Welcome to the Monarch Joint Venture's Monarch Conservation Education Resources page. This page is a compilation of MJV and partner resources for monarch lessons, activities, and ideas. Whether you are a parent, teacher, non-formal educator or community organizer, we hope you'll find what you need here. This page will be updated as resources are made available.
MJV resources are downloadable lessons from the Monarchs and More curriculum guide. These are updated from the printed versions, and we are in the process of doing a full update of each curriculum. In the meantime, you can still purchase a copy of the Monarchs and More curriculum (K-2, 3-6, and Middle School) from the MJV Store.
MJV Resources
Partner Resources
Monarch Migration Curriculum
Monarch Migration Game (K-2 Lesson)
A fun lesson for grades k-2: Students will play a game that illustrates the challenges faced by monarchs that migrate to Mexico.
Monarch Migration Game (3-6 Lesson)
A fun lesson for grades 3-6: Students will play a game that illustrates the challenges faced by monarchs that migrate to Mexico.
Life Cycle Curriculum
Fact or Fiction (3-6)
Lesson for grades 3-6: Students will read or hear stories in which authors exaggerate animal characteristics, and compare these to fictional writings in which authors make up events that could actually happen.
Fact or Fiction (K-2)
Lesson for K-2: Students will identify the type of writing contained in a particular text as either nonfiction or fiction, and will create a narrative that is fiction or nonfiction using the skills of story-telling to share with a partner.
Student Projects on Metamorphosis (MS)
For Middle School: Students will conduct a variety of interdisciplinary projects that expand their knowledge of butterflies and other insects.
Origami Butterflies (MS)
For Middle School: Students will learn to capture the likeness of a monarch butterfly with the art of paper folding.
Origami Butterflies (3-6)
For grades 3-6: Students will learn how to capture the likeness of a monarch butterfly with the art of paper folding.
Monarch Metaphors (MS)
For Middle School: Students identify ways a given object might represent a physical or behavioral characteristic of a monarch butterfly.
Monarch Metaphors (3-6)
For grades 3-6: Students identify ways a given object might represent a physical or behavioral characteristic of a monarch butterfly.
Life Cycle Art and Literature Projects (3-6)
For grades 3-6: Students will write, draw, and create art to capture their observations of monarchs or other insects.
The Life Cycle Wheel (3-6)
For 3-6: Students will use ordinal language in association with the sequence of the butterfly life cycle.
The Life Cycle Wheel (K-2)
For K-2: Students will use ordinal language in association with the sequence of the butterfly life cycle.
Making Life Cycle Books (K-2)
For K-2: In this lesson, students will create cards of the stages and make an easy to follow book that illustrates the sequences of life cycle stages.
Comparing Life Stages (K-2)
For K-2: This lesson encourages students to compare human life cycles with insect life cycles.
Butterfly Scales (MS)
For Middle School: In this lesson, students will observe and draw scales from many parts of the monarch's body, increase their observational skills, and collect measurements.
Butterfly Scales (3-6)
For grades 3-6: Students will create observations of structure and function of monarch wings, collect measurements and detailed observations, and create questions based on observations.
Make a Caterpillar Behavior Book (K-2)
For K-2: Students recall what they have learned from observing caterpillar behavior and create lists. They then create books on caterpillars, detailing what they know caterpillars can and cannot do.
How Much Do Caterpillars Eat in One Day? (3-6)
Lesson for grades 3-6: Students will first predict, and then estimate, how much milkweed a larva consumes on a daily basis. They will learn how milkweed consumption varies with larval age and size.
How Much do Caterpillars Eat in One Day? (K-2)
K-2 lesson: Students will practice making measurements of how much milkweed is eaten by a monarch caterpillar and then record their measurements on a datasheet.
Focus on Features (MS)
For Middle School: the objective of this lesson is to increase students' observation skills and awareness of details through rearing and observing monarch larvae.
Focus on Features (3-6)
For grades 3-6: The objective of this lesson is to increase students' observation skills and awareness of details through rearing and observing monarch larvae.
Focus on Features (K-2)
For grades K-2: Introduce students to the monarch butterfly and practice making detailed observations.
Do Caterpillars Eat More as they Grow Bigger? (K-2)
K-2 Lesson: Students record the number of milkweed leaves a caterpillar eats in one day in both a data table and a bar graph (for the entire life cycle). They will create questions based on observations.
Measuring Larval Growth and Development (MS)
Lesson for Middle School grades: They will measure and record data, analyze and interpret the data, and communicate their findings.
Measuring Larval Growth and Development (3-6)
Lesson for grades 3-6: Expose students to data entry and logging information into organized data tables, and to create questions based upon their findings.
Keeping a Life Cycle Calendar (K-2)
K-2 Lesson: Create a calendar based on student's observations of all stages of the monarch life cycle.
