| As
your class explores the world of monarchs overwintering in the mountains
of Mexico, use questions like these to stretch students’ thinking
and writing skills. Throughout the winter season, choose questions that
will lead to thoughtful discussions and reflective journal responses.
Encourage students to add their own research questions to this list.
Open-ended
Observation-building Questions
- What
surprises you as you look through the photo gallery?
- What
questions and “I wonder…” thoughts do you have
as you study each photo?
- What
clues can you find in these photos to learn about how monarchs survive
in their winter habitat?
- What
details can you find in different photos to predict weather and
climate conditions?
- How
are the monarchs' survival needs met in these unique forest regions?
Content-focussed
Questions
- What
do overwintering monarchs need to survive?
- How
do oyamel trees protect monarchs from different weather conditions?
- What
range of temperatures are typical during the day? At night?
- Where
do monarchs form colonies?
- Why
do monarchs cluster in oyamel trees?
- What
are the unique conditions of the overwintering regions in Mexico
that provide for monarchs’ survival needs?
- How
do cool temperatures help monarchs survive?
- What
are the “just-right” temperatures monarchs need to survive
the winter?
- Why
is the forest floor a dangerous place for monarchs?
- How
do monarchs survive for four or five months with little or no food?
- When
do monarchs cluster in trees?
- When
do monarchs cling to trees with closed wings? Why?
- When
would observers see open-winged monarchs on the tree branches?
- Why
do monarchs shiver?
- What
is basking behavior?
- What
is microclimate and how does it relate to overwintering
habitats of monarchs?
- What
questions are scientists trying to answer about overwintering monarchs
and their habitat?
- What
climatic factors affect the survival of overwintering monarchs?
- Why
are monarchs hard to see when they cluster closed-winged on oyamel
trees?
- What
environmental conditions pose dangers to monarch butterflies? Which
environmental conditions benefit the butterflies?
- What
human actions are putting monarchs at risk?
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