Life Cycles of Animals
Grade 2 · Science · Study Guide
Learn how animals are born, grow, change, and have babies of their own.
All animals go through a life cycle. A life cycle is the series of changes an animal goes through from birth to death. Most animals are born, grow up, have young, and then die.
Some animals have simple life cycles. A dog is born as a puppy, grows into an adult dog, and then can have puppies of its own. A bird hatches from an egg, grows into an adult bird, and then lays eggs.
Some animals go through big changes called metamorphosis. A butterfly starts as a tiny egg. The egg hatches into a caterpillar, which eats lots of leaves and grows. Then the caterpillar forms a chrysalis. Inside the chrysalis, it changes into a beautiful butterfly. This is called complete metamorphosis.
Frogs also change a lot as they grow. A frog starts as an egg in the water. The egg hatches into a tadpole that swims and breathes through gills. Over time, the tadpole grows legs and loses its tail. Finally, it becomes an adult frog that can live on land and in water.
No matter how different animals look, they all share the same basic life cycle steps: birth, growth, reproduction, and death.
Key terms
- life cycle
- The series of changes an animal goes through from birth to death
- metamorphosis
- A big change in an animal's body shape as it grows
- chrysalis
- The hard covering that protects a caterpillar as it changes into a butterfly
- tadpole
- A young frog that lives in water and has a tail but no legs yet
- larva
- A young insect, like a caterpillar, that looks very different from the adult
- reproduce
- To make babies or young of the same kind of animal
Flashcards
- life cycle
- The series of changes an animal goes through from birth to death
- metamorphosis
- A big change in body shape as an animal grows
- chrysalis
- The protective covering around a caterpillar as it changes into a butterfly
- tadpole
- A young frog that swims in water and has a tail
- larva
- A young insect that looks different from the adult, like a caterpillar
- reproduce
- To have babies or young of the same kind
- hatch
- To break out of an egg
- adult
- A fully grown animal that can have young of its own
Questions
What is a life cycle?
- The changes an animal goes through from birth to death
- The food an animal eats each day
- The place where an animal lives
- The color of an animal's fur
Show answer
Answer: The changes an animal goes through from birth to death
A life cycle is all the changes an animal goes through from the time it is born until it dies.
A tadpole is a young frog that lives in water.
Show answer
Answer: True
Tadpoles are young frogs that hatch from eggs in the water. They have tails and gills.
A caterpillar forms a ________ before it becomes a butterfly.
Show answer
Answer: chrysalis
A caterpillar wraps itself in a chrysalis where it changes into a butterfly.
Which animal goes through complete metamorphosis?
- Dog
- Butterfly
- Cat
- Horse
Show answer
Answer: Butterfly
Butterflies go through complete metamorphosis: egg, larva (caterpillar), chrysalis, adult butterfly.
All animals have the exact same life cycle.
Show answer
Answer: False
Different animals have different life cycles. Some go through metamorphosis, others do not.
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