Grade

Ontario Education Curriculum

( info obtained from the Ministry of Education and Training Website)

Spreading Wings Butterfly Project Themes and Topics

Kindergarten

Science

•  Demonstrate understanding of and care for the natural world;

•  Describe some natural occurrences, using their own observations (e.g., sprouting of seeds; opening of buds; falling of leaves in autumn);

•  Describe local natural habitats

•  Identify patterns and cycles in the natural world (e.g., pattern of petals on a flower; life cycle of a butterfly);

•  Demonstrate awareness of the need for recycling.

•  Discuss the need to plant flowers to provide food and shelter for butterflies.

•  Discuss life cycle of a butterfly (basic principles of a caterpillar transforming into butterflies.

•  The types of plants that are needed for butterflies and caterpillar

1

Life Systems-Characteristics and Needs of Living Things

Vocabulary:
Body, legs, wings and feelers

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•  Identify and compare common characteristics humans and animals have and describe basic changes in humans as they grow and compare them with other living things

•  Describe patterns observed in living things

•  Needs for living things

•  Ways to maintain healthy environment

•  Compare basic needs of humans with those of other living things and the way they use their senses to meet needs

•  Identify a familiar animal or plant by seeing only parts of it

•  Discuss butterflies need of food and shelter, and how they grow (compare with humans.

•  Discuss how restoring butterfly habitats by planting wildflowers and eliminating pesticides maintain healthy environment

•  Discuss how butterflies use their sense of taste and touch to meet their needs just as humans do.

•  Discuss basics of butterfly life cycle.

•  Discuss the types of plants needed for stages in life cycle.

2

Life Systems-Growth and Changes in Animals

Vocabulary:
Egg, caterpillar, larva, chrysalis, adult

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•  Identify and describe major physical characteristics different types of animals

•  Identify behaviour characteristics that enable animals to survive

•  Classify a variety of animals using observable characteristics

•  Compare ways animals eat their food

•  Describe changes in animal as it goes through its complete lifecycle

•  Compare life cycles of animals (gerbil and butterfly)

•  Identify constant and changing traits in animals as they grow

•  Describe ways animals respond and adapt to environment

•  Needs of different animals

•  Demonstrate awareness of caring for animals properly

•  Discuss and observe physical and behavioural characteristics of butterflies, and how they use them for survival/how they adapt to environment

•  Discuss the life cycle of butterfly, the changes and needs at each stage

•  Needs of animals related to their habitat., ie. Meadows

•  Discuss how animals should be treated in the wild, how to observe and learn without harming them.

3

Life Systems- Growth and Changes in Plants

Vocabulary:
Stem, pistil, stamen, flower

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•  Identify major parts of plants using visible characteristics

•  Describe changes plants undergo in complete life cycle

•  Describe effects of seasons on plants

•  Compare life cycles of different types of plants

•  Describe how growth of plants in effected by environmental changes

•  Explain how different features of plants help them survive

•  Design hands on inquiry into seed germination or plant growth

•  Identify needs of plants

•  Describe ways plants and animals depend on each other

•  Compare requirements of some plants and animals

•  Demonstrate awareness of how to care for plants

•  Identify function of local plants

•  Describe how humans use plants for food, shelter and clothing

•  Describe ways humans can protect natural areas.

•  Discuss the need of restoring meadows for butterfly habitats

•  The effects humans have had on natural vegetation and environment; changes of plants to adapt; invasive species-how they survive and take over.

•  The dependency of butterflies and other insects on plants; pollination.

•  How to properly maintain and grow plants.

•  Discuss the types of plants needed for butterfly habitats; meadow conditions, site location;

•  How to protect natural areas: eliminate pesticides, restore habitats.

•  Native plants used medicinally and other uses.

4

Life Systems- Habitats and Communities

Vocabulary:
Habitat, Population, ecological niche, community, food chain.

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•  Identify various factors that affect plants and animals in a specific habitat

•  Show effects of plants and animals of the loss of their natural habitat, describe ways humans can affect the natural world

•  Investigate ways in which extinction of a plant or animal species affects the rest of the natural community and humans

•  Describes ways humans are dependent on plants and animals

•  Describe structural adaptations of plants and animals in response to environment

•  Recognize plants and animals live in specific habitats because they are dependent on them, classify plants and animals found in local habitats

•  Classify organism according to role in the food chain

•  Discuss human effects on the natural world.

•  The results of loss of butterfly habitat, how butterflies and other insets are affected

•  How plants, butterflies and other animals adapt to the environment

•  Discuss the meadow habitat, why certain animals need this specific habitat

•  Discuss the types of plants needed to be planted according to stages in butterfly life cycle.

•  The role of butterflies play in the food chain; their role in ecosystem.

