1. Science Focus Lesson SC4.L.16.4 Life Cycles of Florida Life
Elementary Science
Science Focus Lesson
SC4.L.16.4
Life Cycles of
Florida Life
TEST ITEM SPECIFICATIONS:
Benchmark Clarification
Students will identify, compare, and/or contrast the major life cycles of Florida plants and/or animals.
Content Limits
Items will only assess the life cycles of plants and animals commonly found in Florida.
Items assessing the life cycles of insects are limited to egg, larva, pupa, and adult (complete metamorphosis) or egg, nymph, and adult (incomplete metamorphosis).
Items assessing the life cycles of flowering and nonflowering plants are limited to seed, seedling, and other stages of plant development.
Items assessing the life cycles of animals are limited to egg, embryo, infant, adolescent, and adult stages.
Items will not assess the major stages of the human life cycle.
Polk County Public Schools

2. SC4.L.16.4
Benchmark: Compare and contrast the major stages in the life cycles of Florida plants and animals, such as those that undergo incomplete and complete metamorphosis, and flowering and nonflowering seed-bearing plants.
Essential Question:
What similarities and differences exist in the life cycles of Florida plants and animals?
Vocabulary:
metamorphosis
organism
Metamorphosis: (in an insect or amphibian) The process of transformation from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages.
Organism: An individual animal, plant, or single-celled life form

3. Life Cycles
All living things grow and change in predictable patterns called life cycles. A life cycle is defined as the complete succession of changes undergone by an organism during its life. A new cycle occurs when an identical set of changes is begun.
Metamorphosis refers to the way that insects develop, grow, and change form. Metamorphosis actually means "change". There are two types of metamorphosis-complete and incomplete.
Emphasize the following:
Life cycles of different organisms follow predictable patterns
All organisms start off with an adult of the same type (parent)
All organisms resemble the adult (parent)
All organisms begin small and grow larger

4. Complete Metamorphosis
Most insects go through a life cycle called complete metamorphosis which has 4 stages.
A Lady Bug has a 4 stage life cycle.
2. Larva - Larvae hatch from the eggs. They do not look like adult insects. They usually have a worm-like shape. Caterpillars, maggots, and grubs are all just the larval stages of insects. Larvae molt their skin several times and they grow slightly larger.
3. Pupa - Larvae make cocoons around themselves. Larvae don't eat while they're inside their cocoons. Their bodies develop into an adult shape with wings, legs, internal organs, etc. This change takes anywhere from 4 days to many months.
1. Egg - A female insects lays eggs
Larva have a worm like shape (caterpillar/grub/maggot)
4. Adult - Inside the cocoon, the larvae change into adults. After a period of time, the adult breaks out of the cocoon.

5. Complete Metamorphosis
A beetle has a 4 stage life cycle
2. Larva - Larvae hatch from the eggs. They do not look like adult insects. They usually have a worm-like shape. Caterpillars, maggots, and grubs are all just the larval stages of insects. Larvae molt their skin several times and they grow slightly larger.
1. Egg - A female insect lays eggs
A pupa is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. The pupal stage is found only in insects that undergo a complete metamorphosis The pupae of different groups of insects have different names such as chrysalis in butterflies, cocoon in moths, and tumbler in mosquitoes.
3. Pupa - Larvae make cocoons around themselves. Larvae don't eat while they're inside their cocoons. Their bodies develop into an adult shape with wings, legs, internal organs, etc. This change takes anywhere from 4 days to many months.
4. Adult - Inside the cocoon, the larvae change into adults. After a period of time, the adult breaks out of the cocoon.

6. Complete Metamorphosis
A butterfly has a 4 stage life cycle
1. Egg - A female insects lays eggs
2. Larva - Larvae hatch from the eggs. They do not look like adult insects. They usually have a worm-like shape. Caterpillars, maggots, and grubs are all just the larval stages of insects. Larvae molt their skin several times and they grow slightly larger.
4. Adult - Inside the cocoon, the larvae change into adults. After a period of time, the adult breaks out of the cocoon.
About 88% of all insects go through complete metamorphosis.
3. Pupa - Larvae make cocoons around themselves. Larvae don't eat while they're inside their cocoons. Their bodies develop into an adult shape with wings, legs, internal organs, etc. This change takes anywhere from 4 days to many months.

