Lesson Summary Students observe growth and change in the caterpillars and relate this to changes in their own bodies.  Students notice evidence of changes, such as shed skin (molting), the shed head capsule, or increases in frass (waste) and decreases in food. Teacher Background When the caterpillar is getting ready to molt, it might stop eating and become very still.  The body begins to pulse and appears to shorten and thicken.  The splitting of the skin begins at the head.  Even if the actual molt is not observed, evidence of the molt will be visible in the wrinkled exoskeleton left behind. Set-up/Management Tips Plan to teach this lesson during the second week of the caterpillars’ arrival. Figure 5-1 in the teacher’s manual is a good way to show what to look for in the molting process. Literacy Support There are currently no VAST Mediagraphies listed for this unit.  Scientific Vocabulary The following words are key vocabulary words that will be introduced in this lesson and reinforced throughout the unit: exoskeleton head capsule molt