Teaching Suggestions: A New Generation | The Cycle of Life Continues

Teaching Suggestions
A New Generation: The Cycle of Life Continues
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Introduction

Background
Spring is a critical time for monarchs. As one generation reaches the end of its life, a new generation begins. Monarchs migrate in spring to meet their biological needs. The pace and pathway of migration depends on habitat readiness and quality. This slideshow will introduce students to an essential question of spring migration as they get ready to predict the path monarchs will travel.

Essential Question: When and where will monarchs travel to find what they need this spring?

Objectives

Describe reasons why spring is a critical time for monarchs.
Explain monarch's needs during spring migration.
Predict where and when monarchs will migrate in order to find what they need to survive and reproduce.
Describe the difference between these two phrases: The Life Cycle of a Monarch; The Cycle of Life Continues

Preparation for Lesson:

1. Display Slideshow Title and Headings:
Write the title and page headings for this slideshow on chart paper.

A New Generation: The Cycle of Life Continues
Little Egg, Big Hope
Laying Eggs as She Migrates
Finding Eggs on Milkweed
Laying Eggs for the Future
A Life's Journey
A New Generation Begins
Spring! A Critical Time for Monarchs

2. Prepare a note-taking handout: (optional)
Prepare a handout that includes the title of the slideshow and each of the page headings. Provide space for student writing under each heading. Use the handout as a note-taking worksheet during slideshow presentation. The handout can also be used at the end of the lesson. Assess students' understanding by having them summarize main ideas for each page heading.

Activities

Pre-Reading: (introducing and previewing the slideshow, activating prior knowledge, making predictions)

1. Read aloud the title and page headings for this slideshow.
Have students predict main ideas and details based on just the information revealed in the title and headings. Ask guiding questions to encourage thoughtful responses. Sample questions include:

What does the word generation mean?
What is the life cycle of one monarch butterfly?
What is the cycle of life? (one generation to the next)
What kind of photo and information do you think we'll find on the "Little Egg, Big Hope" page?
Why is spring a critical time for monarchs?

2. Activate prior knowledge by writing the following words on the chart paper: milkweed, larva, chrysalis, reproduce, survive, children, adult. Have students reread the page headings and think about how these monarch words will be used in the slideshow. Challenge them to predict which page or pages they think each word could appear and in what context.

During Reading: (engaging students' attention and participation for optimal comprehension)

1. Read through the pages of the slideshow together. Encourage students to jot down key phrases and sentences they can use during follow-up discussions and activities.

2. Distribute a notetaking handout that includes the slideshow title and headings. As you read through the slideshow together, invite students to write 2-3 words from the page under each heading. Revisit the words they selected after reading the entire slideshow and encourage students to share reasons for choosing specific words.

After Reading: (revisiting for understanding, making connections, assessing comprehension of main ideas and details)

1. Revisit students' pre-reading predictions in a brief follow-up discussion. Encourage students to share what information was interesting and surprising.

2. Revisit the essential question. Write the key question from the last page of the slideshow on chart paper:

When and where will monarchs travel to find what they need this spring?

Invite students to make predictions about what will happen during this year's spring migration. As they track the migration and report observations, revisit the question during discussions about news and events as they occur.

3. Prepare students to track spring migration.
Invite students to work as citizen scientists and contribute to the data scientists use to understand spring migration.

Did You Know?

Scientists use Journey North data to understand which regions are the most important to monarchs in the springtime as the butterflies arrive from Mexico to lay their eggs.

Journal Page
Traveling Out of Mexico: Where Will the Monarchs Go?