7. Incomplete Metamorphosis
Some insects go through incomplete (simple) metamorphosis which only has 3 stages.
A leaf-footed bug has a 3 stage life cycle.
2. Nymph - The eggs hatch into nymphs. Nymphs looks like small adults, but usually don't have wings. Insect nymphs eat the same food that the adult insect eats. Nymphs shed or molt their exoskeletons (outer casings made up of a hard substance called chitin) and replace them with larger ones several times as they grow. Most nymphs molt 4-8 times.
1. Egg - A female insect lays eggs. These eggs are often covered by an egg case which protects the eggs and holds them together.
About 12% of all insects go through incomplete metamorphosis.
3. Adult - The insects stop molting when they reach their adult size. By this time, they have also grown wings.

8. Incomplete Metamorphosis
A grasshopper has a 3 stage life cycle.
2. Nymph - The eggs hatch into nymphs. Nymphs looks like small adults, but usually don't have wings. Insect nymphs eat the same food that the adult insect eats. Nymphs shed or molt their exoskeletons (outer casings made up of a hard substance called chitin) and replace them with larger ones several times as they grow. Most nymphs molt 4-8 times.
1. Egg - A female insect lays eggs. These eggs are often covered by an egg case which protects the eggs and holds them together.
A nymph is the immature form of some invertebrates, particularly insects, which undergoes gradual metamorphosis before reaching its adult stage. Unlike a typical larva, a nymph's overall form already resembles that of the adult. In addition, while a nymph moults it never enters a pupal stage. Instead, the final moult results in an adult insect.
3. Adult - The insects stop molting when they reach their adult size. By this time, they have also grown wings.

9. Incomplete Metamorphosis
A dragonfly has a 3 stage life cycle.
2. Nymph - The eggs hatch into nymphs. Nymphs looks like small adults, but usually don't have wings. Insect nymphs eat the same food that the adult insect eats. Nymphs shed or molt their exoskeletons (outer casings made up of a hard substance called chitin) and replace them with larger ones several times as they grow. Most nymphs molt 4-8 times.
1. Egg - A female insect lays eggs. These eggs are often covered by an egg case which protects the eggs and holds them together.
Note that typically nymphs do not yet have wings.
3. Adult - The insects stop molting when they reach their adult size. By this time, they have also grown wings.

10. Summarizing
Fill in the words on the graphic organizer to show how Complete and Incomplete Metamorphosis compare and contrast.
Complete Metamorphosis
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Complete Metamorphosis Both Incomplete Metamorphosis
4 stage cycle stage cycle
Larvae egg nymph
Pupa adult
Word Bank: adult, larvae, pupa, 4 stage cycle, nymph, 3 stage cycle, egg

11. Life Cycle of Animals
Most living creatures go through a similar life cycle. Follow the life cycle of a chicken.
1. Egg- an egg is produced by a female.
2. Embryo- the new living thing is an embryo from the time it is in the egg until it is born or hatched.
The embryo is an unborn or unhatched offspring in the process of development. In specific life cycles there may be specific names for the various stages (an adolescent frog is a froglet, an adolescent horse is a foal, an adolescent swan is a cygnet)
3. Infant –an infant is a new born or newly hatched creature
4. Adolescent – a living creature is an adolescent as it grows up to be an adult
5. Adult – an adult is a fully mature living organism

12. Life Cycle of Animals Follow the life cycle of a swan.
1. Egg- an egg is produced by a female.
2. Embryo- the new living thing is an embryo from the time it is in the egg until it is born or hatched.
3. Infant –an infant is a new born or newly hatched creature
4. Adolescent – a living creature is an adolescent as it grows up to be an adult
5. Adult – an adult is a fully mature living organism

13. Life Cycle of Animals Follow the life cycle of an eagle.
1. Egg- an egg is produced by a female.
2. Embryo- the new living thing is an embryo from the time it is in the egg until it is born or hatched.
3. Infant –an infant is a new born or newly hatched creature
4. Adolescent – a living creature is an adolescent as it grows up to be an adult
5. Adult – an adult is a fully mature living organism

