100 SCHOOLS
Our class hatched a Monarch Butterfly in early Fall. It was such an amazing experience for us all. This experiment launched a big interest in Monarchs and learning as much as we could about them. We heard of this project and all agreed that we’d like to make our two flower beds Monach habitats. We had already been maintaining the flower beds, and couldn’t have been more excited for this opportunity!
Mrs Howard and Ms Bonnie are the kindergarten teachers at Friend. I (a parent of one of the students and also a contractor) signed us up to construct a monarch garden right outside the classroom door. Today we finished Construction, all of the students were able to participate by scooping dirt into the bed and then spreading the seeds for planting. We had perfect weather and we all thoroughly enjoyed the project. Mrs Howard is using the project as an opportunity to teach the children about butterflies (and monarchs specifically.) We all had a blast!
At Mark Twain Elementary, we have 2 raised beds each measuring 5’x10′ ft. amounting to 100 sq ft. total. We have 40 plants (milkweed, Echinacea, verbena, salvia, native grasses, etc.) purchased from Prairie Winds Nursery and Sanctuary Gardens and Wellness. The zoo provided a grant for initial materials. The garden is easily viewed from both the street and playground.
We have installed a Monarch garden at Nicoma Park Elementary with a grant received from OKC Zoo and OKC Myriad Botanical Garden. Our garden is installed and contains multiple plants to attract Monarchs specifically as well as other pollinators.
Students, staff and community partners built a beautiful butterfly shaped garden at our school as a landing station and habitat for the Monarch butterfly.
Wildflower/pollinator plot along Hwy 75 just north of 61st St. exit. Initially planted 1 acre plot in 2006 in cooperation with Oklahoma Native Plant Society Color Oklahoma grant. We have expanded the site to nearly 1.75 acres since that time.
The Roots & Shoots students and faculty have planted and maintain 2 Monarch Waystations on campus in west Tulsa. The students also host a both at the Monarchs on the Mountain each year and help with educating the public about the Monarch’s migration and tagging project with Monarch Watch.
I began the Art of the Monarch as an after school residency with Hawthorne schools and created an Art Show from it that went on display for Tulsa Mayfest in 2014.
Since then I have continued this as an offering through AHHA and teach it in the schools. This semester I have 2 after school residencies and teach it in the spring to a lot of second grade classes. I’m currently putting together an art proposal/teaching project for Gathering Place in the spring. I teach the migration cycle, the life cycle, about the habitats they need to survive and what has effected the decline of their population. I often dress up and continue to evolve and change the class every year.
Volunteers and students in the Field Studies for Conservation Biology classe are converting the weedy lawns of the OU Biological Station at Lake Texoma to pollinator habitat.
We are being very intentional in creating a pollinator garden at school. We have plants in pots, in the ground, and are also using straw bales, with their quickly-composting interiors. The children have helped plant just about everything, and are learning about pollinators and their role in our world inside the classroom and outside. The kids spend lots of time outside have learned aremarkable amount about plant care!
I am a parent volunteer with a love for gardening. These are 3-6 year olds. In an effort to attract several species of butterflies besides just Monarchs, we’ve planted a variety of host and nectar plants. Including: Pipevine, bronze fennel, 2 types of parsley, 4 varieties of butterfly milkweed, Brazilian verbena, Pentas, dianthus, liatris, dill, white cats whiskers, pink false vervain, rue, Brazilian button, honeysuckle, cape plumbago, poppy mallow, and hearty blue passion flower. At the students’ request we also have planted other edible plants, including a peach tree, tomato plants, 3 varieties of watermelon, strawberries and fig trees, along with various complementary flowers like marigolds, snapdragons and celosia.
https://www.okcheartlandmontessori.com
