It's Alive'Life Science in the

Elementary Classroom

Joan WingerFred Wild Elementary School

1910Highlands AvenueSebring, FL 33872

863-471-5400

E-mail: wingerj..33872@yahoo.com

For information concerning the Teacher to Teacher Connection,please contactSusan Copelandat the PolkEducation Foundation at 863-534-0434, or atscopeland@pcsb.k12.fLus.To apply for a grant to curtail the cost of implementing

this program, please complete the Adapter Applicationfound in the Idea Catalogof Excellence which was sent to your school.

~~~~~~~~~~~(\~~~~

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Program Objectives and Skills Page 3

Lesson 1: Tadpole Metamorphosis

Lesson 2: Butterfly Pavilion

Lesson 3: Ant Observation

Page 4

Page 5

Pages6-7

Sample Worksheets Pages 8-23

Materials List Page 24

~

~...~ ~.,.~"~PROGRAMOBJECTIVES"

It's Alive! Life Science in the Elertlentary Classroom is a hands-on approachto teaching the life sciences in an ongoing, yearlong format. The program ispresented in three units, utilizing a classroom frog habitat, ant farm, andbutterfly pavilion. During the frog unit, the students will be introduced to theconcept of metamorphosis They will learn the necessity of providing for thebiological needs of the tadpole, and will observe the influence of QVailablespace in a habitat on tadpole growth. Butterfly metamorphosis will be ob-served during the butterfly unit, and students will observe the different nu-tritional needs of different species of caterpillars. During the ant unit thestudents will observe these social insects at work and be introduced to the

importance of accurate record keeping during a scientific investigation.Countless informative books are available on the topics of frogs, butterflie:.,and ants. These books serve as a valuable resource, but nothing can compareto the wonder and excitement of observing live specimern in the classroom.

SKILLS

It's Alive! Life Science in the Elementary Classroomaddresses the SunshineStateStandards for Processesof Life, How Living Things Interact with Their Environmentand The Nature of Science Specific Benchmarksaddressed include but are not limitedto:SC.F.1.1.1

SC.F .1.1.3

SC.G.2.1.1

SCH.1.1.1

The student knowsthe basic needs of all living thingsThe student describes how organisms changeas they grow and mature.The student knowsthat if living things do not get food, water, shelter, a;,space, they will die.

The student knowsthat in order to learn, it is important to observe thesamethings often and compare them.

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LESSON PLAN 1

Tadpole metamorphosisSunshine State Standards:

SC.F.1.1.3 The student describes howorganismschangeas they growandmature

SC.G2.1.1 The student knowsthat if livingthings do not get food, water, shelter and

space, they willdie. .

Objectives:

To introduce the concept of metamorphosis as a tadpole transforms into a frog.

To meet the biologicalneeds of the tadpole, involvingfood, water and shelter.

To observe the influenceof available space in the habitat on tadpole growth.Materials:

Three one-gallonflex-tank aquariums

Tadpole food

Individualstudent journals and charts

Large supplyof locallyavailable newlyhatched tadpoles (if the teacher does not know

where to obtain tadpoles, check with fourth and fifth grade students. They are usually

a good source for obtaining tadpoles.)

. '~"cedure:

1. Fillthree one-gallonflex tank aquariumswith three quarts of pondwater. Maintain

equal water levels in the three tanks throughout experiment.

2. Place one tadpole in the first tank, three tadpoles in the second tank, and

approximately 20 tadpoles in the third tank. Providefood as needed. Each week,

estimate the sizes of the tadpoles ineach tank Record observations in charts and

journals. As the weeks progress, discuss whythe tadpoles in the third tank are much

smaller that those in tanks one and two.

3. As the tadpoles transform into frogs, release them back to the exact locationfrom

whichthey came. This is the perfect opportunity to discuss specific environmental

conditions required by animals,and the differences that exist in habitats just a few miles

apart.

LESSON PLAN 2

Butterfly Pavilion

Sunshine State Standards:

SC.F.1.1.1The s~udent knowsthe basic needs of all livingthings.

SC.F.1.1.3The student describes howorganisms change as they grow and mature.

Objectives :

To construct a butterfly pavilionto observe butterfly metamorphosis

To observe the life cycle changes of the butterflies.

To observe the different nutritional needs of two species of caterpillars

