Butterflies Under Pressure

Engaging practical science activities for KS1/KS2 primary school children (aged 5-11), using dance and PE activities to engage kinaesthetic learners with the curriculum topic “Living things and their habitats”.

Oxford Brookes University Science Bazaar has collaborated with LYNNEBEC and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) to produce “Superpillars Assemble” an exciting dance workshop for KS1/KS2 pupils to learn about butterflies, moths and their habitats.

Teaching materials for the project created by Dr. Melanie Gibbs (UKCEH) and Dr. Casper Breuker (Oxford Brookes University) are freely accessible to all teachers. The downloadable materials include:

Lesson plans
Lesson presentations for use in the classroom (Power Points with narration)
Additional lesson support materials

Lesson Plans

Superpillars Assemble

Children will learn about moths, butterflies and their habitats, the important role moths and butterflies play in the food chain, and the negative impact humans can have on moth and butterfly habitats

Superpillars Assemble (Video) Superpillars Assemble (PDF) Superpillars Assemble leaflet (PDF) Teacher feedback form

Science Experiment - Finding Host Plants

Children will learn about the role of physical and behavioural adaptations using the caterpillars of butterflies and moths as an example. Children will learn to work scientifically using observations and recording data to help answer the question “How do pesticides affect the ability of butterfly caterpillars to find food?”

PE Activity – Caterpillar Movement

Children will learn about adaptations in caterpillar movement behaviour and how habitat structure may affect the amount of time it takes for a caterpillar to find a suitable plant to eat.

Butterflies Under Pressure

Lesson Plans

Superpillars Assemble

Science Experiment - Finding Host Plants

PE Activity – Caterpillar Movement

Lesson Presentations

Part 1 Butterflies and moths and their habitats

Part 2 Butterflies and moths in the food chain

Part 3 How do humans impact butterfly and moth habitats

Part 4 Adaptations in butterfly and moth caterpillars

Part 5 Adaptations in caterpillar movement behaviour

Additional lesson support materials

Superpillars Assemble

Science Experiment – Finding Host Plants

PE Activity – Caterpillar Movement

Linked Activities