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Types of Metamorphosis

CONCEPTUAL
Science›Insects & Minibeasts|Ages 9—11|ID: mt_ShAptVcQR3

Complete vs incomplete metamorphosis. Complete: egg → larva → pupa → adult (butterflies, beetles, flies). Incomplete: egg → nymph → adult — the nymph looks like a small version of the adult and moults as it grows (grasshoppers, dragonflies, crickets). Why do some insects transform completely while others grow gradually?

Mastery Evidence

  • Compare complete and incomplete metamorphosis by describing the stages of each on a diagram
  • Classify at least three insects into the correct metamorphosis type such as butterfly (complete) and grasshopper (incomplete)
  • Explain that nymphs resemble adults while larvae look completely different from their adult form

Assessment Prompt

“Can [child] explain the difference between a butterfly's life cycle and a grasshopper's — why the caterpillar looks nothing like the butterfly, but a baby grasshopper already looks like a small grasshopper?”

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