Insect Life Cycles

These PowerPoint presentations can be used to start a classroom conversation about the life cycles of the butterfly and the stick insect. 

The presentations contain simple information, aligned to the curriculum, along with questions to engage students in sharing knowledge.

This resource can be used as part of a visit to the Bugs Alive exhibition at Melbourne Museum, or as a standalone classroom learning resource. 

In this activity students will

• Explore the life cycles of a butterfly and a stick insect.
• Compare the difference between complete metamorphosis and incomplete metamorphosis.

Suggested questions to engage students

• What is a life cycle?
• Does every living thing have a life cycle?
• Do we have life cycles? What stages have you been through already?

What to do

Introduce students to the idea that all living things have a life cycle. Even us! 

Both presentations concern insect life cycles. Before you begin, you may like to ask students:

• How many kinds of insects can you name?
• Can you name any stages an insect goes through as it grows? 

Download the presentations

• Life cycles: Butterflies|  816.88 KB .pptx file
• Life cycles: Stick Insects|  1.27 MB .pptx file

These two insects have been chosen as they undergo different types of metamorphosis.

As you present them to your class, draw student's attention to the different stages each insect goes through as it grows and changes. You might like to start a classroom vocabulary list for any words that are new to your students.

After looking at the presentations you may like to discuss:

• Were the two-insect life cycles the same?
• What was different?
• What was the same?