Introduction | Task | Resources | Process | Evaluation | Conclusion
 

Introduction

    Pretend that you are a scientist who has to do research on different butterflies. You have to conduct observations, do research, and collect data on the different butterflies that you read about.

    For this lesson, your job is to look up the information for three different butterflies. Make sure that you read all the information that is on the web page. Be able to identify their physical description, life cycle, eating habits, wing span, the place were the butterfly lives and any other interesting facts.

    You have to fill out four think sheets as you do your research. The think sheets have questions that you have to answer and this will help you to organize your information. At the end of your research you will write one paragraph about another butterfly that you found interesting. So by the end of the project you will have done research on four different butterflies.

Task

    You will work in groups of two to find out information for three different butterflies. While you work on the computer you and your partner can work together to find the information, but each one of you must fill out your own think sheets.

    After doing the web quest you can do some more research on the computer using the internet or you can refer to the books in your classroom and libraries.
After you have finished the four think sheets and the table you will pick one butterfly and write a summary about it. The summary must include:
 - where the butterfly lives
 -what are the butterfly's eating habit
 -what it the wing span of the butterfly
 -the physical description
 -and any additional interesting facts
 

Resources

    As you read about the different butterflies there are other links that you can visit to give you more information on the butterfly that you are researching. You can also read some of the following books to get more information:
           ~ Moths and Butterflies and How They Live
                by Robert M. McClung
            ~ The Great Butterfly Hunt
                by Ethan Herberman
            ~ Butterflies and Moths by Denny Robson
            ~ Entomology  by Ellen Doris
            ~ Crinklerton's Guide to Knowing Butterflies
              and Moths  by Jim Arnosky

Visit the Butterfly Zone if you want some more information about butterflies.

Process

1. First you will work in groups of 2 at the computer.

2. Your group will pick 3 different butterflies that they will research.

3. Then you will use the web quest to gather information about your butterfly.

4. As you collect information you will have to complete the four think sheets and table.

5.  After completing the think sheets and the table, you will write a summary about one additional butterfly. This summary must include: where the butterfly lives, wing span, eating habits, physical description, and any additional facts.

6. You will turn in a report that will include the  four think sheets, the table and your summary of one butterfly.
 

Evaluation

Your work will be graded based on how well your group works together to collect all of the information on the butterflies that you research. The think sheets will help you to make sure that you have all the information that you will need. Your final summary will show how much information you were able to collect and put together nicely. You will be graded on the final report that you turn in.
 

Conclusion

By the time that you finish this activity you will have learned a lot about butterflies and also some special information about three different butterflies. You will know about their characteristics, what they look like, where they live, what they eat, and how they grow. You will also have a chance to see which different parts of the worlds butterflies come from and how far they travel to live and eat and survive.
 
 

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