2nd Grade Science

Exploring life cycles, weather patterns, and basic scientific inquiry for second grade students.

Advanced Topics

Animal Life Cycles

Animals Change as They Grow

Just like plants, animals have life cycles too, but each animal’s life cycle can be very different!

Stages of Animal Life Cycles

  • Egg: Many animals begin as eggs.
  • Young: Some hatch as tiny versions of adults, others look very different.
  • Adult: Animals grow up and can have babies of their own.

Amazing Transformations

Frogs start as eggs, become tadpoles (with tails and no legs), and then change into frogs! Butterflies begin as caterpillars, make a chrysalis, and transform into butterflies.

Life Cycles Help Animals Survive

Each stage helps animals find food, stay safe, and grow strong.

Real-World Connection

Learning about animal life cycles helps us take care of pets, protect wildlife, and understand nature.

Examples

  • A butterfly starts as an egg, becomes a caterpillar, and then a butterfly.

  • A frog lays eggs, hatches into a tadpole, then becomes a frog.

In a Nutshell

Animals grow and change through different stages, like eggs, young, and adults.

Key Terms

Metamorphosis
A big change in form during an animal’s life cycle, like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.
Larva
A young animal that looks very different from the adult, like a tadpole or caterpillar.