Monarch Enrichment Class

Learning With Monarch Butterflies

Life Cycle/Biology • Life Cycle Stations (Marking Period 1)- Students learn techniques of observation and inquiry. Students engage in a guided inquiry of the monarch life cycle, exploring the life cycle and stages in detail. • MTN film clip (Marking Period 2-4)- Students engage in a guided inquiry of the monarch life cycle, exploring the life cycle and stages in detail. • Milkweed basics- Students will identify the milkweed plant and examine its uses throughout history. o Milkweed then + now- uses for milkweed by Native Americans and during WWII • Milkweed community- Students will become familiar with a typical milkweed community and its members, illustrating a community graphic after learning “The Twelve Stalks of Milkweed” song. Migration/Overwintering • Migration overview- Urguhart discovery- Students will read the story of the migration discovery by Dr. Fred Urguhart and will write a paragraph supporting why they think the monarchs migrate to the same specific spot. • Tagging demonstration and activity- Students will actively tag a monarch butterfly after viewing a teacher demonstration. (Real monarchs marking period 1, paper butterflies 2-4). • Fall migration (Marking periods 1-2) • Make fall migration map, with highlights along the trail- During the process of making a map students will orient themselves to the geography of the monarch butterfly migration. They will construct a map of the fall/spring migration, noting migration highlights along the route. They will use their map to measure the distance monarchs travel from Manalapan to the sanctuaries. • Using satellite imagery to track migration • Spring Migration (Marking periods 3-4) o Make spring migration maps- See above o Track spring migration using JourneyNorth.org

Michoacan • Map and list states in Mexico- Students will be able to locate and name the states in Mexico on a map. • Arrival in Mexico- Day of the Dead- Students will become familiar with the Mexican Day of the Dead celebration and will compare and contrast it with our burial rituals.

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Packing for Michoacan- Students learn about the climate and landforms of the state of Michoacan, home of the monarch winter colonies, and learn about and gain insitght into the native culture. Legend of the Purhepechua- Students will learn indigenous history of Michoacan and the conflicts caused by cultural assimiliation by learning and telling an indigenous legend. Using Purhepechua language books- Students will demonstrate understanding of the Purhepechua language by practicing basic words and phrases. Students will be able to label a worksheet of basic terms. Eyewitness to border wars- Students examine the history of the MexicanAmerican border from different points of view. Students construct a newspaper article in a group, assembling information and taking a position in the border wars. Working in Maquiladore- Students will experience some of the difficulties of working in a sweatshop. Cost of our choices- Students will experience first-hand the difficult choices people make given limited resources and money. They will also learn decisions have consequences and better understand some of the forces impacting Mexican immigration into the US. The t-shirt- This simulation is an effort to help students make a connection between American consumer habits and the standard of living in other countries including Mexico. Students become aware of the number of people involved in producing a common commodity, how pricing is established, who benefits from price increases and decreases, who doesn’t, what makes a truly fair market price, and how our consumer habits affect other people.

Mayans/Aztecs • Awesome Aztecs powerpoint- Students will become familiar with the basic history of the Aztec empire while viewing a powerpoint. o Daily life o Beliefs o Basic history • Personal Aztec calendar- Students construct their own personal Aztec calendar aw a way to a greater understanding of this important icon and belief system of Mesoamerican culture. • Tenochtitlan • Teotihuacan • Aztec Mythology o Illustrate story o Gods/goddesses • What is My Aztec Sign? • The Sad Night: The Story of an Aztec Victory and a Spanish Loss Conservation of Monarchs and Culture

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Rethinking Columbus Lawns in America/Declining Pollinators o Design signs, write letters/essays to inform the public Brother Eagle, Sister Sky speech