Amazing Butterfly Beginnings

Overview

Curriculum Area: Science
Level: Level 1, The New Zealand Curriculum
Unit: Monarch Caterpillar Journey (Lesson 1 of 14)
Lesson Title: Introduction to Monarch Butterflies
Duration: 30 minutes
Class Size: 12 Year 1 students

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Achievement Objectives (Science – Living World)

• Life Processes: Recognise that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive.
• Ecology: Recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat.
• Nature of Science – Communicating in Science: Build their language and develop their understanding of the natural world by communicating their ideas and curiosity.

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Learning Intentions

• I am learning to identify the stages in the life cycle of a monarch butterfly.
• I am learning why butterflies are important in nature.

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Success Criteria

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Say and sequence the four main stages of the monarch butterfly life cycle.
• Share one reason why butterflies are important in nature.

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Key Competencies

• Thinking – making connections between the real monarch they may have seen and this new learning.
• Using language, symbols, and texts – interpreting images of butterflies and their life stages.
• Participating and contributing – sharing ideas and listening to others during the group discussion.

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Te Ao Māori Integration

Mātauranga Māori Perspective:
Introduce the butterfly as a taonga (treasure of nature). Use the Māori word for butterfly, pūrerehua, and explore how Māori stories and worldviews respect all aspects of the natural cycle of life. Reference the whakataukī:

He iti te pūrerehua, he nui te aroha – Though the butterfly is small, its value is great.

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Materials Needed

• A4 printed visuals of the Monarch life cycle (egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly)
• Cloth puppet or felt board of a Monarch butterfly
• Picture book: Monarch Butterfly by Gail Gibbons or similar
• Life cycle sequencing cards (cut and laminated)
• Plastic toy models of butterfly stages (if available)
• Large printed word cards: Egg, Caterpillar, Chrysalis, Butterfly
• Crown template (for students to make a butterfly crown in later lessons)

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Lesson Sequence

1. Engage – Nature Detective Time (5 minutes)

🎵 Soundscape hook – Play 30 seconds of gentle garden or nature sounds (birdsong, wind, soft music).
🧐 Ask: "If we were really quiet in a garden, what might we see? What insects live there?"
👀 Show a mystery felt shape slowly being revealed – it's the butterfly puppet!
🌟 Teacher says: "This little visitor is going to take us on a special journey..."

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2. Explore – Story Time with Visuals (8 minutes)

📖 Read the story Monarch Butterfly (or selected pages if time is short).
📷 As you read, display large printed images of each stage of the monarch butterfly’s life cycle.
🎯 Encourage students to call out what they see and feel: “What does the caterpillar look like?” “Why do you think it makes a cocoon?”

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3. Explain – Visual Sequencing (7 minutes)

📊 Using large visual cards (egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly), model the sequence using a whiteboard or story mat.
🔁 Repeat the sequence using call-and-response:
Teacher: “First comes the...?” Class: “Egg!”
🌈 Ask ākonga to come and help stand in line holding the correct card in life cycle order.

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4. Extend – Mini Group Task (5 minutes)

🧩 Group students into 3s or 4s. Give each group a small plastic set or picture based on the life cycle.
🧠 Ask them to place them in the correct order. Rotate and check with them, praising effort and curiosity.

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5. Reflect – Butterfly Circle (3 minutes)

🦋 Gather in a circle. Pass the butterfly puppet around. Each student shares one thing they learned or enjoyed.

Prompt questions:

• “What was the tiniest stage?”
• “Why are butterflies important? (Prompt with: flowers, bees, plants...)”
• “What would you like to learn about butterflies next time?”

🎓 Teacher recaps: “Next lesson, we’ll look at the monarch caterpillar and what it loves to eat!”

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observe oral responses during story time and reflection circle.
• Collect anecdotal notes on sequencing ability and contribution to group tasks.

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Differentiation

• ESOL Learners: Use clear visuals, repeated vocabulary (e.g., egg, caterpillar, butterfly), and gestures.
• Extension: Challenge early finishers to draw a butterfly and label its parts (with support).
• Support: Have students work in pairs for sequencing, modelling the pattern more than once.

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Teacher Notes

• This lesson lays the foundation for later experiential activities (e.g., observing real caterpillars).
• Encourage students to observe any creatures in the garden or at home for sharing during the week.
• Consider preparing a monarch habitat in the classroom with swan plants for future observation.

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Looking Ahead

Next Lesson (Lesson 2):
Focus: Exploring the caterpillar stage in depth – what it looks like, what it eats, and how it grows.

Preparation Needed:

• Swan plant (live if possible)
• Magnifying glasses or photos of monarch caterpillars
• Maori vocabulary cards for each stage

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"Let the caterpillar crawl into their curiosity, and the butterfly lift their learning." 🦋