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I think students learn more effectively when they are giving the opportunity to explore science and draw their own conclusion based on their personal experiences. Teaching about the life cycle of a butterfly can be quite challenging for some teachers because misconceptions may arise such as students believing that the life cycle ends when an organism dies, but it continues in the offspring produced. Cycles do not have beginnings or endings. Students may think that all living things that are similar will go through the same stages during their life cycles. They should realize that there are exceptions, such as, a few mammals lay eggs, some fish and reptiles give birth to live young. However, teachers can welcome the topic of butterflies into their classroom by adding their own creative flair, building a good lesson in a variety of exciting ways, from art, writing, and research to cooperative games and projects. 

Rebecca, I agree! The life cycle can de a difficult subject for young students. I feel like the best way to teach students about butterfly metamorphis and life cycle is to provide a real example such as raising butterflies in the classroom. It engages students and they often check everyday to note change. It will help them apply the knowledge they learned to the action happenening into their own classroom. Not all teachers are able to do this but we can isntead use a variety of literature such as picture books and also include videos and ask students about their own experiences.

I agree with you, Samreen and Rebecca, raising an insect such as a butterfly in the classroom provides children a first-hand experience with observing and documenting those changes and discussing to build understanding. 

The Tenebrio beetles are not as lovely or delicate as butterflies but they are cute in their own way and much easier to maintain through several life cycles. See these two of my resources from NSTA,:

The Early Years: Counting a Culture of Mealworms. Science and Children. October 2007.

Beetles before butterflies. NSTA Early Years blog. Posted February 25, 2016. http://blog.nsta.org/2016/02/25/beetles-before-butterflies/ 

Best wishes,

Peggy

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