Looking for a clever new way to teach the life cycle of a butterfly? Do as Mrs. Madden did and have your students learn in a way that is not only memorable but fun and active. (Be sure to scroll down the page a bit as she has a lot of content in this post.)
Begin by splitting your class into groups of 4. Each student on the team will complete a different leg of the race that relates to a part of the life cycle: The first leg involves carrying an egg on a spoon carefully across a certain distance. In the second leg, learners crawl across a space like a caterpillar. The third leg allows students to jump across the room in a pillow case/bag to get the feel of being inside a chrysalis and the last leg involves students flapping their wings to the finish line as a butterfly.
I can’t think of a kid who would not love this lesson and it allows all students-even learners with little speech or little spoken English-to communicate understanding of the concept. Students with a more complex understanding of the life cycle might offer short explanations of each segment.
About Paula Kluth
