Life cycles: born, grow, reproduce, die

Science · Organisms & Life Processes · ages 7-9

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Which of these is NOT one of the four stages every life cycle shares?
- Reproduction
- Sleeping
- Growth
What is the first stage of a butterfly's life cycle?
- Caterpillar
- Egg
- Chrysalis
A frog's life cycle includes being born, growing, having babies, and dying.
Circle one: True False
Look at the butterfly's life cycle. How many stages come before it becomes an adult butterfly?
Answer: ______________
A tadpole loses its tail and grows legs. Which stage of the frog's life cycle is happening?
- Birth
- Growth
- Reproduction
A sunflower grows from a seed into a tall plant, little by little. Why is this still a life cycle, even though it doesn't look like a butterfly's metamorphosis?
- Because the plant also gets born, grows, reproduces, and dies
- Because plants are a type of animal
- Because the sunflower changes into a totally different shape
A ladybug hatches from an egg, becomes a larva, then a pupa, then an adult ladybug that lays new eggs. Which two organisms from this lesson have the most similar life cycle pattern to the ladybug?
- Sunflower and frog
- Sunflower only
- Butterfly and frog
Mia says, "A plant's life cycle is totally different from an animal's, because a plant doesn't reproduce." What is wrong with Mia's idea?
- Plants do reproduce. They make seeds that grow into new plants
- Plants don't have a life cycle at all
- Mia is right, plants don't reproduce

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Sleeping · The four shared stages are birth, growth, reproduction, and death. Sleeping is not one of them.
Egg · A butterfly's life begins as a tiny egg, usually laid on a leaf.
True · Yes. Every animal's life cycle includes these four stages, even a frog's.
3 · Egg, caterpillar, and chrysalis all happen before the butterfly becomes an adult. That is 3 stages.
Growth · The tadpole's body is changing as it grows toward becoming an adult frog. That is the growth stage.
Because the plant also gets born, grows, reproduces, and dies · A life cycle isn't about how dramatic the change looks. It is about going through birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
Butterfly and frog · Like the ladybug, the butterfly and frog both go through metamorphosis, a big change in body shape between stages.
Plants do reproduce. They make seeds that grow into new plants · Plants reproduce too. A flower makes seeds, and those seeds grow into new plants. That is the plant's reproduction stage.