Butterflies are Free!

Butterflies are Free! A multi class project. One class will learn about composting, one class will learn about Milk Weed, and their importance to the endangered Monarch Butterfly, and one class will learn about the whole life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly. All three classes (plus whole school on release day) will come together to share information,and through this we will build a Monarch Garden, from the soil (composting) to the food (seeds) to the fully grown butterflies. This project will be sustainable to our school and community.

Update (June 17, 2012)

April 3rd, 2012 Hand-made Classroom Bin with organic waste is placed in our Kindergartens class for observation and interaction. Students learn that they will be taking care of a 'Red Wiggler' Vermicomposter, and it will be their responsibility to feed, water and journal this project. The bin is left with only compost for three weeks to ready for the arrival of the special worms, students learn why the composting must have begun, prior to introducing the worms.

April 13th, Our grade 1 class is introduced to the Milkweed Plant, and how it is of the utmost importance to the life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly. On this day, each student plants a pot with four or five seeds that have been wild harvested , they decorate their pots and place them in the window. Each student will take turns watering and making observations during morning circle time.

April 2012, Our second Kindergarten class is introduced to the Monarch Butterfly and learns that they will be 'growing' them in their class within the next month.

Update (June 20, 2012)

Well here we are almost at the end of the school year! This has been a really exciting project, which we will continue every year, with our K-1 Students. To have the students engaged within all aspects of the whole life cycle of the Monarch Butterfly was stellar, learning about composting, Red Wigglers, Painted Ladies, Milkweed and how difficult it is to grow from seed, whether it be wild harvested or commercially bought, has been so much fun. The end result is our garden which will hopefully produce Milkweed plants this summer (keep your fingers crossed) that will return come next spring, when we re-open our GECS, Monarch Butterfly Nursery.

Thank you Imagineaction and CTF, for funding this project, and opportunity, the pleasure was all ours.