Life cycles

Life cycles of mammals, birds, insects, amphibians, and plants; reproduction

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1
Put the stages of a butterfly's life cycle in the correct order. Put these in order: Pupa (chrysalis), Adult butterfly, Egg, Larva (caterpillar)
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2
What is metamorphosis? A) A dramatic change in body form during an animal's life cycle B) When an animal grows bigger but stays the same shape C) When an animal hibernates in winter D) When an animal migrates to a new habitat
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3
Put the stages of a frog's life cycle in the correct order. Put these in order: Froglet, Adult frog, Frogspawn (eggs), Tadpole
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4
True or false? Pollination is when pollen moves from the anther to the stigma of a flower. A) True B) False
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5
True or false? All mammals give birth to live young. A) True B) False
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6
Which part of a flower produces pollen? A) Anther B) Stigma C) Petal D) Sepal
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7
Match each type of animal to how it reproduces. Match each item on the left to one on the right. Left: Mammal, Bird, Insect, Amphibian Right: Live birth, feeds young with milk, Lays hard-shelled eggs, keeps them warm, Lays many small eggs, often on leaves, Lays soft eggs (spawn) in water
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8
Put the stages of plant reproduction in the correct order. Put these in order: Seed dispersal, Pollination, Germination, Fertilisation, Seed formation
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9
Match each seed dispersal method to an example. Match each item on the left to one on the right. Left: Wind dispersal, Animal dispersal (eaten), Animal dispersal (hitchhiking), Explosion (self-dispersal) Right: Dandelion (parachute seeds), Blackberry (tasty fruit), Burdock (hooks onto fur), Pea pod (bursts open)
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10
True or false? All birds care for their young after they hatch. A) True B) False
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Answer key

Life cycles · for parents and teachers

1
Egg, Larva (caterpillar), Pupa (chrysalis), Adult butterfly
Butterflies undergo complete metamorphosis: egg - larva (caterpillar, which eats and grows) - pupa (chrysalis, where transformation happens) - adult butterfly.
2
A dramatic change in body form during an animal's life cycle
Metamorphosis means a major change in body form. In complete metamorphosis (like butterflies), the animal looks completely different at each stage.
3
Frogspawn (eggs), Tadpole, Froglet, Adult frog
Frogs lay frogspawn in water. Tadpoles hatch and breathe with gills. They gradually grow legs and lungs to become froglets, then fully grown adult frogs.
4
True
Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the anther (male part) to the stigma (female part). This can happen by wind, insects, or other animals.
5
False
Most mammals give birth to live young, but monotremes (like the platypus and echidna) lay eggs. They are still mammals because they feed their young milk.
6
Anther
The anther is the top part of the stamen (male part) and produces pollen grains. Pollen must travel to the stigma (female part) for fertilisation.
7
Mammal → Live birth, feeds young with milk; Bird → Lays hard-shelled eggs, keeps them warm; Insect → Lays many small eggs, often on leaves; Amphibian → Lays soft eggs (spawn) in water
Different animal groups have different reproductive strategies suited to their environments and lifestyles.
8
Pollination, Fertilisation, Seed formation, Seed dispersal, Germination
Pollination (pollen reaches stigma) - fertilisation (pollen joins with ovule) - seed formation - seed dispersal (seed travels away) - germination (seed grows into new plant).
9
Wind dispersal → Dandelion (parachute seeds); Animal dispersal (eaten) → Blackberry (tasty fruit); Animal dispersal (hitchhiking) → Burdock (hooks onto fur); Explosion (self-dispersal) → Pea pod (bursts open)
Seeds are adapted for different dispersal methods. Their structure tells us how they spread: parachutes catch wind, sweet fruit attracts animals, hooks cling to fur, and some pods explode.
10
True
True. Birds typically build nests, sit on eggs and feed their chicks until they can fly.