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Introduction
You are a zoologist (a person who studies animals) or an entomologist (a person who studies insects). You want to find out about how animals and insects are born, grow, and die. Together with three fellow scientists, you will research the life cycle of an animal or insect and become an expert on it. At the annual zoologists convention you will have the opportunity to share with your fellow scientists what exciting information you have learned about your chosen animal!

The Task
1. You will work with three friends to research and discover the life cycle of your chosen animal or insect.
2. You will learn about your animal or insect of choice and discover about its life cycle.
3. You will create a life cycle diagram using Kidspiration, Power Point, or Kid Pix
4. You will then have the exciting opportunity to share your creation and what you learned with your fellow researchers in class.

The Process
1. First you will form a group with three other zoologists or entomologists.
2. Next, from the following categories, choose an animal or insect that your group wants to investigate. Each group should choose a different type of animal:

• Land animal/ Mammals and more about mammals(cow, horse, pig, dog, or cat)
  
• Sea mammals (seal, dolphin, or whale)
  
• Reptile (turtle, lizard, or snake)
  
• Amphibian <br> and more on amphibians (frog, toad, or salamander)
  
• Insect and more on insects(butterfly or dragonfly)
  
• Bird and more about birds(any type)
  
• Fish (any type)
  

3. Now you are ready to research your animal! You will want to find out:

• How are the babies born? Do they hatch from eggs or are they born live?
  
• What kinds of changes does the animal/insect go through as it grows and develops into an adult?
  
• How long do these changes take to happen? One day? One week? One month?
  
• What happens at the end of the animals life cycle?
  
• How many stages does the life cycle of your animal have? What is the sequence (order) of these stages?
  

Click on the name of your chosen animal or insect above to find out about its life cycle. You may have to scroll down on the web page to find information about the life cycle of your animal. Make sure that each team member takes part in the research and creation of your diagram.

4. Design and label a life cycle diagram using Kidspiration, Power Point, or Kids Pix.

• Include all the stages in sequence of your animal/insects life cycle.
  
• Label the stages. Write one sentence for every stage describing the main event in that stage.
  

5. Share your findings with all your fellow scientists! Present your final product in our class discussion. Tell us the answers to the questions from step 3 as you explain the life cycle of your animal/insect. During our class discussion, we will talk about how the life cycles of these animals are the same and how they are different. We will discuss these questions:

• What was similar and different about the births of these animals?
  
• Which stages are the same in all life cycles of the animals? Which animals have more or different stages?
  
• How is the development and growth of reptiles and insects different from that of mammals? What about amphibians and birds?
  

Evaluation
Each student will receive a grade for his or her own involvement with his/her group. You will be graded on the following:

	Beginning1	Developing2	Accomplished3	Exemplary4	Score
Working Together in a Group	Students did not work collaboratively in a group.	Students worked in a group but did not accomplish the goals. Division of labor was not equal. One or two students did all the work.	Students worked in a group and accomplished most goals. Most students participated in the research and creation of the project.	Students worked in a group and accomplished all goals. Each student participated equally in the research and creation of the project.
Oral Presentation	Students did not answer questions from step 3 about the life cycle of the animal they researched.	Students answered a few of the questions from step 3 about the life cycle of the animal they researched.	Students answered most of the questions from step 3 about the life cycle of the animal they researched.	Students answered all of the questions from step 3 about the life cycle of the animal they researched.
Life Cycle Diagram	Students did not create a diagram.	Students created an incomplete diagram of the life cycle of the animal they researched.	Students completed a diagram of the life cycle of their animal but did not label and explain it.	Students created a complete diagram of the life cycle of their animal with appropriate labels and brief explanations of stages.
Class Discussion (Scored Individually)	Student did not participate in the class discussion.	Student participated in the discussion, offering few comments.	Student participated in the class discussion, offering comments, but did not make connections between his work and other students' work.	Student participated enthusiastically in the class discussion offering many comments and making connections.

Conclusion
Great work, researchers! We have learned how the life cycles of various animals are the same and how they are different. We have been able to compare and contrast the different stages of the animals we chose to study. Now we are expert zoologists and entomologists!

Credits & References

This project meets the Utah Second Grade Core Content Standard III: Students will develop an understanding of their environment.
Objective 1: Investigate relationships between plants and animals and how living things change during their lives.
Indicator a: Describe the life cycle of local plants and animals using diagrams and pictures.