Magic of Monarch Migration
Teaching Suggestions
Every fall, a magical event takes place—the annual monarch migration to Mexico. Build a sense of wonder about monarchs and migration. Invite students to be citizen scientists, actively engaged in real-time scientific inquiry with Journey North as your guide.
Driving Question: What do you wonder about monarch migration?
Use with the slideshow: The Magic of Monarch Migration
By the end of the lesson, students will:
- Locate their home state/province and the monarch’s winter home in Mexico on a map of North America.
- Write research questions about monarchs and migration.
Pre-Reading
Invite your class to take a scientific journey to Mexico with students across North America. Use images from the photo gallery and guiding questions to spark discussion.
Reading the Slideshow
Model your sense of wonder by thinking aloud questions as you read the booklet or view the slideshow together:
- Why do monarchs choose Mexico’s mountains for their winter home?
- I wonder what makes this region the perfect winter habitat for monarchs.
After Reading
Follow Migration News
Monarch Migration Updates are the core of Journey North’s live program. They include real-time migration maps, authentic field observations from citizen scientists, they summarize news about the migrations and include related lessons and links. Invite students to collect and reflect on the news.
Build a Science Journal
As you embark on your journey with the monarchs, invite students to begin science journaling. Page by page, students collect and reflect on their observations and learning experiences. The journal is a workplace where students document discoveries, explore ever-changing events, record compelling questions, and chronicle each step of their scientific journey.
