Monarchs, milkweed, and learning

Many classrooms raise monarch butterflies to see the transition from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. In doing so, students probably learn that the monarch is endangered because of the loss of habitat that pretty much translates as access to milkweed plants.

The processes of rearing monarchs and planting milkweeds are both relatively easy to accomplish and offer some interesting opportunities for learning. If students plant milkweed plants in home gardens, will they be able to attract butterflies that lay eggs that emerge as caterpillars. There is plenty of content to read. There are activities that can result in scientific observations and data collection. There are opportunities to author content related to this research and to urge others to participate.

The value of increasing access to milkweed within cities has been documented. Seeds are typically easy to find. Try your local garden store. We raise milkweeds by collecting seeds from one location and scattering them in another.

One more thing. There is evidence that hand rearing monarchs does not result in the necessary migration at the same rate as is accomplished by those maturing in the wild. Reading about what scientists have discovered about this issue offers another opportunity for learning and raises some interesting questions about what is the best approach to saving the monarchs.