Butterflies Lesson Plan

Butterflies Lesson Plan

Butterflies

Migration

Nature

The purpose of the weeks worth of butterflies and migration lessons is to inform students about the world that is around them, from as close as their backyard, to their school campus, even to a location that is just driving distance away from them.

As the students go throughout the week they will come to know and hopefully, appreciate, the very insects that fly among us so casually. The students will not only learn about butterflies and their characteristics, but they will also learn about migration.

Students will learn that it’s not only people who migrate, but it is also, birds, butterflies, and other types of animals too. These lessons will help students appreciate the life of not only themselves but of other beings we share this earth with too.

Ashaley Zapata

UTRGV College of Education

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Special Collections and University Archives

2001

2005

2008

University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

UTRGV College of Education

Stephanie Anckle

Zapata, Ashaley. (2019). Lesson Plan for Butterflies. https://rgvprimarysourceguides.omeka.net/items/show/106

PDF

English

LessonPlan-Butterflies-Zapata

Mission, Texas

Abstract
The purpose for this week’s lessons is aligned to the fourth grade TEKS in social studies that
students should be learning to be successful. The students will learn throughout the week about
work and how economic activities can lead people and animals to migrate. As the students learn
about the lifestyle and variety of butterflies that share our world they will analyze the effects of
exploration, migration and limited resources in our world that cause change and help living
things survive. The information and resources used in these lesson plans are composed up from
the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley - Edinburg Campus Library, and the National
Butterfly Center website. These resources were gathered to create the lessons so that the students
can become aware of what is available to them, around them and learn to appreciate and take
care of their environment.

Introduction
The purpose of the weeks worth of butterflies and migration lessons is to inform students about
the world that is around them, from as close as their backyard, to their school campus, even to a
location that is just driving distance away from them. As the students go throughout the week
they will come to know and hopefully, appreciate, the very insects that fly among us so casually.
The students will not only learn about butterflies and their characteristics, but they will also learn
about migration. Students will learn that it’s not only people who migrate, but it is also, birds,
butterflies, and other types of animals too. These lessons will help students appreciate the life of
not only themselves but of other beings we share this earth with too.

Rubric
Students will be evaluated throughout the week, each day, with the rubric below. The purpose of
this rubric is to help the teacher understand what each child is lacking, where the child’s
strengths. The teacher will also be able to use this rubric as an informal assessment tool, progress
monitor, and a whole class evaluation. Lastly, the teacher will use the rubric as a form to
evaluate themselves to see what method or form of teaching is in need of improvement and
which can be kept.

Student Name 3 2 1
Participation Student was actively
engaged.
Student was engaged,
but still loses focus.
Student did very little
to no participation.
Creativity Student was able to
come up with original
work.
Student is creative,
but still relies on
others for
reassurement.
Student copied
teachers and/or
classmates work.
Application Student applied
knowledge learned.
Student applies some
application, but still
waits for answers to
be given.
Student did little to
no application of
knowledge learned.

S.S. Butterflies and Migration Lesson Plan - Day 1
Lesson Title and Duration Different Types of Butterflies
40 minutes
Learner Outcomes / Objectives (Write on the board so students
and visitors are aware of student learning outcome)
Students will learn a few of the variety of butterflies there is.

Standards (the California-adopted Common Core Standards and Career Technical
Education Standards addressed by this lesson plan)
Common Core searchable database:
http://db.readinglions.net/commoncore/index.lasso?fa=search
Career Technical Education Standards:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/sf/documents/ctestandards.pdf
§113.15. Social Studies, Grade 4, Beginning with
School Year 2011-2012.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(12) Economics. The student understands patterns of
work and economic activities in Texas. The student is
expected to:
(C) analyze the effects of exploration, immigration,
migration, and limited resources on the economic
development and growth of Texas;

Materials Needed
Journals
Activity sheets of different butterflies
Visuals of different butterflies
Book that tells about different butterflies.
Differentiated Learning Needs Visual aids.
Anticipatory Set – activities that help
focus students on the lesson of the day (the “hook”)
Teacher will read a book about different butterflies.


Teaching the Lesson
➢ Modeling – how will youdemonstrate the skill or competency?
➢ Instructional Strategies – how will you deliver the lesson?
➢ Check for Understanding – how will you ensure the skill or competency is understood by the students? As teacher references the book, she will explain to class about the different types of butterflies there is in style, size, shape, color, etc.

