Science, Life Science

Grade 1- 3

Objective

Students understand that butterfly eggs come in a variety of sizes, colors, and shapes.

Directions

Tell students that butterfly eggs look different from any other type of egg. They can be green, red, blue, yellow, or brown. Some eggs are round like balls while others are shaped like little barrels, pancakes, or pickles. Usually their shells are decorated with lines and dots that cannot be seen except with a magnifying lens. The butterfly mother uses a natural glue to attach her eggs to a leaf or fasten them to a twig so that they will not fall to the ground. Many butterflies lay one egg at a time while still others deposit hundreds of them side by side in neat rows.
Find a leaf. Glue a small white bean to the leaf. Show it to the children and explain that all butterflies start out as eggs on a leaf. Tell the class that the butterfly mother always puts her eggs on a leaf that is her favorite food so that when her eggs hatch there will be plenty of food for her babies to eat.
Show students the butterfly egg examples on the handout. Provide them with the green clay or dough and have them make a gumdrop shape. Tell them that this is a Painted Lady butterfly egg. Continue in the same manner with the remaining color clay:

• blue pickle shape for egg of the Common Blue butterfly
• red cone shape for the egg of the Monarch butterfly
• yellow tire shape for the egg of the Spring Azure butterfly

Resources

• modeling clay or homemade dough in green, blue, red, and yellow
• butterfly egg example handout