Keeping a Journal (MS)
MJV curriculum for Middle School: This lesson helps students record observations of the monarch life cycle, while also encouraging them to question, theorize, and share opinions. The processes described in this lesson would also work well with daily or weekly phenology conversations.
Keeping a Journal (3-6)
MJV curriculum for grades 3-6: This lesson helps students record observations of the monarch life cycle, while also encouraging them to question, theorize, and share opinions.
Keeping a Journal (K-2)
MJV curriculum for K-2: Students create a journal based on their observations of all stages of the monarch lifecycle.
Curriculum Blacklines
Caterpillar Head Anatomy
Caterpillar Head anatomy diagram and SEM photograph of head.
Caterpillar Anatomy
Monarch Caterpillar Anatomy Diagram and 4th instar larva
Newly-hatched larva
Newly-hatched larva eating eggshell
Five Instars
Five instars, magnified 4X
Prepupal Larva
Prepupal larva hanging in the "J" position
Female and Male Pupae
Female and male pupae, front view
SEM Photos of Butterfly Head
SEM photos: butterfly head with ommatidia, and tip of antenna.
Other
Butterfly Life Cycle Necklace
Use noodles and string to create your very own life cycle necklace. This resource and activity was developed by the Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.
Plant Milkweed Life Cycle Coloring Page
Designed by Ba Rea, this coloring page makes a great companion to Ba's book, Monarch Come Play with Me! More resources are available on Basrelief.org. You can purchase Monarch Come Play with Me in the Monarch Joint Venture Store.
Monarch Life Cycle Bracelet Craft
Learn how to make the monarch life cycle into a bracelet! Created by Patrick Bryant (Park Ranger at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge), this activity is inexpensive, easy to set up, and offers a fun and effective way for kids to learn about and remember the Monarch life cycle!
Seed Ball Activity
Make seed balls for a native garden that supports pollinators, improves water and habitat quality, and attracts predators of plants pests!
Macaroni Monarchs
This life cycle assembly projects helps students create and illustrate their understanding of monarch life cycle.
Student Call to Action
Dr. Karen Oberhauser issues a challenge to students to get involved in monarch conservation. Download the letter and share it with any students that you interact with.
Student Call to Action (short)
Dr. Karen Oberhauser issues a challenge to students to get involved in monarch conservation. Download the letter (short) and share it with any students that you interact with.
Monarch Life Cycle Coloring Page
This coloring page by Kathleen Marie Garness shows the monarch butterfly life cycle. Print it out a color away!
Butterfly Birthday Coloring Page
This coloring page pairs with the book Butterfly Birthday, by Lori Harris.
Monarch Migration Curriculum
Monarch Migration Game (K-2 Lesson)
A fun lesson for grades k-2: Students will play a game that illustrates the challenges faced by monarchs that migrate to Mexico.
Monarch Migration Game (3-6 Lesson)
A fun lesson for grades 3-6: Students will play a game that illustrates the challenges faced by monarchs that migrate to Mexico.
Life Cycle Curriculum
Fact or Fiction (3-6)
Lesson for grades 3-6: Students will read or hear stories in which authors exaggerate animal characteristics, and compare these to fictional writings in which authors make up events that could actually happen.
Fact or Fiction (K-2)
Lesson for K-2: Students will identify the type of writing contained in a particular text as either nonfiction or fiction, and will create a narrative that is fiction or nonfiction using the skills of story-telling to share with a partner.
Student Projects on Metamorphosis (MS)
For Middle School: Students will conduct a variety of interdisciplinary projects that expand their knowledge of butterflies and other insects.
Origami Butterflies (MS)
For Middle School: Students will learn to capture the likeness of a monarch butterfly with the art of paper folding.
Origami Butterflies (3-6)
For grades 3-6: Students will learn how to capture the likeness of a monarch butterfly with the art of paper folding.
Monarch Metaphors (MS)
For Middle School: Students identify ways a given object might represent a physical or behavioral characteristic of a monarch butterfly.
Monarch Metaphors (3-6)
For grades 3-6: Students identify ways a given object might represent a physical or behavioral characteristic of a monarch butterfly.
Life Cycle Art and Literature Projects (3-6)
For grades 3-6: Students will write, draw, and create art to capture their observations of monarchs or other insects.
The Life Cycle Wheel (3-6)
For 3-6: Students will use ordinal language in association with the sequence of the butterfly life cycle.
The Life Cycle Wheel (K-2)
For K-2: Students will use ordinal language in association with the sequence of the butterfly life cycle.
Making Life Cycle Books (K-2)
For K-2: In this lesson, students will create cards of the stages and make an easy to follow book that illustrates the sequences of life cycle stages.