Differentiated Learning Needs Visual aids and
original language key words of lesson will be given.

Guided Practice / Monitoring – an activity directly supervised by the instructor that allows
students to demonstrate grasp of new learning.

Instructor moves around the room determining
the level of mastery and providing individual
remediation as needed.

Teacher will show pictures to the students of the different butterflies and students follow along and write the key characteristics of the butterflies.

Differentiated
Learning Needs
Visual aids will be given.
Closure – Statements or actions made by the
instructor that help students make sense out of
what has just been taught, to help form a
coherent picture, to eliminate confusion and
frustration, and to reinforce major points to be
learned.
Students will work in partners to mix match the
different butterflies to their characteristics card.

Independent
Practice – a question or problem for students to ponder on their own or in small groups or pairs. The aim is to reinforce and extend the learning beyond the lesson and ideally into real world settings. This may be a homework assignment.
Students will draw their favorite butterfly and write the
characteristics.
Differentiated Learning Needs Characteristics will be given in the students original language and English.

Summarize, Evaluate & Reflect – after teaching the lesson, ask students to reflect on their learning.
Instructors can also reflect on the lesson, its success, and how it can be improved.
Students will share in their groups about their favorite butterfly and compare each others butterflies.

S.S. Butterflies and Migration Lesson Plan - Day 2
Lesson Title and Duration Butterflies and Moths
40 minutes
Learner Outcomes /
Objectives (Write on the board so students
and visitors are aware of student learning
outcome)
Students will learn the differences and similarities
between moths.
Standards (the California-adopted Common
Core Standards and Career Technical
Education Standards addressed by this lesson
plan)
Common Core searchable database:
http://db.readinglions.net/commoncore/index.l
asso?fa=search
Career Technical Education Standards:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/sf/documents/ctest
andards.pdf
§113.15. Social Studies, Grade 4, Beginning with
School Year 2011-2012.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(12) Economics. The student understands patterns of
work and economic activities in Texas. The student is
expected to:
(C) analyze the effects of exploration, immigration,
migration, and limited resources on the economic
development and growth of Texas;
Materials
Needed
Activity Sheets
Journals
Differentiated Learning Needs Visual aids,
handson.
Anticipatory Set – activities that help
focus students on the lesson of the day (the
“hook”)
Teacher will play small video of moths and butterflies,
while scaffolding, and students taking notes of what
they find interesting or confusing.

Teaching the Lesson
➢ Modeling – how will you
demonstrate the skill or competency?
➢ Instructional Strategies – how
will you deliver the lesson?
➢ Check for Understanding – how
will you ensure the skill or
competency is understood by the
students?
When video ends, teacher asks students about video and
will explain to students the main characteristics that sets
moths and butterflies apart.
Differentiated Learning Needs Handout with
visuals and original
language will be
given.
Guided Practice /
Monitoring – an activity directly
supervised by the instructor that allows
students to demonstrate grasp of new learning.
Instructor moves around the room determining
the level of mastery and providing individual
remediation as needed.
Teacher will role play charades of the insects
characteristics, while students try to figure out whether
it’s a moth or a butterfly.
Students will work in groups and must raise hands as
this will be a sort of game.
Differentiated
Learning Needs
Students will be in
partners.
Closure – Statements or actions made by the
instructor that help students make sense out of
what has just been taught, to help form a
coherent picture, to eliminate confusion and
Teacher goes over again the main characteristics of
butterflies and moths.

frustration, and to reinforce major points to be
learned.
Independent
Practice – a question or problem for
students to ponder on their own or in small
groups or pairs. The aim is to reinforce and
extend the learning beyond the lesson and
ideally into real world settings. This may be a
homework assignment.
Students will work in groups of four to make a
comparison chart of the differences and similarities
between moths and butterflies.
Differentiated Learning Needs Students will work
in partners, may
use journal as
reference.
Summarize,
Evaluate & Reflect – after teaching the
lesson, ask students to reflect on their learning.
Instructors can also reflect on the lesson, its
success, and how it can be improved.
Students will share their findings to another group.
Teacher will walk around hearing all their
conversations and chiming in when needed.

