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Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 minutes

Compare life cycles: mammals, birds, amphibians and insects

Animals and habitats

CCSS NGSS.3-LS1-1England: KS2 Y5 Living things and their habitats

Objective and success criteria

Students will: Compare life cycles: mammals, birds, amphibians and insects.

  • 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 life cycles; Metamorphosis: complete, incomplete or none?

Leads to: Compare how long mammals grow before birth

Materials: Animal picture cards, Habitat maps, Mini whiteboards, A diagram or short video clip of the idea, Printed student sheet (below).

Warm-up · 5 min

  • Quick retrieval from earlier learning (Animal life cycles; Metamorphosis: complete, incomplete or none?). Students answer on mini whiteboards.
  • Show answers together and note who needs support in the main task.
  1. What kind of life cycle does this animal have: dog? (complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult) / incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) / no metamorphosis (young look like small adults)) → no metamorphosis (young look like small adults)Prompt: Does the young animal look like the adult?
  2. In the life cycle of a butterfly, what comes straight after "chrysalis (pupa)"? (egg / adult butterfly / caterpillar (larva)) → adult butterflyPrompt: The caterpillar makes a hard case before it changes.
  3. What kind of life cycle does this animal have: snake? (complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult) / incomplete metamorphosis (egg, nymph, adult) / no metamorphosis (young look like small adults)) → no metamorphosis (young look like small adults)Prompt: Does the young animal look like the adult?

Hook · 5 min

  • Show a picture of an unusual animal and ask where it might live and how it survives there.
  • Share the objective: Compare life cycles: mammals, birds, amphibians and insects. Read the success criteria together.

I do: model it · 10 min

  • Work through the example out loud, saying why you do each step, not just what you do.
  • Example: Are the young of this animal born live or do they hatch from eggs: frog?
  • Step 1: Birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects usually lay eggs.
  • Step 2: So the answer is: hatch from eggs
  • Answer: hatch from eggs
  • Pause after each step and ask a student to say what comes next.

We do: guided practice · 10 min

  • Do these together. Students try each step on whiteboards before you reveal it.
  • Use the hints as prompts rather than giving the answer.
  1. Are the young of this animal born live or do they hatch from eggs: human? (born live / hatch from eggs) → born livePrompt: Is it a mammal?
  2. Why do frogs lay thousands of eggs but elephants have one calf at a time? (Frogs are bigger than elephants. / Elephant calves hatch from eggs. / Most frog eggs and tadpoles get eaten, while elephant mothers protect their calf for years. / Elephants cannot count.) → Most frog eggs and tadpoles get eaten, while elephant mothers protect their calf for years.Prompt: Which young get more parental care?

You do: independent practice · 10 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 8 questions are on the student sheet below, with answers in the key.

Exit ticket · 5 min

  • Two questions on their own. Sort answers into got it / nearly / not yet to plan the next lesson.
  1. True or false? Chickens go through a tadpole stage. (True / False) → FalsePrompt: Think about eggs, live young, tadpoles and pupae.
  2. Are the young of this animal born live or do they hatch from eggs: human? (born live / hatch from eggs) → born livePrompt: Is it a mammal?

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 life cycles.
  • 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: Compare how long mammals grow before birth.
  • 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

eurekami

Compare life cycles: mammals, birds, amphibians and insects

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    True or false? Birds lay eggs with hard shells.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  2. Question 2

    Why do frogs lay thousands of eggs but elephants have one calf at a time?

    • A. Elephants cannot count.
    • B. Most frog eggs and tadpoles get eaten, while elephant mothers protect their calf for years.
    • C. Elephant calves hatch from eggs.
    • D. Frogs are bigger than elephants.

  3. Question 3

    Are the young of this animal born live or do they hatch from eggs: crocodile?

    • A. born live
    • B. hatch from eggs

  4. Question 4

    True or false? Chickens go through a tadpole stage.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  5. Question 5

    A salmon hatches in a river, swims to the sea, then returns to the same river to lay eggs. Which stage is this?

    • A. the larva
    • B. the egg
    • C. the adult reproducing
    • D. metamorphosis into a frog

  6. Question 6

    Are the young of this animal born live or do they hatch from eggs: human?

    • A. born live
    • B. hatch from eggs

  7. Question 7

    True or false? Frogs lay jelly-covered eggs in water.

    • A. True
    • B. False

  8. Question 8

    How is a frog's life cycle different from a chicken's?

    • A. Young frogs (tadpoles) live in water and change shape a lot.
    • B. Frogs never lay eggs.
    • C. Frogs give birth to live young.
    • D. Chickens have a tadpole stage.

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Answer key: Compare life cycles: mammals, birds, amphibians and insects

  1. 1. A. True

  2. 2. B. Most frog eggs and tadpoles get eaten, while elephant mothers protect their calf for years.

  3. 3. B. hatch from eggs

  4. 4. B. False

  5. 5. C. the adult reproducing

  6. 6. A. born live

  7. 7. A. True

  8. 8. A. Young frogs (tadpoles) live in water and change shape a lot.