Comparing Life Stages (K-2)
For K-2: This lesson encourages students to compare human life cycles with insect life cycles.
Butterfly Scales (MS)
For Middle School: In this lesson, students will observe and draw scales from many parts of the monarch's body, increase their observational skills, and collect measurements.
Butterfly Scales (3-6)
For grades 3-6: Students will create observations of structure and function of monarch wings, collect measurements and detailed observations, and create questions based on observations.
Make a Caterpillar Behavior Book (K-2)
For K-2: Students recall what they have learned from observing caterpillar behavior and create lists. They then create books on caterpillars, detailing what they know caterpillars can and cannot do.
How Much Do Caterpillars Eat in One Day? (3-6)
Lesson for grades 3-6: Students will first predict, and then estimate, how much milkweed a larva consumes on a daily basis. They will learn how milkweed consumption varies with larval age and size.
How Much do Caterpillars Eat in One Day? (K-2)
K-2 lesson: Students will practice making measurements of how much milkweed is eaten by a monarch caterpillar and then record their measurements on a datasheet.
Focus on Features (MS)
For Middle School: the objective of this lesson is to increase students' observation skills and awareness of details through rearing and observing monarch larvae.
Focus on Features (3-6)
For grades 3-6: The objective of this lesson is to increase students' observation skills and awareness of details through rearing and observing monarch larvae.
Focus on Features (K-2)
For grades K-2: Introduce students to the monarch butterfly and practice making detailed observations.
Do Caterpillars Eat More as they Grow Bigger? (K-2)
K-2 Lesson: Students record the number of milkweed leaves a caterpillar eats in one day in both a data table and a bar graph (for the entire life cycle). They will create questions based on observations.
Measuring Larval Growth and Development (MS)
Lesson for Middle School grades: They will measure and record data, analyze and interpret the data, and communicate their findings.
Measuring Larval Growth and Development (3-6)
Lesson for grades 3-6: Expose students to data entry and logging information into organized data tables, and to create questions based upon their findings.
Keeping a Life Cycle Calendar (K-2)
K-2 Lesson: Create a calendar based on student's observations of all stages of the monarch life cycle.
Keeping a Journal (MS)
MJV curriculum for Middle School: This lesson helps students record observations of the monarch life cycle, while also encouraging them to question, theorize, and share opinions. The processes described in this lesson would also work well with daily or weekly phenology conversations.
Keeping a Journal (3-6)
MJV curriculum for grades 3-6: This lesson helps students record observations of the monarch life cycle, while also encouraging them to question, theorize, and share opinions.
Keeping a Journal (K-2)
MJV curriculum for K-2: Students create a journal based on their observations of all stages of the monarch lifecycle.
Curriculum Blacklines
Caterpillar Head Anatomy
Caterpillar Head anatomy diagram and SEM photograph of head.
Caterpillar Anatomy
Monarch Caterpillar Anatomy Diagram and 4th instar larva
Newly-hatched larva
Newly-hatched larva eating eggshell
Five Instars
Five instars, magnified 4X
Prepupal Larva
Prepupal larva hanging in the "J" position
Female and Male Pupae
Female and male pupae, front view
SEM Photos of Butterfly Head
SEM photos: butterfly head with ommatidia, and tip of antenna.
Other
Butterfly Life Cycle Necklace
Use noodles and string to create your very own life cycle necklace. This resource and activity was developed by the Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.
Plant Milkweed Life Cycle Coloring Page
Designed by Ba Rea, this coloring page makes a great companion to Ba's book, Monarch Come Play with Me! More resources are available on Basrelief.org. You can purchase Monarch Come Play with Me in the Monarch Joint Venture Store.
Monarch Life Cycle Bracelet Craft
Learn how to make the monarch life cycle into a bracelet! Created by Patrick Bryant (Park Ranger at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge), this activity is inexpensive, easy to set up, and offers a fun and effective way for kids to learn about and remember the Monarch life cycle!
Seed Ball Activity
Make seed balls for a native garden that supports pollinators, improves water and habitat quality, and attracts predators of plants pests!
Macaroni Monarchs
This life cycle assembly projects helps students create and illustrate their understanding of monarch life cycle.
Student Call to Action
Dr. Karen Oberhauser issues a challenge to students to get involved in monarch conservation. Download the letter and share it with any students that you interact with.
Student Call to Action (short)
Dr. Karen Oberhauser issues a challenge to students to get involved in monarch conservation. Download the letter (short) and share it with any students that you interact with.
Monarch Life Cycle Coloring Page
This coloring page by Kathleen Marie Garness shows the monarch butterfly life cycle. Print it out a color away!
Butterfly Birthday Coloring Page
This coloring page pairs with the book Butterfly Birthday, by Lori Harris.