5.3 Science Tango: Life Cycles

1. A student planted different vegetables in her garden. She created a table of the days needed for those vegetables to be ready to sprout and for harvest. Which statement is supported by the data in the table shown?

• A. Tomatoes take the least amount of time to sprout and to be ready for harvesting.

• B. Carrots sprout in less time than zucchinis.

• C. Zucchinis take longer time to sprout but less time to be harvested than carrots.

• D. Potatoes take the most time to sprout and to be ready for harvesting.

2. Which stage of a frog’s life cycle can be compared to a plant seed growing into a new plant?

• A. When frog eggs are laid in water

• B. When frog eggs hatch into tadpoles

• C. When frogs use lungs for breathing out of water

• D. When tadpoles live in water and breathe with gills

3. Which of the following stages are characteristics of complete metamorphosis? Select TWO correct answers.

• A. An insect eats and grows and resembles a smaller version of the adult.

• B. Pupas do not eat or move. They are changing into their adult form.

• C. Larvae do not have wings and look like worms.

• D. Nymph is an immature form of an insect that does not change greatly as it grows.

• E. Goes through three stages in its life cycle.

4. Compare the rhino beetle and ladybug life cycle.

How are they different?

• A. The ladybug has a molt stage and the rhino beetle does not.

• B. The rhino beetle and the ladybug both go through a larva stage.

• C. The ladybug and rhino beetle both start as eggs.

• D. The rhino beetle eats leaves and the ladybug does not.

5. How is a plant life cycle usually different from an animal life cycle?

• A. Plants do not reproduce.

• B. Plants have a longer life span.

• C. Plants go through the larva stage.

• D. Plants can make their own food, animals cannot.

6. The changes that occur in insects' life cycles are called metamorphosis. What is one difference between a complete metamorphosis and an incomplete metamorphosis?

• A. An insect reaches adulthood in complete metamorphosis, while an insect does not reach adulthood in incomplete metamorphosis.

• B. Complete metamorphosis occurs in all insects, while incomplete metamorphosis occurs only in insects that can fly.

• C. In complete metamorphosis, an insect dies after laying eggs. In incomplete metamorphosis, an insect dies before laying eggs.

• D. An insect goes through larva and pupa stages in a complete metamorphosis, while an insect goes through a nymph stage in an incomplete metamorphosis.

7. Which insect goes through complete metamorphosis?

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8. There are four stages to the life cycle of a butterfly: adult, pupa, egg, and caterpillar. Which of these stages also occurs in the frog’s life cycle? Select TWO correct answers.

• A. Egg

• B. Adult

• C. Pupa

• D. Caterpillar

• E. Nymph

9. The life stages of two animals are shown. Which statement BEST describes a difference in the insects’ development?

• A. The butterfly looks very similar to an adult when it is born, but the grasshopper goes through many stages before looking like an adult grasshopper.

• B. The butterfly has similar body parts throughout its development, but the grasshopper goes through different stages of development.

• C. The grasshopper reproduces by laying eggs but the butterfly gives birth.

• D. The young of the butterfly does not resemble the adult whereas the young of the grasshopper resembles the adult.

10. During which stage of the life cycle of a plant are seeds produced?

For Part A question, select either answer choice A or B only,

For Part B question, select either answer choice C or D only.

• A. Seedling

• B. Mature plant

• C. The plant has leaves that absorb sunlight and produce food.

• D. The plant has a flower that produces seeds.