Monarch Butterfly Interdisciplinary Study

Students in the 8-9s engage in a Monarch study that connects with their science, art, social studies, and Spanish classes. Students witness the rapid growth as caterpillars consume the leaves of the milkweed plant and marvel at the subsequent forming of chrysalides and the eventual emergence of the butterflies. Classes follow along with artist Reynier Leyva Novo's virtual monarch as it makes the 6,000-mile journey from Canada to Mexico. Inspired by the valuable contributions that Monarchs make to ecosystems along their flight path, students begin an in-depth study of food webs, how they are organized, and the different types of animals affected by the presence of Monarch butterflies, specifically both as pollinators and prey. In Spanish, students use language to describe a person’s identity. This vocabulary is then used to describe ancestors who are honored as a part of a Día de Muertos study. Students add their descriptions and a photo to beautifully created paper Monarcas. This project also connects to the discussions on culture as a part of their social studies curriculum.