Life cycle: The series of forms that an organism takes as it lives and reproduces

All organisms have ways of growing up and reproducing. The forms that an organism takes during this process are called stages of the life cycle. For example, here is a simple picture of the life cycle of a frog:

In this picture:

1) The adult frog lays eggs.

2) An egg hatches into a tadpole.

3) The tadpole turns into an adult frog, through a process called metamorphosis.

4) The adult frog lays eggs... and the life cycle begins again.

Eggs, tadpole, and adult frog are all stages in this cycle. Each complete trip through the life cycle is called a generation.

page by Duncan Parks