14. Life Cycle of Plants Most plants go through a similar life cycle.
Follow the life cycle of a lima bean plant.
Seed-
a seed contains a tiny undeveloped plant and a supply of food for the plant.
2. Seedling-
a young plant developing out of a plant embryo from a seed.
Plants come from seeds. Each seed contains a tiny plant waiting for the right conditions to germinate, or start to grow. Seeds wait to germinate until three needs are met: water, correct temperature (warmth), and a good location (such as in soil). During its early stages of growth, the seedling relies upon the food supplies stored with it in the seed until it is large enough for its own leaves to begin making food through photosynthesis. The seedling's roots push down into the soil to anchor the new plant and to absorb water and minerals from the soil. And its stem with new leaves pushes up toward the light. The germination stage ends when a shoot emerges from the soil. But the plant is not done growing. It's just started. Plants need water, warmth, nutrients from the soil, and light to continue to grow.
3. Plant
A living organism in the plant kingdom

15. Life Cycle of Plants Most plants go through a similar life cycle.
Follow the life cycle of a lemon tree.
Seed-
a seed contains a tiny undeveloped plant and a supply of food for the plant.
2. Seedling-
a young plant developing out of a plant embryo from a seed.
3. Plant
A living organism in the plant kingdom

16. Life Cycle of Plants Most plants go through a similar life cycle.
Follow the life cycle of lettuce.
Seed-
a seed contains a tiny undeveloped plant and a supply of food for the plant.
2. Seedling-
a young plant developing out of a plant embryo from a seed.
3. Plant
A living organism in the plant kingdom

17. Summarizing Partner A: Talk to Partner B
Describe the life cycle of most animals
Partner B: Talk to Partner A
Describe the life cycle of
most plants
Animal: egg/embryo/infant/adolescent/adult
Plant: seed/seedling/plant

18. Guided Instruction:
Talk to your shoulder partner about the answer to each question. Check your work.
The life cycle of both butterflies and grasshoppers starts at the
same stage. The pictures below show the life cycle of both organisms.
Which of the following is the beginning stage of the life cycle for both
the butterfly and the grasshopper?
egg
larva
nymph
pupa

19. A
The answer is…
All insect life cycles start with an egg!

20. Guided Instruction:
Look at the photograph showing a stage in the life cycle of a Sunflower. Which word best describes this stage of development?
plant
seed
egg
seedling
Note that the seeds themselves are still visible!

21. D When plants first sprout from a seed they are called seedlings
The answer is
When plants first sprout from a seed they are called seedlings
Tomato
Pine
Explain the rationale for the answer so that the teacher understands background knowledge
Onion
Chili Peppers

22. Guided Instruction:
Compare the diagram of the stages in the life cycle of a fly to other life cycle diagrams you have seen. Which organism has a similar life cycle?
swan
butterfly
citrus tree
grasshopper

23. B
The answer is…
A fly, like most insects, has a 4 stage life cycle. This is called complete metamorphosis. Other examples are a lady bug, a butterfly and a beetle.
Explain the rationale for the answer so that the teacher understands background knowledge

24. Summarizing
Think about the life cycles of ALL organisms. Identify ways that they are alike. Use talking chips and work with your table group to identify similarities.
Essential Question:
What do all life cycles have
in common?
Possible ideas:
All come from a similar organism (parent)
All begin small and grow larger
All end up looking similar to the original (parent) organism
All have predictable stages of development

25. Check Your Understanding
Write your answer for each question.
Self-Check at the end!
1. When a frog emerges from the egg it is called a tadpole. What stage of the animal life cycle is a tadpole?
adult
embryo
infant
adolescent

26. Check Your Understanding
2. A young Praying Mantis comes out of the egg case ready to eat and grow. What is this stage of incomplete metamorphosis called?
pupa
adult
egg
nymph

27. Check Your Understanding
3. When moths and butterflies emerge from their eggs they are called caterpillars. Newly emerged flies are called maggots. Newly emerged beetles are called grubs. What stage of complete metamorphosis are caterpillars, grubs and maggots?
adult
pupa
larva
egg
Monarch
Caterpillar
Fly Maggots
Gypsy Moth Caterpillar
Beetle Grub

28. Check Your Answers
C-a tadpole is an “infant” frog. An infant is newly born or newly hatched
D-the stage between egg and adult in incomplete metamorphosis is called a nymph. A nymph is much like an adult but is smaller and has no wings.
C-newly emerged insects which undergo complete metamorphosis are called larva. Larva have a worm like shape and do not look like adults.
Add rationale for answers here.

29. Summary Question
Choose one organism that lives in Florida. Diagram and describe its life cycle. Share with your group.
Note that this graphic shows three stages but not all life cycles have three stages. Students should modify to meet the needs of the organism that they have chosen.