Life Cycles of Animals — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A life cycle shows how animals grow.
A life cycle shows all the ways an animal changes as it grows from the beginning of its life to adulthood.
2. A frog lays eggs in the water.
Frogs lay eggs in the water because their babies, called tadpoles, need to swim and breathe with gills at first.
3. The pupa stage comes after the larva stage.
The pupa stage comes right after the larva stage. First the caterpillar eats and grows, then it becomes a pupa and changes shape.
4. A chick grows feathers as it gets older.
As a chick gets older, it grows feathers to keep warm and to fly. Baby chicks start with soft, fluffy down.
5. A butterfly has colorful wings.
A butterfly has colorful wings that help it fly from flower to flower. The bright colors can also scare away predators.
6. Tadpoles breathe with gills in the water.
Tadpoles breathe with gills in the water, just like fish do. Later, they grow lungs so they can breathe on land.
7. An adult frog can hop on land.
An adult frog can hop on land using its strong back legs. Hopping helps frogs move quickly and catch bugs.
8. A hen is an adult chicken.
A hen is an adult chicken. It is fully grown and can lay eggs to start the chicken life cycle again.
9. Caterpillars eat a lot before they change.
Caterpillars eat a lot before they change because they need energy stored up to transform into a butterfly.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
cocoon
→ pupa stage
pupa stage
tadpole
→ baby frog
baby frog
egg
→ life starts
life starts
larva
→ caterpillar
caterpillar
Each word matches its meaning in a life cycle: a cocoon is for the pupa stage, a tadpole is a baby frog, life starts with an egg, and a larva is another word for caterpillar.