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=Life Cycle of a Butterfly=  I choose to do a unit on Life Cycle of Butterflies for Kindergarten and 2nd grade. These are students in a large, rural setting. The kindergarten and 2nd grade classes at my school, both have butterflies in their curriculum. I would work together with these teachers to complete these activities and to meet the Indiana State standards.

I will purchase monarch larvae for each classroom. This will allow students to get a hands-on experience with watching a butterfly go through the different stages. What a better way then for them to actually get to see it in person. Here is a company that I have used in the past. http://educationalscience.com/

Both lessons meet the following AASL learning standards: 1.1.1 Follow an inquiry-based process in seeking knowledge in curricular subjects, and make the real-world connection for using this process in own life.

 3.1.3 Use writing and speaking skills to communicate new understandings effectively.
  The Butterfly unit for Kindergarten for will last for 12 days. The standards that will be covered are: Science K1.1 Raise questions about the natural world. K2.2 Draw pictures and write words to describe objects and experiences.

Social Studies K1.4 Identify and order events that take place in a sequence.

Language Arts K4.3 Write using pictures, letters and words. K5.1 Draw pictures and write words for a specific reason.

The Butterfly unit for 2nd grade will last for 12 days also. The standards that will be covered are: Science 2.1.3 Describe, both in writing and verbally, objects as accurately as possible and compare observations with other people. 2.2.4 Draw pictures and write brief descriptions that correctly portray key features of an object. 2.4.1 Observe and identify external features of plants and animals and describe how these features help them live in different environments

Language Arts 2.5.6 Write for different purposes and to a specific audience or person.

I have included an outline of the 12 days for each grade. I also have included handouts and rubrics that can be used.

Feedback: I will conference with the students to see what they liked or disliked about the activities that had done

When collaborating with teachers we will discuss the following questions to make sure the unit was a success. 1. Did we meet the objectives? 2. Were the students engaged? 3. What things worked well? 4. What things did not work so well? 5. Were the students enjoying the lesson? 6. Were the students able to answer the questions of the KWL chart? 7. Were students able to state things that they learned from the lesson?

Sources: // Curriculum Connections Through the Library //. (2003). Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited. Callison, D., & Preddy, L. (2006). //The Blue Book on Information Age Inquiry, Instruction and Literacy//. Westport, Connecticut: Libraries Unlimited.

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___ Wiki Addition by Shawn Humphrey

My lesson would have 6th grade students create time lapse videos of the caterpillar to butterfly process. Narration of the video/caterpillar transformation would add the knowledge aspect and proof of learning. The following websites were inspiration for this wiki addition: [] [] This project was done by 4th graders working with high school students in 2002. However there have been many improvements in video formats and video editing and I think that 6th grade students would be able to produce similar results on their own. They have likely studied the stages of the butterfly and this would put a new twist on the lesson for them. Their maturity is called into play because having some knowledge base of the stages will help them complete the audio/visual requirements and think conceptually about how to piece it all together and what stages are important to describe in the audio portion. A lesson on using the camera, video editing software and audio recording equipment would also need to be added.

The standards I would associate this with are as follows: 6.1.2 Give examples of different ways scientists investigate natural phenomena and identify processes all scientists use, such as collection of relevant evidence, the use of logical reasoning, and the application of imagination in devising hypotheses and explanations, in order to make sense of the evidence.

6.1.6 Explain that computers have become invaluable in science because they speed up and extend people's ability to collect, store, compile, and analyze data, prepare research reports, and share data and ideas with investigators all over the world.

6.2.3 Select tools, such as cameras and tape recorders, for capturing information

6.2.8 Analyze and interpret a given set of findings, demonstrating that there may be more than one good way to do so.

Additionally these AASL 21st Century Learner Standards also relate to this lesson:
 * 2.1.6** Use the writing process, media and visual literacy, and technology skills to create products that express new understandings.
 * 3.1.4** Use technology and other information tools to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and assess.
 * 4.1.8** Use creative and artistic formats to express personal learning.

