfly science project!
The butterfly life cycle science activity has a complete 14-page lesson plan including worksheets, discussion questions, NGSS alignment, STEM worksheets, printable supply list, and more!
Get the complete lesson in the Jarring Science Club plus access to 100s of other NGSS-aligned lesson plans and video lessons by clicking the image below!
The Jarring Science Club is the most economical way to access and enjoy nearly all of the STEM packs and lesson plans created by STEAMsational.
How to make a model of life cycle of butterfly
Watch us make our butterfly life cycle model in this video!
Gather your materials. For this one, we just used play dough and 4 jars!
Examine pictures of each stage of a butterfly and create a model of each.
For eggs, we did tiny circles of play dough.
For the caterpillar, we did segments of color and added a black head and legs.
For the chrysalis, we made a pupa and wrapped it inside of a cocoon.
Finally, for the adult butterfly, we made each part of the body: head, thorax, and abdomen and added wings and legs.
Place each part of the butterfly in your jars and label each one. Seal the jar and set aside for observation to compare with other living thing’s life cycles.
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