This post was contributed by Holly Rice, NCEA Monarch Grant Program Teacher Leader.
The weather here in Texas has been cooperating as renovation to the school courtyard begins. February 13th was the first Saturday volunteers started to pull ground cover to prepare soil for tilling. Students are becoming more excited about planting for butterflies and several have already signed up to volunteer.
Middle school students are already learning about monarch migrations as they read articles explaining the decline of butterflies and causes for the decline in migration numbers. It has led into other discussions on the effects pesticides have on living organisms and how all of God’s creations are connected.
In the next month we will continue to renovate the courtyard and start preparing spaces around the school to plant milkweed. Teachers are compiling lesson plans and brainstorming units to be taught as we start moving into spring. If the weather continues to cooperate we will be completed with the courtyard by mid- March. Smaller gardens will be ready by the end of March.
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Learn more about St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic School’s Monarch butterfly activities and more on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic School in Dallas, Texas, is a recipient of the NCEA Monarch Rescue Grant. Grantee schools will share monthly updates on their efforts in researching, planning, building, and maintaining the very best monarch-friendly butterfly gardens possible. They will monitor the success or failure of the garden, learning from problems they encounter to plan improvements in subsequent years. Most important, the developing learning modules will incorporate Catholic social teaching on stewardship of the resources God has provided us.
Follow the Monarch Butterfly conversation using #NCEAMonarch, search NCEA Talk using keyword Monarch Butterfly Rescue and view the Monarch Inspiration Gallery on Pinterest.