5

Life Systems- Human Organ Systems

Vocabulary:
Teeth, esophagus, stomach and gastric juices

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•  Describes types of nutrients in food

•  Identify a balanced diet

•  Identify food sources from which people in various societies obtain nutrients

•  Demonstrate awareness that some disorders can be affected by diet

•  Describe ways in which various kinds of organisms are used to recycle human waste

•  Explain how the health of human beings is being affected by environmental factors

•  Compare nutritional needs of butterflies to those of humans; nectar and minerals important for their survival.

•  Food sources for butterflies, insects and other wildlife.

•  Specific plants for each stage in life cycle needed to be planted and needed to sustain meadow.

•  How butterflies and other insects can recycle wastes; important roles of butterflies.

•  How human health and wildlife health is affected by environmental factors, ie., pesticide use, loss of green spaces

6

Life Systems-Diversity of Living Things

Vocabulary:
Organism, species, structure, and kingdom.

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•  Recognize essential difference between cold and warm blooded animals in different means of regulating body temperature

•  Identify and describe the characteristics of invertebrates, and classify invertebrates into phyla

•  Compare the characteristics of vertebrates and invertebrates

•  Compare characteristics of different kinds of arthropods

•  Describe ways in which organisms meet their basic needs

•  Identify inherited characteristics and learned or behavioural characteristics

•  Describe specific characteristics or adaptations that enable each group of vertebrate to live in a particular habitat and explain importance of maintaining habitat for survival

•  Explain how fossils provide evidence of changes of animals over geological time

•  Discuss classification of butterflies and moths (order Lepidoptera,,,).

•  Discuss how cold blooded butterflies regulate body temperature.

•  Discuss how butterflies are invertebrates, insects, etc; differences between butterflies and moths.

•  How butterflies meet their needs, types of plants needed for survival.

•  Inherited and learned characteristics of butterflies.

•  Adaptations of butterflies and other species to live in meadow habitat.

•  The time period for the existence of butterflies and moths.

7

Life Systems- Interactions Within Ecosystems

Vocabulary:
Biosphere, biome, ecosystem, species

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•  Identify populations of organisms within an ecosystem and the factors that contribute to their survival

•  Identify and explain roles of producers, consumers, and decomposers in food chain and their effects on the environment

•  Explain effect of micro organisms in recycling organic matter

•  Investigate ways in which natural communities within ecosystems can change, and explain how such changes can affect animal and plant populations

•  Identify signs of ecological succession in a local ecosystem

•  Explain importance of plants as sources of energy

•  Describe conditions in an ecosystem that are essential to the growth and reproduction of plants and micro organisms

•  Explain long-term effects of the loss of natural habitats and the extinction of species

•  Identify and explain economic, environmental and social factors that should be considered in the managements and preservation of habitat

•  Discuss butterfly populations, why the decrease

•  Butterflies role in the food chain

•  How butterflies contribute in recycling.

•  How pesticide use and habitat loss have affected the ecosystem; affects on butterflies and other meadow wildlife.

•  Ecological succession in meadow, reason for use of hydro corridor for planting

•  Types of plants needed for butterfly survival & meadow ecosystem

•  Importance in preservation of habitats.

8

Life Systems-Cells, Organs, and Systems

Vocabulary:
Organelle, diffusion, osmosis, selectively permeable.

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•  Describe, using observations, differences in structure between plant and animal cells

•  Describe and explain the structure and function of specialized cells and tissues in different parts of plants

•  Explain how structure of the roots, stem, and leaves of a plant permit the movements of food, water, and gases

•  Compare the structure of different plants and show how their structure enables them to live in specific conditions

•  Functions of comparable structures in different groups of living things

•  Describe ways in which substances work by altering the way cells function

•  Importance of meadow ecosystem for butterflies and other wildlife.

•  Physical characteristics of butterflies-organs, systems, how they are used for survival.

•  How butterflies over winter (water movement from cells, etc.).

•  Different plants needed for survival, their physical structure, and adaptation to meadow habitat.

•  Human effects on environment

•  Affects of pesticides and habitat loss on health of wildlife and humans

•  Different food sources for butterflies needed for minerals and other nutrients other than nectar.

9

Biology - Reproduction, Earth and Space Science

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•  Describe cell division, including mitosis, as part of the cell cycle, including the roles of the nucleus, cell membrane, and organelles

•  Describe various types of asexual reproduction that occur in plant species or animal species, and various methods for the asexual propagation of plants

•  Describe and give examples of types of sexual reproduction that occur in plants and in animals, including hermaphrodites

•  Compare sexual and asexual reproduction

•  Provide examples of how developments in reproductive biology have had an impact on global and local food production, populations, the spread of disease, and the environment

•  Discuss reproduction of butterflies.

•  Discuss behaviours and activities- mating, egg laying.

•  Types of plants required for life cycle of butterfly.

•  Importance of butterflies in pollination of plants.

•  Importance of butterflies in ecosystem.