Materials:

1butterfly pavilionor ten gallonaquariumwith screen top

10 painted lady caterpillars

ground malvaleaves (for use as food for painted lady caterpillars)

1or more monarch caterpillars

milkweedleaves (for use as food for monarch caterpillars)

construction paper, markers, art supplies to illustrate observations

Procedure:

1. Set up butterfly pavilionaccording to instructions

2. Introduce painted lady caterpillars to pavilion. Provideground malvaleavessent with

caterpillars.

3. Introduce monarchcaterpillar to pavilion(these can be found locallyin fields of

milkweedplants inearly spring in Central Florida.) Providefresh milkweedleavesdaily.

4. Observe whichfood each species of caterpillar eats. Discussthe danger in removinga

caterpillar from it's natural habitat. It is very difficult to determine what type of leaf

each species of caterpillar needs to survive.

5. Observe behavior as caterpillar prepares to pupate (form a chrysalis).

6. Record and compare time needed for each species of caterpillar to emerge from

chrysalis. Within 48 hours of emerging, release butterflies to natural habitat.

7. Illustrate through various art media the four stages of the butterfly's life cycle.

LESSON PLAN3

~Ant Observation

Sunshine State Standards:

SC.F.1.1.1 The st!ldent knowsthe basic needs of all livingthings.

SC.H.1.1.1 The student knows that in order to learn, it is important to observe the same

things often and comp~re them.

Objectives :

To construct an ant habitat to observe the ants on a regular basis.

To determine if ants prefer one food to another.

Materials:

Ant Factory

Supplyof liveants

Variousbits of food

Ant Observation Chart

Procedure:

1. Construct Ant Factory and add the liveants according to directions.

2. Havestudents bring small food samples from home. Besure to includesomethat are

sweet, saltyIand sour.

3. Select two different-tasting foods per day. Put a small amountof each side by side in

the Ant Factory.

4. Observe and record which food the ants touched first. Which was carried away

first? Were either of the foods ignored?

5. Repeat the next day with two different foods. Besure to includesome of the same

foods on different dcys. Didthe ants react the same wayeach time to that particular

type of food?

6. Record all observations daily on the Ant Observation Chart

6

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.. . rlII ~c- v.r--_o DATE

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~~ ~ ~ANT OBSERVATION CHART

DAY1

DAY2

DAY3

DAY4

DAY5

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Tadpole ~

Transformation «(Art, Science)

1Attach the tail to the body as shown tomake the tadpole.

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Students make a paper tadpole puppetthat turns into a frog and learn themeaning of the term metamorphosis,--"..,' '. ." .,-, V,H. ""',-- ,,' '. ,,'" .,"'" ,-,--, ,"-', ,,' ',,-.."'-

Make a copy of page 23for each student. Beginby discussing a frog's metamorphosis, theprocess of changing from a larva (tadpole) intoan adult (frog). Meta means "change" andmorphmeans "shape." Show students picturesof frog eggs, tadpoles in various stages,froglets, and full-grownfrogs.

Explain that once the tadpoles hatch fromthe eggs, they have gills to breathe with and along tail Eventually,the tadpole transformsinto a froglet, a small adult frog with four legs,no gills, and no tail.

After kids have colored the frog and tadpolebody parts on page 23,help them fIll in theblanks to spell metamorphosis. Then helpthem cut out the pieces along the solid lines.(Tomake the pieces sturdier, glue them to thincardboard before cutting them out.) The spotsmarked with an asterisk show where to punchholes for the paper fasteners. Guide studentsthrough the stages of assembling d":,, :::.::1~_"_'~,:-,and frog:

Invite students to arrange puppets inrarious stages of frog development and linehem up in the correct sequence.

2 Attach the two hind legs in the sameplace as the tail

3Attach the two front legs.

4 Remove the tail to make the froglet.

@£:]Frogs (First Discovery Book) by

-. ::OAKK Daniel Moignot (Scholastic,1997)will come in handy when

iiscussing metamorphosis. The see-through:ages and detailed art make the progression-romegg to tadpole to frog easy for children to'ollow.

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Tadpol,eTransformationColor the pieces and cut them out.

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tI.i:;When a tadpole changes into a frog,the process is called '

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FrogsName

Cut out the frogs.Paste the big frog on the lilypad.Paste the ,littlefrog s>nthe log.Trace the path from the log to the lilypad.

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Frogs can live in the

Frogscan liveon

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-------------are amphibians.

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Word Bank

landwaterfrogs

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Laying EggsName

Cut 0ut the frog's eggs.Paste them inthe water.

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The frog lays her

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-------------in the spring.

---------------She lays the eggs in the

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Word Bank

watereggs

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TadpolesName

Cut o,utthe tadpole.Paste it inthe water.

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----------------------The eggs hatch into

--------------They breathe with like fish.

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Word Bank

gillstadpo'es

GrowingName

Cut~out the changing tadpole.Paste it in the water.

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--------------The tadpole grows

-------------Its becomes smaller.

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----------------The tadpole still lives in the

It can live on land when it becomes a------------

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Word Bank

tailwaterlegsfrog

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The Life Cycleof a Frog Name

Cut out the pictures.Past~~them in order.Write the name of each picture.

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Word Bank

eggadulttadpole

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15 1 -<91992Instructional Fair, Inc, '~t:""57Science Enrichmen1

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1. PI/"ovideeach childwith a coPy of page 11,the pat-terns on page 12, scissors, crayons or markers, glue,and access t.o a stapler.

2. Inst.ruct tt1t: youngster to cut out the booklet pagesalong the heavy solid lines.

3. Thendirect t.ne child t.o sequence the numberedpages behind the cover and staple the minibooklet.along the left. margin. ~ r

4. Read the minibookletaloud to your students asthey followalong. Duringyour reading, guide stu-dents to notice the shaded areas on each booklet

page. Encourage the student to determine whichpattern from page 12should be glued inthe shadedarea on each page.

5. Direct students to cut out the patterns from page12and then glue them inthe correct places on eachbooklet page. (See the keyon page 10.)

6. Ifdesired, have students color the minibooklet

pages.

Fin - :3d Sample

Howa Butterfly

Grows

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eggchrysalis

with butterfly

caterpillar

-at

butterfly

chrysalis

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Howa Butterfly

Grows

byI!mIe EducatIon Center, Inc. ' TueMr'. Helpe'" TEC8782 . AprtllMay 2001

2

The caterpillar hatchesand eats leaves.

4

The butterfly begins tocome out of the chrysalis.

Now it willeat nectar.

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A caterpillar growsinside an egg.

3

The caterpillar makes achrysalisto liveinwhile it

becomes a butterfly.

5

The butterfly fliesaway.

.;: @The EdUC8tion Center, Inc. . TNChM'. HeI~. TEC8782 . Aprll/Mey 2001

.11

Name Skill: Reading

Butterfly BookCotor, cut, and staple to make your own mini-~ook.

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A"tiny caterpillar, or larva,crawls out of an egg.

2

The caterpillar becomes apupa covered by.a hardshell called a chrysalis.

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A female butterfly layssome eggs.

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The larva eats and eats. Itsheds its skin and grows.

. 3 .

A new butterfly breaks outof the chrysalis. Soon itwill flyaway. . ~_'

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18

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NAME-

Follow the Butterflies.How do we know where monarchs go each autumn? People around

the country tell scientists when they see traveling monarchs.

. Connect the dots from A to F to show the path some monarchs take.Then use the map and the key to answer the questions below.

CanadaMap Key

MDIIIIrda SighIiags

A.SeptelU., 6

B.SeptetDbef14C.Ocm., 1D. October 12

E. October24

F. November5

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1. On what date were the monarchs seen in Iowa?

2. In which state were the monarchs on October 1?

3. In which direction did the monarch butterflies travel?

4. In how many states were the monarchs seen before reaching Mexico?

10f2 19 05/1212001 8:56 PM

_SCHOLASTICHOME I $UItO1 ! mE",.., I PRCIDUCTSI c:usTOMa SUPPOIIT

Lesson Ptans Ii .. ,P.ept'Odudblu '..

SCIENCE-,

Can You Spot the1mposter Ant?

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Experiment to find out how earth's atmosphere traps the sun's heat

Welcome to "Lifestyles of the Strange and Shrimpy." These weird ants are real- exceptfor one. Your job is to expose the imitation ant! How? Read the descriptionscarefully. Doany clash with what you know about insects?

. DAIRYANTS keep herds of aphids, like farmers keep herds of cows. The ants"milk" the aphids by stroking them with their antennae. That signals the aphids torelease a sweet treat called honeydew. The ants get a tasty meal- and the aphidsget protection from predators.

. Tiny SHAMPOO ANTS eam their IMng from the beauty business. -hese ants set upshop near the home of some larger ants. When the big ants return from gatheringfood, the little ants set to work. They clean and massage their clients all over. Afterthe pampering is done, the big ants pass some food to their groomersl

. Gardening comes naturally to LEAFCUTTER ANTS. But instead of vegetables,these ants grow fungus to eat They fertilize their garden by chewing up leaves anddropping them into the fungus. Nutrients from the leafy mush help the garden grow.The ants can carry pieces of leaf 10 times heavier than they are. Each colony is sobig that it can strip a tree bare in one nightl

. LEAPINGANTS catch their food in midair. Eight legs give them extra bounce. Theseants begin hopping as babies. But when they mature into larvae, they lose theirspringy step. Look for leaping ants in cold climates. The lower the temperature, thequicker they jump.

. Building a home is a big job. So WEAVER ANTS use teamwork. First. they have topull two leaves together. If the leaves are far apart. the ants line up and form achain. Ants at both ends grab a leaf. and the group pulls the leaves close. Otherants then use sticky silk thread - made by ant larvae - to "sew" the leavestogether. By adding more and more leaves. the ants can make a house the size of afootball.

Answer: The Leaping Ants are the imposter ants! Why?

1. Insects have SIX legs. not eight;

2. "Larvae" is the term for an insect in its early stage. not in its maturity;

3. Bugs are more active in warmer climates, not colder

10f2 06/05120013:16 ]

20

Ant HillA book for individualstudent stories

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Layer 1 - green cover withantsand ant hole entrance

Layer 2 -Inside of ant hiliLayer3 - writinglinesBackcover- background sheet

of green paper

Writing SuggestionsStudents write on a .,. x 11.

(18 x 28 cm) piece of writingpapercut to match the ant hillshape.

All About Ants

The Adventures of Arnold/AmeliaAnt

Down Into an Ant HiII--Pretend you haveshrunk to the size of an ant. Describe

what you discover/experience when youcrawl down into an ant hill.

Attack of the Nine-Foot Ant

Re-tell or continue I Can't said the Ant.

C 1991 by EVAN-MOOR CORP.

Steps

1.

2.

3.

-~

4.

5.

6.

~1

Reproduce the ant hillpattern on page 46. Cutit out. Draw in ants oruse the patternsprovided. (See page 47.)

Cut a green constructionpaper cover the samesize as the ant hill.

Cutthe writingpaper inthe same shape as theant hill.

Cut the backgroundsheet from 9' x 12'(22.8 x 30.5 em) greenconstruction paper.

Staple all the layerstogether along thebottom.

Use a hole punch tomake an "ant hole door"in the green ant hillcover. Add some antsclimbing in or out of theopening.

How to Make Books With Children Volume 2

Ant HillPatternLayer2

:<

I:, '

4:)1991 by EVAN-MOOR CORP.22

PatternsAnt Monipulatives

MATERIALS LIST

INSECT LOREP.O. BOX 1535

SHAFTER, CA 932631-800 LIVE eUG

www.insectlore.com

Butterfly pavilionwi certificate for caterpillars #18jLive Butterfly Activity Book #7025Caterpillar to Butterfly Puppet #599Painted Lady Butterfly Life Cycle Stages #476Frogs - A First Discovery Book #858Frogs Undercover Book #897I Toad You So CurriculumGuide #891Ant Homes Under the Ground #29Face to Face with the Ant #41Shipping @ 15%

NASCO SCIENCE901 J ANESVIl.LE AVENUE

FORT ATKINSON, WI 53538-09C1-800-558-9595www.enasco.com

Frog Hatchery Kit SB13623M1 Gallon Flex-Tank wlCover SB19272M 3 @ $3.60Ant Factory w/certificate for live ants SB25337MShipping on 6.25 pounds

TOTAL