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Description
Monarchs are one of our most fascinating butterfly species and have captured world-wide attention with their annual migration between Canada and Mexico. Unfortunately, climate change and human impacts on critical breeding and wintering grounds threaten the future of Monarch butterfly populations. The World Wildlife Fund created “Teaching Tools About Monarchs”, a compilation of learning resources, to actively engage students in exploring connections between the environment, human activity and the health of Monarch butterfly populations. Don't Treat Soils Like Dirt is one of several lessons in the toolkit.
Students investigate the important role western Canada's wild grasslands play in providing summer habitat for Monarchs. They focus on the interrelationships between the physical and biological components of this ecosystem by:
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Analyzing how organic matter helps improve moisture retention and drainage in grassland soils.
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Comparing and contrasting plant growth in healthy and unhealthy soils.
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Identifying threats to native grasslands.
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Brainstorming personal conservation actions.
Students use science skills to conduct and describe the results of an experiment and use their data to support conclusions about soil health and plant growth. The toolkit is complemented by a video, posters and activity sheets, all available on the website.
General Assessment
Recommendation of how and where to use it
This activity supports science outcomes related to habitats, ecosystems, biodiversity and plant ecology.
Like many other pollinators, Monarch butterflies are threatened by the loss of native food plants. Students could build on learning about plant growth and healthy soils to involve a community-based gardening group in establishing wildflower beds on school grounds. This project could become the basis of a public awareness campaign that encourages homeowners to include more native plants in their perennial gardens. A class could also prepare and deliver a presentation to the local municipal government to identify how green spaces could be improved with flower species that benefit pollinating insects like the Monarch butterfly.
Relevant Curriculum Units
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
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- Alberta
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 3
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened through investigating natural systems and their interactions
- Scientific Methods: Investigation of the physical world is enhanced through the use of scientific methods that attempt to remove human biases and increase objectivity.
- Grade 4
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Investigating change and the diversity of Earth’s systems helps us to develop understandings of the conditions necessary to sustain life.
- Grade 6
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- Science
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- Living Systems: Understandings of the living world, Earth, and space are deepened through investigating natural systems and their interactions
- British Columbia
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- Grade 3
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 3: Living things are diverse, can be grouped, and interact in their ecosystems
- Grade 4
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- Science
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- Science 4: All living things sense and respond to their environment
- Grade 5
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 5: Earth materials change as they move through the rock cycle and can be used as natural resources.
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
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- Grade 3
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Our Local Environment : :Scientific Literacy
- Our Local Environment : Learning and Living Sustainably
- Grade 4
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Properties and Uses of Earth Materials: Learning and Living Sustainably
- Properties and Uses of Earth Materials: Scientific Literacy
- Grade 5
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 5: Living and technological Systems: Learning and Living Sustainably
- Grade 6
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- Science
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- Wayfinding: Making sense of your world: Learning and Living Sustainably
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- Northwest Territories
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- