Journey North for Kids: Monarchs

Teachers:
Monarchs for Kids is a simple, student-directed entry point to Journey North. Engaging stories, photos, videos, and slide shows from the natural world build observation skills, inspire scientific thinking, and create fertile ground for discussions and new questions!

Teaching Tools Below:

Activity/Lesson	Grade	Learning Standards/Themes
Introductory Lessons
The Magic of Butterfly Migration (slideshow K/1, slideshow gr. 2+, booklet)	K-1, 2-8	Behavior patterns Adaptations for survival Instinct
The Life Cycle of the Monarch Butterfly (slideshow, booklet)	K-8	Life cycles and reproduction Meeting basic needs
Can You Find the Monarch's Winter Home in Mexico?	K-8	Map Skills Habitat
The Annual Cycle of the Monarch	2-8	Life cycles and reproduction Behavior patterns Adaptations for survival
Fly Like a Butterfly All the Way to Mexico	2-8	Map Skills Habitat
Life Cycle Lessons
A Butterfly is Born	2-8	Life cycles and reproduction
Caterpillar Feast	K-8	Meeting basic needs
Larva Locomotion	2-8	Adaptations (structure and function)
Monarch Mystery Photo: What Do You See?	2-8	Life cycles Adaptations (structure and function)
Feeding a Butterfly in Dr. Fink's Kitchen	2-8	Meeting basic needs Adaptations (structure and function)
Fall Lessons
Fall Migration: The Overnight Roost	2-8	Meeting basic needs Behavior patterns Adaptations for survival Weather
True Stories about Tagged Monarch Butterflies	2-8	Behavior patterns Adaptations for survival Map Skills Weather
Flapping Flight: A Look at Monarch Flight in Slow Motion	2-8	Behavior patterns Adaptations (structure and function)
How High Can You SEE a Monarch?	3-8	Thinking like a scientist
Field Trip in the Sky: Flying in a Thermal	3-8	Cloud formation Heating and cooling
Winter Lessons
Video Visit to the Monarch Sanctary	3-8	Meeting basic needs Habitat
Observing Monarchs in Winter Sancturaries: Comparing Clusters on a Branch	2-8	Behavior patterns
Photo Gallery: Quiet Walk in the Monarch's Forest	K-8	Habitat
Symbolic Monarch Butterflies: Uniting Children of North America	K-6	Environmental stewardship

Science Inquiry Skills Addressed
Observing	Comparing and contrasting	Interpreting
Describing	Analyzing	Inferring
Questioning	Finding patterns	Evaluating ideas
Using evidence to make reasonable explanations	Communicating details	Applying understandings

Observation Handouts
Some JN for Kids activities link to simple student observation sheets. You can also select your own from our Gallery of Student Handouts. Print and pass out copies to guide observations of Journey North photos, video clips, and the natural world. Gallery of Student Handouts >>
Questions to Inspire Observations
Draw from these to build students' observation and thinking skills. List of Questions >>
Journey North for Kids in the Classroom: Tips from Teachers