Understanding by Design Template 

Stage 1 - Desired Results 

Established Goals: Students will be able to actively participate in the observations of a Monarch 
caterpillar as it grows and changes into a butterfly.  
 

1.1 Enduring Understandings  1.2 Essential Questions 

Students will understand that . . . .    

  ● How will the Monarch change? 
● The Monarch Caterpillar grows and  ● How will our caterpillars grow and change? 
changes into a Monarch Butterfly.   ● How can we tell if our Monarch caterpillars 
  are growing? 
● What’s on the Monarch caterpillar’s menu? 
● How does the Monarch caterpillar use 
different parts of its body? 

1.3 Acquisition of Knowledge and Skills 

Students will know . . . .    Students will be able to . . .  

  ● Describe how our caterpillar will grow and 
● How to identify a Monarch caterpillar  change. 
● How to measure a caterpillar  ● Measure the caterpillar to show that it is 
● Identify the caterpillars main food source.  growing. 
● Identify the parts of a Monarch caterpillar  ● Explain how milkweed helps Monarchs 
and how it uses the parts of the body to  survive. 
survive.   ● Describe how the Monarch caterpillar uses 
  its parts to survive. 
  ● Where and why do Monarch butterflies 
migrate? 
● How did the Monarch caterpillar change in 
its chrysalis? 
● Why is the Monarch butterfly's journey 
amazing? 
● How can we help the Monarch butterflies 
that return in the spring? 
 

Stage 2 - Assessment Evidence 

Performance Tasks:  Other Evidence: 
● Students will participate in group  ● Monarch Journal Recordings 
discussions on the Monarchs main food  ○ Observations and predictions 
source and why it is important.    ○ Daily growth Charts 
● Students will observe and describe how the  ○ Written feedback  
caterpillars are using their parts.  ● Labeling parts of the Monarch Caterpillar 
● Students will make the lifecycle of a  ● Quality of responses 
Monarch butterfly and label the parts of the  ● Self assessments 
life cycle.   

Adapted from Understanding by Design (p. 22), by G. Wiggins and J. McTighe, 2005, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson 
Education, Inc. Copyright 2005 by ASCD. 
 Stage 3 - Learning Plan 
Learning Activities: 
 
● Share vocabulary caterpillar, chrysalis, observe, tentacles, habitat, characteristics 
● See what students already know about Monarch Caterpillars. (Circle Map) 
● Identify the caterpillar as a Monarch caterpillar using a checklist. 
● Walk to the Monarch garden to look for caterpillars to bring inside to observe. 
● Observe caterpillars and predict what changes will occur based on background knowledge of 
caterpillars 
● Generate ideas about how to tell whether or not the caterpillar is growing. 
● Daily measuring of the Monarch Caterpillars 
● Daily recording of observations by drawing and writing in the Monarch Journal. 
● Observe responses of caterpillars to various foods and record observations in their Monarch 
Journals. 
● Gather Milkweed from the garden to feed the caterpillars (daily) 
● Learn what body parts caterpillars use to find milkweed and that eating milkweed is a survival 
behavior. 
● Observe and describe how the caterpillars are using their parts. 
● Watch the caterpillar morphing into a chrysalis.  
● Visit the garden to find other wild Monarch Chrysalis. 
● Learn and watch about the Monarch emerging out of the chrysalis. 
● Learn about (and map) the Monarchs migration route. 
● Create a T-chart of male/female Monarch butterflies. 
● Watch a brief video of a Monarch being tagged and released. 
● Tag and release our butterflies. 
● Monitor the butterfly garden for newly emerged Monarchs to tag and release. 
● Have students correctly sort and label the Monarchs life cycle.  
 
 
 

Adapted from Understanding by Design (p. 22), by G. Wiggins and J. McTighe, 2005, Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson 
Education, Inc. Copyright 2005 by ASCD.