The Life Cycle of
a Butterfly
Designed by Lisa Shaw
Audience�Grades K–2 | Early Elementary Science
Learning Objective�Learners identify and sequence the four stages of a butterfly’s life cycle and recognize key features of the adult butterfly.
Instructional Context�Designed as a teacher-led or self-paced interactive science module introducing foundational life science concepts.
What to look for� • Visual sequencing to support concept development� • Chunked content for emerging readers� • Embedded formative checks to reinforce understanding
Project Overview
The Life Cycle of
a Butterfly
Audience�Grades K–2 | Early Elementary Science
Learning Objective�Learners identify and sequence the four stages of a butterfly’s life cycle and recognize key features of the adult butterfly.
Instructional Context�Designed as a teacher-led or self-paced interactive science module introducing foundational life science concepts.
What to look for� • Visual sequencing to support concept development� • Chunked content for emerging readers� • Embedded formative checks to reinforce understanding
Project Overview
Designed by Lisa Shaw
The Life Cycle of
a Butterfly
Grades K–2 | Early Elementary Science
Interactive Science Learning Module
Designed by Lisa Shaw
Butterflies start as tiny eggs. They hatch into larvae called caterpillars. Next they change into a pupa, and finally become colorful, winged adults.
Metamorphosis
Adult
The life cycle of a butterfly has four stages:
Larva
Egg
Pupa
Egg
Stage
Butterfly eggs are tiny and laid on the underside of leaves. After hatching, the caterpillar will eat the eggshell before starting to munch on the leaves.
Larva
Stage
After hatching from the egg, the butterfly enters the larva stage, also known as the caterpillar stage. During this stage the caterpillar eats nonstop and sheds its skin several times as it grows.
Pupa Stage
Next, the caterpillar enters the pupa stage, also known as the chrysalis stage. Inside the chrysalis the caterpillar’s body transforms.
Adult Stage
Finally, the butterfly emerges from the chrysalis as an adult. It has wings and is able to fly and lay eggs.
The entire life cycle from egg to adult can take anywhere from a few weeks to several months, depending on the species.
The adult butterfly has a head, thorax, and abdomen. It has six legs, four wings, two antennae, and a proboscis for feeding on nectar. Their wings have vivid colors and patterns that help them attract mates and evade predators.
Parts of
a butterfly
antennae
thorax
head
proboscis
legs
wings
abdomen
Let’s check your understanding!
Which stage comes right after larva?
a) Egg
b) Pupa
c) Adult
a) Egg
b) Pupa
c) Adult
Which stage comes right after larva?
a) Antennae
b) Proboscis
c) Legs
What do butterflies use to drink nectar?
What do butterflies use to drink nectar?
a) Antennae
b) Proboscis
c) Legs
Thank you for learning with me today!
The Life Cycle of
a Butterfly
Design Notes
• Content is introduced from whole-to-part to support early concept formation�� • Visual repetition reinforces vocabulary without increasing reading load�� • Interactions function as low-stakes formative assessment rather than summative evaluation