Life Science · Life Cycles
Animal & Plant Life Cycles
Build and compare life-cycle models to explain how organisms begin life, grow and change, reproduce, and eventually die while offspring begin a new generation.



Lesson plan
Animal & Plant Life Cycles
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Lesson overview
What students will learn
- Develop and use a model to show ordered life-cycle stages and the connection from a reproducing adult to offspring in a new generation.
- Compare different life cycles and explain the shared pattern of beginning life, growth and change, reproduction, and eventual death across generations.
Key science ideas
- Organisms begin life, grow, and change.
- Adults can reproduce, producing offspring that begin a new generation.
- Individual organisms eventually die, but the life-cycle pattern can continue through offspring.
Lesson at a glance
- Grade 3
- 46 min
- ~10 min prep
- 3-LS1-1
- 6 materials
What’s included
- Lesson Plan
- Investigation
- Teacher Slides
- Printable Worksheet
- Teacher Answer Key
- Interactive Activity
- Vocabulary