2-hour CLIL module: BUTTERFLY LIFE CYCLE

BUTTERFLY LIFE CYCLE

Aims of the lesson:

- Investigate the caterpillars’ life.

- Learn the cycle of the butterfly and how to sequence the different stages.

- Become familiar with butterfly vocabulary words.

- Develop the vocabulary related to the topic of the task.

Session 1 (1hour)

To introduce the new lesson to the class the teacher will prepare the students for the task in groups of 4, and in order to check the previous knowledge of the students, the teacher will start the activity by asking them what they know about “the caterpillar”.

The teacher starts the task telling the students that they will speak about something very interesting: The lifecycle of a butterfly. Through the dialogue, the teacher will ask questions to know the previous knowledge of the students: whether they have seen a caterpillar in real life, what does a caterpillar eat or where does a caterpillar live? The teacher will write the answers of the students on the board.

Then the video "THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR" will be play. Click on the link THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILAR to play it.    

After watching the video to make sure the students have understood it, the teacher will play the video again stopping it. The students will have a worksheet with questions and they will complete it on groups of 2. Click on the link WORKSHEET to download it.  

For the last activity of the session the students will play a pc-game on the computer room. On the game they will have to drag the stages of butterfly development in the right order. Click on the link GAME to play.

Session 2 (1hour) 

This second session will be more focus on the global comprehension of the lesson. First, the teacher will present the new vocabulary: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis (cocoon) and butterfly, pupa, larva, generation, life cycle; using flascards. The students will have to repeat after the teacher the name of the picture on the flashcards.Click on the link FLASHCARDS. 

After they learn the new vocabulary, the students will have to find these images in the story of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar”. Then they will have to order chronologically the 4 stages. 

For the last activity of the lesson, the students will work individually creating their own caterpillar life cycle on a paper plate. Once is done they will bring it home. Click on the link EXAMPLE to see the final result.