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Science lesson plan · 3rd grade (Year 4 in England) · 45 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 · 5 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.
  1. Which animal group does a chicken belong to? (fish / bird / amphibian / reptile) → birdPrompt: What covers its body: fur, feathers, scales or moist skin?
  2. Which of these animals is a amphibian? (lizard / axolotl / dog / eagle) → axolotlPrompt: Think about what covers each animal's body.
  3. A whale lives in the sea, breathes air with lungs and feeds its calf milk. What is it? (an amphibian / a mammal / a fish / a reptile) → a mammalPrompt: Which group feeds its young on milk?

Hook · 5 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 · 10 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 · 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. In the life cycle of a frog, what comes straight after "tadpole"? (tadpole with legs / froglet / frogspawn (eggs) / adult frog) → tadpole with legsPrompt: Frogs start life in water.
  2. Which animal goes through complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, adult)? (butterfly / chicken / dog / human) → butterflyPrompt: Which one has a pupa stage?

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. In the life cycle of a human, what comes straight after "baby"? (older adult / teenager / child / adult) → childPrompt: Picture the animal growing up step by step.
  2. How are the life cycles of most mammals different from a frog's? (Mammals start life as tadpoles. / Mammals never grow. / Most mammal babies are born live and look like small adults. / Mammals go through a pupa stage.) → Most mammal babies are born live and look like small adults.Prompt: A puppy already looks like a small dog.

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

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Animal life cycles

Name

Date

Score/ 8

  1. Question 1

    Which stage of a frog's life cycle breathes with gills?

    • A. adult frog
    • B. tadpole
    • C. frogspawn
    • D. none of them

  2. Question 2

    In the life cycle of a frog, what comes straight after "tadpole"?

    • A. froglet
    • B. tadpole with legs
    • C. frogspawn (eggs)
    • D. adult frog

  3. Question 3

    What is metamorphosis?

    • A. an animal eating plants
    • B. a big change in body shape as an animal grows up
    • C. an animal laying eggs
    • D. an animal moving to a new habitat

  4. Question 4

    In the life cycle of a grasshopper, what comes straight after "nymph"?

    • A. adult grasshopper
    • B. larger nymph
    • C. egg

  5. Question 5

    In the life cycle of a frog, what comes straight after "froglet"?

    • A. frogspawn (eggs)
    • B. tadpole with legs
    • C. adult frog
    • D. tadpole

  6. Question 6

    How are the life cycles of most mammals different from a frog's?

    • A. Mammals go through a pupa stage.
    • B. Most mammal babies are born live and look like small adults.
    • C. Mammals start life as tadpoles.
    • D. Mammals never grow.

  7. Question 7

    In the life cycle of a chicken, what comes straight after "chick hatches"?

    • A. egg
    • B. young chicken
    • C. adult hen

  8. Question 8

    In the life cycle of a grasshopper, what comes straight after "egg"?

    • A. larger nymph
    • B. nymph
    • C. adult grasshopper

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Answer key: Animal life cycles

  1. 1. B. tadpole

  2. 2. B. tadpole with legs

  3. 3. B. a big change in body shape as an animal grows up

  4. 4. B. larger nymph

  5. 5. C. adult frog

  6. 6. B. Most mammal babies are born live and look like small adults.

  7. 7. B. young chicken

  8. 8. B. nymph