Partnerships Implementing Engineering Education Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester Public Schools

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1 Life Sciences: 4.E.1 Metamorphosis Grade Level 4 Sessions Seasonality Instructional Mode(s) Team Size WPS Benchmarks MA Frameworks Key Words 40 minutes N/A Whole class N/A 04.SC.IS SC.TE SC.LS SC.LS IS TE TE LS.4 Metamorphosis Summary Students will design a creature that goes through three stages of metamorphosis. In order to show the importance of metamorphosis to the creatures survival the students will also design three different predators (simple ideas, nothing complicated), for each step in the creatures metamorphosis. The creature must have some sort of defense against the imaginary predator in each metamorphosis phase. Learning Objectives 2002 Worcester Public Schools (WPS) Benchmarks for Grade 4 04.SC.IS.01 Ask questions and make predictions that can be tested. 04.SC.TE.06 Identify relevant design features for building a prototype of a solution to a given problem. 04.SC.LS.01 Describe the major stages that characterize the life cycle of the frog and butterfly as they go through metamorphosis. 04.SC.LS.06 Compare and contrast the physical characteristics of plants or animals from widely different environments (desert vs. tropical plants; aquatic vs. terrestrial animals). Explore how each is adapted to its habitat. Additional Learning Objectives SC.IS.01 Ask questions and make predictions that can be tested. 1 of 7

2 TE.2.1 Identify materials used to accomplish a design task based on a specific property, i.e., weight, strength, hardness, and flexibility TE.2.3 Identify relevant design features for building a prototype of a solution to a given problem LS.4 Describe the major stages that characterize the life cycle of the frog and butterfly as they go through metamorphosis. 4. Identify relevant design features for building a prototype of a solution to a given problem. 5. Describe the major stages that characterize the life cycle of the frog and butterfly as the go through metamorphosis. Required Background Knowledge None Essential Questions 1. How is metamorphosis important to a frog/butterfly s life cycle? 2. Name the three most notable stages the butterfly goes through? 3. What are the four phases of a frog s metamorphosis? Introduction / Motivation Before delivering the lesson it is recommended that the teacher presents the provided transparency, Metamorphosis Transparency, which shows some common stages of metamorphosis. While presenting the transparency the different stages of the frog s and butterfly s metamorphosis should be discussed emphasizing the importance to the animal s life cycle and growth it has. While they re creating their own creature the kids should be thinking of exaggerated characteristics that would really need to be used in its life cycle and metamorphosis Procedure The instructor will: 1. Pass out lined paper and drawing paper to the students. 2. Tell the students to write a paragraph about the creature that they are creating. 2 of 7

3 3. After the students have decided on their creature and written their paragraph, pass out Metamorphosis Activity. 4. After the students have completed the Metamorphosis Activity, have students volunteer to tell the class about the creatures they designed and what the stages of metamorphosis for the creature are. 3 of 7

4 Materials List Materials per student Amount Location White Lined 2 Office Supply Store Drawing Paper 4 Office Supply Store Crayons/Markers 1 package Office Supply Store Vocabulary with Definitions (in alphabetical order) 1. Metamorphosis - Metamorphosis: A change in the form and often habits of an animal during normal development after the embryonic stage. Metamorphosis includes, in insects, the transformation of a maggot into an adult fly and a caterpillar into a butterfly and, in amphibians, the changing of a tadpole into a frog. Assessment / Evaluation of Students The instructor may assess the students in any/all of the following manners: 1. Graded on creativity. 2. Graded on participation. 3. Graded on effort. Lesson Extensions 1. Kids could make posters of their creature changing and present it to the class. Attachments 1. Metamorphosis Activity 2. Metamorphosis Transparency Troubleshooting Tips If the students are having trouble with the project, give them an example. For instance baby sea turtles often never make it to sea because they are eaten on the beaches during their long treacherous crawl. So maybe it would be wise to have them born with some basic form like a snake then once it hits the sea it would develop into a turtle. Safety Issues None 4 of 7

5 Additional Resources None Key Words Metamorphosis 5 of 7

6 Name: Date: Metamorphosis Activity a. Draw a picture of the creature you have designed. Be sure to label the important design features of your creature. b. Draw a picture of your creature during each phase of metamorphosis. c. Draw a picture of the predators you have created.

7 Photos adopted from: