You have met four life cycles: a bean plant, a butterfly, a frog and a chicken. How are they the same? How are they different?
Key idea
Every life cycle starts small, grows, and makes new young. Some young change shape completely; others look like small adults and just grow.
Why it works
A butterfly has four very different stages. A frog changes slowly, from a swimming tadpole to a hopping frog. A chick and a kitten look like small versions of their parents from the start. A plant goes from seed to flower to seed again.
| Life cycle | Stages | Big change? |
|---|---|---|
| Butterfly | egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly | Yes |
| Frog | eggs, tadpole, froglet, frog | Yes |
| Chicken | egg, chick, young chicken, hen | No, it just grows |
| Bean plant | seed, sprout, young plant, flowers, pod | It grows new parts |
Worked example: Let's think it through
Which changes shape completely as it grows: a butterfly or a kitten?
- A kitten looks like a small cat and just grows.
- A caterpillar looks nothing like a butterfly.
- It changes inside a chrysalis.
Answer: The butterfly.
Common mistake
Children often think every animal has the same number of stages. Count them for each one. A butterfly has four very different stages, while a chick just grows.
For the grown-up. Ask your child to draw two life cycles side by side, like a butterfly and a chicken, and circle the stage where each one does most of its growing.