S.S. Butterflies and Migration Lesson Plan - Day 3
Lesson Title and Duration Migration-butterflies, birds, & people
40 minutes
Learner Outcomes /
Objectives (Write on the board so students
and visitors are aware of student learning
outcome)
Students will learn about the reasons why and who
migrate.
Standards (the California-adopted Common
Core Standards and Career Technical
Education Standards addressed by this lesson
plan)
Common Core searchable database:
http://db.readinglions.net/commoncore/index.l
asso?fa=search
Career Technical Education Standards:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/sf/documents/ctest
andards.pdf
§113.15. Social Studies, Grade 4, Beginning with
School Year 2011-2012.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(12) Economics. The student understands patterns of
work and economic activities in Texas. The student is
expected to:
(C) analyze the effects of exploration, immigration,
migration, and limited resources on the economic
development and growth of Texas;
Materials
Needed
Activity Sheets
Journals
Differentiated Learning Needs
Anticipatory Set – activities that help
focus students on the lesson of the day (the
“hook”)
Teacher enacts a role about someone/something
migrating.

Teaching the Lesson
➢ Modeling – how will you
demonstrate the skill or competency?
➢ Instructional Strategies – how
will you deliver the lesson?
➢ Check for Understanding – how
will you ensure the skill or
competency is understood by the
students?
Teacher will explain to the students what migration and
who migrates.
Differentiated Learning Needs Handout with
visuals of animals,
people,
destinations, and
reasons with be
given.
Guided Practice /
Monitoring – an activity directly
supervised by the instructor that allows
students to demonstrate grasp of new learning.
Instructor moves around the room determining
the level of mastery and providing individual
remediation as needed.
Teacher has students explain in their groups what
migration is, why migration is, and who migrates.
Differentiated
Learning Needs
Students will work
in groups and can
use handouts as a
reference.
Closure – Statements or actions made by the
instructor that help students make sense out of
what has just been taught, to help form a
coherent picture, to eliminate confusion and
frustration, and to reinforce major points to be
learned.
Teacher says a “made up” story about someone
migrating and class has to answer who migrated, why
they migrated and where they migrated.

Independent
Practice – a question or problem for
students to ponder on their own or in small
groups or pairs. The aim is to reinforce and
extend the learning beyond the lesson and
ideally into real world settings. This may be a
homework assignment.
Teacher has students write a fictional story in their
journals about someone who migrated. Students then
share to their partner.
Differentiated Learning Needs Student(s) may use
handout as a
reference.   
Summarize,
Evaluate & Reflect – after teaching the
lesson, ask students to reflect on their learning.
Instructors can also reflect on the lesson, its
success, and how it can be improved.
Students will role play in their groups, each group will
be assigned a someone migrating and why.
Students will come to the front an role play, while rest
of the class tries to figure it out.

S.S. Butterflies and Migration Lesson Plan - Day 4
Lesson Title and Duration National Butterfly Center
40 minutes
Learner Outcomes /
Objectives (Write on the board so students
and visitors are aware of student learning
outcome)
Student will learn about the history of the National
Butterfly Center and how it takes a big role for
butterflies.
Standards (the California-adopted Common
Core Standards and Career Technical
Education Standards addressed by this lesson
plan)
Common Core searchable database:
http://db.readinglions.net/commoncore/index.l
asso?fa=search
Career Technical Education Standards:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/sf/documents/ctest
andards.pdf
§113.15. Social Studies, Grade 4, Beginning with
School Year 2011-2012.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(12) Economics. The student understands patterns of
work and economic activities in Texas. The student is
expected to:
(C) analyze the effects of exploration, immigration,
migration, and limited resources on the economic
development and growth of Texas;
Materials
Needed
Activity sheets
Differentiated Learning Needs
Anticipatory Set – activities that help
focus students on the lesson of the day (the
“hook”)
Show students a small video of the NBC, then ask
students questions about the place before teaching them
about it.
Teaching the Lesson Teacher will do an anchor chart teaching about the
history of the NBC.

➢ Modeling – how will you
demonstrate the skill or competency?
➢ Instructional Strategies – how
will you deliver the lesson?
➢ Check for Understanding – how
will you ensure the skill or
competency is understood by the
students?
Differentiated Learning Needs
Guided Practice /
Monitoring – an activity directly
supervised by the instructor that allows
students to demonstrate grasp of new learning.
Instructor moves around the room determining
the level of mastery and providing individual
remediation as needed.
Teacher will have students share with each other one
thing they found interesting about the NBC.
Differentiated
Learning Needs
Students will work
in partners.
Closure – Statements or actions made by the
instructor that help students make sense out of
what has just been taught, to help form a
coherent picture, to eliminate confusion and
frustration, and to reinforce major points to be
learned.
Teacher asks students questions about any questions,
concerns, or interests they may have.

