Build Background Knowledge
- What does it mean to be warm-blooded or cold-blooded?
- What do the words ectotherm and endotherm mean?
- What are some defining characteristics of endotherms and ectotherms?
Focus on Monarchs as Ectotherms:
- Why do monarch butterflies move so slowly in cold temperatures?
- How do monarch butterflies respond to changes in surrounding temperatures?
- What temperature-related dangers do monarchs face when they overwinter in the oyamel fir forests in Mexico?
- What temperatures do monarchs need to be active?
- What happens to monarch butterflies if they get too cold? Too warm?
- Why is the ability to conserve energy important for monarch survival?
- What behaviors help monarchs warm their muscles when surrounding temperatures paralyze them?
- Why do monarchs bask in the sun and/or shiver?
- What happens to monarch body temperature when outside temperatures fluctuate?
Compare and Contrast Humans and Monarch Butterflies (Endotherms and Ectotherms):
- How does your body temperature compare to a monarch's?
- How are warm-blooded animals (endotherms) and cold-blooded animals (ectotherms) similar and different?
- For an organism, what are the advantages and disadvantages of being an ectotherm or an endotherm?
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