In the end, we will preserve only what we love, we will love only what we understand, and we will understand only what we are taught. (MTN, 2010)
After our incredible experience at the Monarch Teacher Network workshop, we hunted for milkweed and eggs and brought them into our classrooms to bring the life cycle to life.
- Science – Students made predictions and observed the different stages of the caterpillar using magnifying glasses.
- Social Studies – They learned about geography using maps to show the journey of the butterfly. They learned about different cultures (Mexico) and how the people live, as well as their language.
- Math – They made predictions about how many male and female butterflies would e-close (hatch) and graphed the results. They also learned about symmetry.
- Language Arts – We incorporated books, learned new vocabulary, and wrote about the butterfly.
- Gross Motor and Imaginative play – The children acted out the life cycle.
- Art – The children used their imaginations to make their own butterflies in creative ways.
- Fruit of the Spirit: Patience – As they calmly waited for each stage of the life cycle to happen the children learned the virtue of patience.
Bringing these beautiful butterflies into our classroom and incorporating important concepts was a wonderful, fun way to learn! Having these hands on experiences encouraged an understanding and a love for all creatures, big and small.