Comparing Animal Life Cycles

Science · Ecosystems & Habitats · ages 9-10

Name ______________________ Date ____________

A puppy looks like a tiny dog as soon as it is born.
Circle one: True False
What is the resting stage of a butterfly's metamorphosis called?
- Tadpole
- Chrysalis
- Cocoon
Whose babies look like tiny versions of the adult: a bird's or an insect's?
- A bird's
- An insect's
- Both
Count the main stages in a butterfly's life cycle: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, butterfly.
Answer: ______________
A tadpole grows legs, loses its tail, and turns into a frog. What is this an example of?
- Direct development
- Metamorphosis
- No real change
Compare a chick and a caterpillar. Which one changes into a completely different shape before becoming an adult?
- The chick
- The caterpillar
- Neither one
A newborn animal already looks like a mini version of its parents and never changes shape, only size. Which group does it most likely belong to?
- Insect
- Amphibian
- Mammal
Zara says every baby animal goes through metamorphosis since they all start small and grow bigger. What's wrong with her thinking?
- She's mixing up growing bigger with changing shape completely
- She's actually right about all animals
- She forgot amphibians exist

Answer key

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

True · That's what direct development means: the baby already looks like a small adult, not a totally different shape.
Chrysalis · The chrysalis is where a caterpillar's body changes completely into a butterfly. A cocoon is spun by moths, not butterflies.
A bird's · Bird chicks look like small birds already. Most insects change shape completely instead.
4 · Egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly: four stages, four different shapes.
Metamorphosis · The tadpole's body changes completely before it becomes a frog. That total change is metamorphosis.
The caterpillar · The caterpillar turns into a totally different shape, a butterfly. The chick just grows bigger, keeping the same shape.
Mammal · Mammals, like birds, usually grow through direct development: the baby keeps the same shape and simply gets bigger.
She's mixing up growing bigger with changing shape completely · Every animal grows bigger, but only some, like insects and amphibians, change into a totally different shape. That's the real difference.