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Worksheets and No Prep Teaching Resources
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Animal Themes
Insects
Invertebrates
Butterflies & Moths: Life Cycle

Animal Themes
Animal Themes

Butterflies & Moths: Life Cycle
Print Butterflies & Moths: Life Cycle Reading Comprehension with Fifth Grade Work

Print Butterflies & Moths: Life Cycle Reading Comprehension with Sixth Grade Work

Print Butterflies & Moths: Life Cycle Reading Comprehension

Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 5 to 6
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   6.18

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    transformation, non-stop, claspers, leg-like, prolegs, skin-replacing, commonly, meaning, solution, stage, godmother, rear, form, layer, although, term

Other Languages
     Spanish: Mariposas y Polillas: Ciclo de Vida

Butterflies & Moths: Life Cycle   
1     Butterflies and moths are like the Cinderella of the world of insects! Although they don't have a fairy godmother to give them a pumpkin coach and a beautiful outfit, they look completely amazing as soon as they step out of their sealed rooms. Butterflies and moths do not have to worry about the midnight rule that Cinderella must follow. Butterflies and moths get to keep their pretty clothes even after the clock strikes twelve!
 
2     So, what do butterflies and moths look like before they have this complete makeover? Well, let's just say that the young look nothing like the adult! In fact, the young looks so different from the adult that we don't even call it a butterfly or a moth. We call it a caterpillar.
 
3     Butterflies and moths start their lives in the form of eggs. When the eggs hatch, caterpillars emerge. Caterpillars have no wings, so they cannot fly. To get around, caterpillars must crawl. Caterpillars have long, plump bodies that are divided into 13 segments. On the front segments are their 3 pairs of legs. How do caterpillars drag themselves around with just 3 pairs of legs all located at the front of their bodies? Not to worry, caterpillars have a perfect solution to avoid moving around awkwardly. Caterpillars have about 5 pairs of leg-like muscular stumps on their rear segments. Except for the very last pair, we call these muscular stumps "prolegs." The two muscular stumps on the last segment of their bodies are called claspers. With the help of their prolegs and claspers, caterpillars hold onto leaves or tree branches (sometimes, our clothes or hair!) firmly and move around swiftly.

Paragraphs 4 to 6:
For the complete story with questions: click here for printable
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Animal Themes
             Animal Themes

Insects
             Insects

Invertebrates
             Invertebrates

More Lessons
             Butterflies and Moths Theme
             Rain Forest


Animals
    Amphibians  
 
    Birds  
 
    Deserts  
 
    Fish  
 
    Freshwater  
 
    Grasslands  
 
    Insects  
 
 
    Invertebrates  
 
    Mammals  
 
    Oceans  
 
    Polar Regions  
 
    Rain Forest  
 
    Reptiles  
 



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