Jake and the Migration
of the Monarch

* Life Cycle Plate *

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Before doing this life cycle activity, refer to the pages in the book showing the monarch lifecycle.  Find the stages of the butterfly and label them with the appropriate names (Egg, Larva, Pupa, Adult).

Materials

Paper plates
Beans – to represent eggs
I inch pieces of pipe cleaner - larvae
Spiral noodles – pupae
Bow tie noodles or tissue paper butterflies – adults
Glue
Markers
Ruler

Preparation
  
If you use bowtie noodles to represent adult butterflies, you will need to add 2 or 3 drops of food coloring and a capful of alcohol to the noodles. Spread them out on a cookie sheet and let them dry.

If you use tissue paper butterflies, cut squares of tissue paper. Place one square on top of the other, then use your thumb and index finger to pinch the top down and the bottom up. Wrap the middle with a 2 - 3 inch piece of pipe cleaner to create the wings and antennae. Bend the ends of each antenna out.

Procedure:

1. Review the life cycle of a butterfly and show what the item represents.
2. Using a ruler, divide the paper plate into four quarters. 
3. Glue materials in each section to represent each stage of the life cycle.
4. Label each stage and draw arrows to indicate the order of the stages.

 

Optional:
Students tell or write about the each stage in the life cycle of a butterfly.