•  Importance of meadow restoration for wildlife, including maintaining biodiversity and plant species.

•  Reproduction of plants.

•  Affects of humans on the environment

•  Effects of pesticide use and habitat loss –inhibits ability to lay eggs, etc.

10

Biology - Sustainability of Ecosystems

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•  Explain the process of bioaccumulation and assess its potential impact on the viability and diversity of consumers at all trophic levels; Examine the factors (natural and external) that affect the survival and equilibrium of populations in an ecosystem

•  Examine how abiotic factors affect the survival and geographical location of biotic communities

•  Explain why different ecosystems respond differently to short-term stresses and long-term changes

•  Compare a natural and a disturbed ecosystem and suggest ways of assuring their sustainability

•  Explain how soil composition and fertility can be altered in an ecosystem and identify the possible consequences of such changes.

•  Natural change on an ecosystem

•  Describe ways in which the relationships between living organisms and their ecosystems are viewed by other cultures

•  Explain changes in popular views about the sustainability of ecosystems and humans' responsibility in preserving them

•  Discuss importance of butterflies in ecosystem, their habitat

•  Discuss the plants being used to restore meadow, how these plants are important to butterfly survival at all stages in the butterfly lifecycle.

•  Stresses and changes in meadow habitats and affects on butterflies, insects and other wildlife in meadow, affects of pesticide use and habitat loss on humans, animals, plants and soil composition.

•  Uses of plants and wildlife by cultures(natives).

•  How to help preserve and protect habitats.

•  Affects on migration patterns due to habitat loss across the world, relationship of all ecosystems.

11

Biology - Cellular Functions, Genetic Continuity, Diversity of Living Things, Plants; Anatomy, Growth, and Functions

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•  Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between cell functions and their technological and environmental applications.

•  Describe and explain the major processes, mechanisms, and systems, including the respiratory, circulatory, and digestive systems, by which plants and animals maintain their internal environment;

•  Illustrate and explain, through laboratory investigations, the contribution of various types of systems and processes to internal regulation in plant and animal systems;

•  Describe the importance of nutrients and digestion in providing substances needed for energy and growth

•  Compare the anatomy of different organisms – vertebrate and/or invertebrate

•  Demonstrate an understanding of the connection between biodiversity and species survival

•  Describe the major processes and mechanisms by which plants grow, develop, and supply various products, including energy and nutrition, needed by other organisms;

•  Demonstrate an understanding, based in part on their own investigations, of the connections among the factors that affect the growth of plants, the uses of plants, and the ways in which plants adapt to their environment;

•  Evaluate how the energy and nutritional needs of a population influence the development and use of plant science and technology.

•  Illustrate the process of succession and the role of plants in the maintenance of diversity and the survival of organisms;

•  Describe the effects of growth regulators (e.g., auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins);

•  Describe and explain some of the uses of plant extracts in food and therapeutic products.

•  Water movement from cells for winter survival.

•  Discuss functions of respiratory, digestive functions of butterflies.

•  Temperature regulation of butterflies and moths.

•  Differences between butterflies and moths.

•  Food and nutrients needed by butterflies, also types of plants needed in meadow to sustain life cycle.

•  Classification of butterflies as insects.

•  Biodiversity of plants and animals needed in the meadow as well as in the rest of park.

•  Relationship between plants and the environment, how plants adapt to environment (invasive species).

•  Reason for use of hydro corridor for meadow.

•  Growth regulators in caterpillars during instar and pupating cycles

•  Uses of native plants for humans(medicinal, food, clothing).

12

Biology - Metabolic Processes, Molecular Genetics, Homeostasis, Evolution, Population Dynamics

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•  Apply the laws of thermodynamics to the transfer of energy in the cell, particularly with respect to respiration and photosynthesis;

•  Analyse how environmental factors (physical, chemical, emotional, and microbial) and technological applications affect/contribute to the maintenance of homeostasis, and examine related societal issues.

•  Analyse evolutionary mechanisms, and the processes and products of evolution;

•  Analyse how the science of evolution can be related to current areas of biological study, and how technological development has extended or modified knowledge in the field of evolution.

•  Analyse the components of population growth, and explain the factors that affect the growth of various populations of species;

•  Investigate, analyse, and evaluate populations, their interrelationships within ecosystems, and their effect on the sustainability of life on this planet;

•  Evaluate the carrying capacity of the Earth, and relate the carrying capacity to the growth of populations, their consumption of natural resources, and advances in technology.

•  Discuss thermoregulation in butterflies and moths.

•  Discuss environmental adaptation of plants and animals.

•  Evolution of butterflies and moths.

•  Migrating butterfly monitoring and tagging.

•  Affects of humans, habitat loss and pesticide use on butterfly populations, human health and overall health of the environment.

•  Discuss habitat loss throughout the world and their effects on migrating species (monarchs).