Learning About Butterflies

Created by: Alexa Bryant

• 2nd Grade Science– Standard 4:

• Life Science:

Students will gain an understanding of Life Science through the study of changes in organisms over time and the nature of living things.

Butterflies are insects with beautiful, colorful wings. There are thousands of kinds of butterflies and they can live almost everywhere in the world!

The life cycle of a Butterfly

• Butterflies begin in an egg which hatches into a caterpillar.

• What do you think they eat?

A. DirtB. MeatC. Leaves

Sorry, try again!

Correct!

Some caterpillars are poisonous….

Some have a foul taste so predators won’t eat them, whereas others have spikes or spots that look eyes to scare animals away.

• After the caterpillar grows enough it forms a shell called a chrysalis where it will slowly change into a butterfly.

• This is called Metamorphosis

• Click here to watch a butterfly hatch from the chrysalis!

The pupal period ranges from a few days to more than a year, according to when the pupa forms and the

species of butterfly. Many species spend the winter as pupae and emerge as adults in the spring.

• What do you think butterflies eat?

A. Nector from flowersB. Leaves C. Small insects

Sorry, try again!

Correct!

How big can butterflies wings get?

• A. 5 inches• B. 15 inches• C. 11 inches• D. 7 inches

Sorry try again!

Good Job!The Queen Alexandra Birdwing can have a wingspan up to 11 inches!

• Butterflies protect themselves by blending into their environment. This is called camouflage.

To learn more about butterflies….

• http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar085160&st=butterflies&sc=0#top

• http://www.kidsbutterfly.org/