Mayfly Life Cycle

Mayflies are insects that have a unique lifecycle. The adult mayfly stage is focused on reproduction and the resulting swarms can often be seen around rivers in Iowa.

Video

Ames

Iowa Core Standard

3-LS1-1

Develop models to describe that organisms have unique and diverse life cycles but all have in common birth,growth, reproduction, and death

Driving Question

Why does the mayfly only live for a few days?

Probing Questions

What makes the mayfly unique?
What do all life cycles have in common?
Why do organisms reproduce?

Classroom Suggestions

Students could:

Use one or more of the lessons from the Iowa Land and Sky: Iowa Plant and Animal Reproduction Storyline.
Identify an organism and research their life cycle (birth, growth, reproduction, and death).
Create a model to depict the life cycle of a given organism.
Compare and contrast models of the life cycles of various organisms.
Discuss how the patterns found in all life cycles can help make predictions (i.e. without births an organism could die out)

Resources

eSchool Today | Living Things Reproduce: Provided by eSchoolToday, this website discusses sexual and asexual reproduction.
PBS Learning Media: The Red Queen: This video discusses the two types of reproduction in the Mexican Poeciliid fish and includes a background reading* and discussion questions. *Reading may not be appropriate for 3rd grade
Learn.Genetics | Brine Shrimp Life Cycle: This article features a detailed description and graphic of the brine shrimp life cycle.

Contributors

Media produced for Iowa Land and Sky by Iowa PBS.