Life Cycles Design Brief: I developed and conducted a lesson in which students reviewed the butterfly and white-tailed deer life-cycle. During this lesson, students worked in groups to create a poster that displayed their interpretations of their understandings of both life-cycles. They were able to use whatever collage materials they wanted to that I made available to them. Then, groups created a Venn diagram comparing the two life-cycles. This lesson reinforced to students that some species go through distinct changes as they mature to adults, while others resemble their parents from birth to maturity.
First we reviewed the life cycles of a butterfly and a white-tail deer with a smart board lesson that I created.
After students created venn diagrams to compare the life cycles, we met together and talked about the similarities and differences that they found.
Next, students were split up into groups of 2 or 3, given collage material, and began working to construct the life cycles of a butterfly and white-tail deer.
The venn diagram we created as a class, comparing the butterfly and white-tail deer life cycles.
Students at work, creating life cycles.
Last, students shared the life cycles they created with the class.