Independent
Practice – a question or problem for
students to ponder on their own or in small
groups or pairs. The aim is to reinforce and
extend the learning beyond the lesson and
ideally into real world settings. This may be a
homework assignment.
Have students (work individually) write in their
journals a small fact tree about the National Butterfly
Center.
Differentiated Learning Needs   Students may
draw in their
journals and use the
anchor chart of the
NBC as
reference.   
Summarize,
Evaluate & Reflect – after teaching the
lesson, ask students to reflect on their learning.
Instructors can also reflect on the lesson, its
success, and how it can be improved.
Have students role play a tour guide, guests, and
admissions person (in small groups) using the facts
they’ve learned about the National Butterfly Center.

S.S. Butterflies and Migration Lesson Plan - Day 5
Lesson Title and Duration Fieldtrip to the National Butterfly Center
40 minutes
Learner Outcomes /
Objectives (Write on the board so students
and visitors are aware of student learning
outcome)
Students will take a fieldtrip to the National Butterfly
Center.
Standards (the California-adopted Common
Core Standards and Career Technical
Education Standards addressed by this lesson
plan)
Common Core searchable database:
http://db.readinglions.net/commoncore/index.l
asso?fa=search
Career Technical Education Standards:
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/sf/documents/ctest
andards.pdf
§113.15. Social Studies, Grade 4, Beginning with
School Year 2011-2012.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(12) Economics. The student understands patterns of
work and economic activities in Texas. The student is
expected to:
(C) analyze the effects of exploration, immigration,
migration, and limited resources on the economic
development and growth of Texas;
Materials
Needed
Journals and pencils.
Differentiated Learning Needs Flashcards of what
students went over
throughout the
week.

Anticipatory Set – activities that help
focus students on the lesson of the day (the
“hook”)
Just before heading off to the NBC teacher will scaffold
students on learned material from throughout the week.
Teaching the Lesson
➢ Modeling – how will you
demonstrate the skill or competency?
➢ Instructional Strategies – how
will you deliver the lesson?
➢ Check for Understanding – how
will you ensure the skill or
competency is understood by the
students?
Differentiated Learning Needs Flashcards of what
students went over
throughout the
week..
Guided Practice /
Monitoring – an activity directly
supervised by the instructor that allows
students to demonstrate grasp of new learning.
Instructor moves around the room determining
the level of mastery and providing individual
remediation as needed.
Students will be put into groups of two and will need to
answer the questions on their journal given by teacher.
Students may also put whatever they find interesting
and have any questions on in their journal so when we
get back to the classroom after the fieldtrip, class can
have a whole group discussion
Differentiated
Learning Needs
Students working
in pairs.

Closure – Statements or actions made by the
instructor that help students make sense out of
what has just been taught, to help form a
coherent picture, to eliminate confusion and
frustration, and to reinforce major points to be
learned.
Whole group discussion when arrive to classroom after
fieldtrip.
Independent
Practice – a question or problem for
students to ponder on their own or in small
groups or pairs. The aim is to reinforce and
extend the learning beyond the lesson and
ideally into real world settings. This may be a
homework assignment.
Students write a reflection of what they learned, saw,
liked, disliked, etc in their journals.
Differentiated Learning Needs Student may draw
pictures and write
words.
Summarize,
Evaluate & Reflect – after teaching the
lesson, ask students to reflect on their learning.
Instructors can also reflect on the lesson, its
success, and how it can be improved.
Students will share in groups of four (to each other) as
teacher walks around and hears on what each kid is
saying.

References
National Butterfly Center website: https://www.nationalbutterflycenter.org/
UTRGV Library LRGV Collection:
“The Birding & Butterfly Guide 2005 Checklists, Maps, Hotspots in the Rio Grande
Valley” “RGV guidebooks” Copyright 2005, The Monitor (LRGV QL683.L6 B57)

“The Rio Grande Valley 2001 Birding & Butterfly Guide” HUNTCO Publishing,
Copyright 2001, Brent Hunter (LRGV QL683.L6 B57)

“2008 Birding & Butterfly Guide” “RGV guidebooks” Copyright 2008, The Monitor.
Publisher - M. Olaf Frandsen (LRGV QL683.L6 B57)