Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 30 minutes
Animal life cycles
Animals and habitats
CCSS NGSS.3-LS1-1England: KS2 Y5 Living things and their habitatsEngland: KS1 Y2 Animals, including humans
Objective and success criteria
Students will: Animal life cycles.
- I can answer questions on today's skill on my own, without help.
- I can explain each step and say why it works.
- I can check my answer and spot a mistake.
Before and after
Needs first: Animal groups: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians
Leads to: Metamorphosis: complete, incomplete or none?; Compare life cycles: mammals, birds, amphibians and insects
Materials: Animal picture cards, Habitat maps, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).
Warm-up · 4 min
- Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Animal groups: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
- Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
- Which animal group does a toad belong to? (mammal / amphibian / reptile / bird) → amphibianPrompt: What covers its body: fur, feathers, scales or moist skin?
- Which of these animals is a bird? (salamander / owl / seahorse / kangaroo) → owlPrompt: Think about what covers each animal's body.
- A bat flies at night. What group does it belong to? (birds / mammals / reptiles / insects) → mammalsPrompt: Bats have fur and feed their babies milk.
Hook · 3 min
- Show a picture of an unusual animal and ask where it might live and how it survives there.
- Share the objective: Animal life cycles. Read the success criteria together.
I do: model it · 7 min
- Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
- Example: In the life cycle of a grasshopper, what comes straight after "egg"?
- Step 1: egg → nymph → larger nymph → adult grasshopper
- Step 2: So the answer is: nymph
- Answer: nymph
- Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.
We do: guided practice · 6 min
- Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
- Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
- In the life cycle of a human, what comes straight after "child"? (teenager / baby / adult / older adult) → teenagerPrompt: Picture the animal growing up step by step.
- Which animal goes through complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult)? (chicken / dog / human / butterfly) → butterflyPrompt: Which one has a pupa stage?
You do: independent practice · 7 min
- Students work on the student sheet. Circulate and check the first two answers of every student early.
- Students who finish: write a question of their own for a partner, with the answer.
The 6 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.
Exit ticket · 3 min
- Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
- In the life cycle of a butterfly, what comes straight after "chrysalis (pupa)"? (egg / caterpillar (larva) / adult butterfly) → adult butterflyPrompt: The caterpillar makes a hard case before it changes.
- What is metamorphosis? (an animal laying eggs / an animal eating plants / an animal moving to a new habitat / a big change in body shape as an animal grows up) → a big change in body shape as an animal grows upPrompt: Think of a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.
Watch out for
- Everyday meanings of words getting in the way of the science meaning: define key words explicitly.
- Remembering facts without the reason: ask "why?" and "what is the evidence?"
Support and stretch
Support
- Review first: Animal groups: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians.
- Use concrete materials: animal picture cards.
- Give the first step of each question, or a partly worked example to finish.
- Pair with a confident partner for the guided practice.
Stretch
- Move on to: Metamorphosis: complete, incomplete or none?; Compare life cycles: mammals, birds, amphibians and insects.
- Explain a common mistake in writing and how to fix it.
- Write a word problem that uses today's skill, then solve a partner's.
Homework and more practice
Free online practice with hints and printable worksheets for this skill: eurekami.com/science/grade-3.
Free lesson plan from eurekami.com/lesson-plan-builder