Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Animal Life Cycles Quiz: Free Printable Quiz for Year 5
- ForYear 5
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Animal Life Cycles Quiz is a free printable science quiz for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10). Children choose answers about the life cycles of frogs, butterflies, hens and rabbits. It takes about 10 to 20 minutes, needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
This is a multiple choice quiz. Each question has three possible answers, and children pick the one they think is right. The questions ask about young animals, the stages of growing up, and how different animals begin life. Children think about a mammal, an amphibian, an insect and a bird, and begin to notice what is the same and what is different between them.
- What is a young butterfly called when it hatches from an egg?
- Which animal gives birth to live babies?
- What does a tadpole turn into?
- What stage comes between a caterpillar and an adult butterfly?
- Which animal's babies hatch from hard-shelled eggs?
- What do baby mammals drink from their mother?
Ideas to build on the quiz
Life cycle wheel
Draw a circle and split it into stages for one animal. Add a small picture and a label to each stage. Use arrows to show the order. Cycles go round and round, so the last stage links back to the first.
Four animals chart
Make a table with a column for each animal. Add rows for how it starts life, what its young look like and how it changes. Fill it in after the quiz using books or the notes on page 2.
Spring nature diary
Visit a pond, garden or park in spring with an adult. Draw and date what you see each week. Look, but leave wildlife where you find it.
Young animal names
Make cards with the names of young animals on one set and adult animals on another. Match the pairs, then sort the animals by group.
Why do animals have life cycles?
A life cycle is the set of stages an animal goes through from the start of its life until it can have young of its own. Then the pattern begins again. Animals in the same group often follow similar patterns, which is why scientists can compare mammals, amphibians, insects and birds.
Some young animals look like small versions of their parents. Others look very different and change shape as they grow. Comparing these patterns helps children see that living things are connected but not identical. It also gives them a reason to look closely at real animals outdoors, which is where much of the best science begins.
If you go looking for animals outdoors, an adult should come too and stay close to any pond or water. Look without touching or taking spawn, eggs or creatures home. Always wash hands after being outside.
Animal facts to share
- Animals start life in different ways.
- An adult insect has six legs.
- Birds are the only animals alive today that have feathers.
- Frogs belong to a group called amphibians. Newts and toads are amphibians too.
- Young animals often have their own special names.
Skills and curriculum link
- Comparing life cycles
- Recall
- Choosing answers
- Scientific vocabulary
- Explaining ideas
Science ideas that help
- Life cycleA life cycle shows the stages of an animal's life in order. It is often drawn as a circle, because the end leads back to the start.
- Animal groupsScientists sort animals into groups by what they have in common. Mammals, amphibians, insects and birds are four of those groups.
- Changing shapeSome animals change a great deal in appearance as they grow. Others change mainly in size. Comparing the two is a good way to talk about difference.
- Looking for evidenceBooks, pictures and careful outdoor watching all give evidence. Ask your child how they know an answer, not only what the answer is.
Key words
- Life cycleThe stages an animal goes through in its life, from the beginning to adulthood and then having young.
- MammalA warm blooded animal with fur or hair. Rabbits and humans are mammals.
- AmphibianAn animal that starts life in water and can live on land as an adult. Frogs are an example.
- InsectA small animal with six legs and a body in three parts.
- BirdAn animal with feathers, wings and a beak.
- OffspringThe young of an animal.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and the answers.
- Read each question aloud the first time. Look at the three choices together before anyone picks one.
- Let your child choose an answer and say why. A guess with a reason is better than a silent tick.
- Check with page 2 once everyone has finished. Talk about any wrong answers and what made them tempting.
- Come back another day and try again. Repeating a familiar quiz builds confidence and memory.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Cover three questions at a time so the page feels smaller. Look at a picture of each animal first and say what you notice. Read each choice aloud and cross out any you are sure are wrong before you decide.
To stretch confident children
Draw the four life cycles side by side. Use the same layout for each one. Then write two things that are the same and two things that are different. Explain your ideas to someone at home.
Make it a game
Watch for frogspawn or caterpillars outdoors in spring and track the changes. Take a photo or draw a picture each week. An adult should come with you near any water. Look, but do not take anything home.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child mixes up the stages and puts them in the wrong order.
Try thisWrite each stage on a small card. Shuffle them, then put them in order and read the cycle aloud. Check it against a picture.
Watch forA child thinks all young animals look like small adults.
Try thisCompare pictures of young and adult animals from two different groups. Ask which ones look alike and which look quite different.
Watch forA child picks an answer because it sounds familiar, without reading all three choices.
Try thisRead every choice aloud before choosing. Ask, "What makes the other two less likely?"
Talk about it
- Which animal on the sheet would you most like to watch grow up, and why?
- How are the animals' life cycles the same?
- How are they different?
- Which stage do you think is the hardest for a young animal? Why?
- Where could you look outdoors to find signs of a life cycle?
- What would you want to ask an expert on animals?
Take it off the page
Life cycle flip book
Fold a sheet of paper into stages. Draw one stage on each section, in order. Flick through to see the animal grow.
Matching pairs
Make cards of young animals and their adults. Mix them up face down and play pairs. Say the names out loud when you find a match.
Spring walk
Take a walk with an adult and look for signs of animal life. Draw what you see and sort the animals into groups when you get home.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first few questions, then let them lead. Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty. Ask them to explain their thinking, and enjoy looking at animal pictures together afterwards.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary in a unit on living things and their habitats. It works as an early finisher task, homework or a table quiz. Page 2 offers support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Pair the quiz with books, nature programmes you choose together and spring walks. Let a younger child help colour a life cycle wheel while an older child does the quiz. Come back to it a few weeks later for revision.
Where this fits in science
In earlier years children learn that animals have young that grow into adults. They also learn about habitats and what animals need to survive. This quiz builds on that and asks children to compare the way different groups of animals grow and change.
Later, children go on to classify living things and look at how animals and plants are grouped. Being able to compare life cycles is a good base for that work. It also supports talk about inheritance and how living things are suited to where they live.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Animal Life Cycles Quiz for?
It is written for Year 5 (ages 9 to 10), in Key Stage 2. Confident Year 4 children and children in Year 6 who want a quick recap can also use it. Adjust the support to suit your child.
- What will children practise?
Children practise describing and comparing the life cycles of a mammal, an amphibian, an insect and a bird. They also practise reading carefully, using science words and choosing between answers.
- How do I use it?
Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2. Do the quiz, then check the answers together. Talk about which animals lay eggs and how the animals are alike and different.
- What if it feels too hard?
Cover three questions at a time and look at a picture of each animal first. Read the choices aloud together and cross out answers you are sure are wrong. Try again on another day.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for use at home and in the classroom. You can print it again for brothers, sisters, other pupils or for revision a few weeks later.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. You can use books with it if you want more detail, but no devices are needed.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children can add colour to the pictures or their own life cycle drawings if they like.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.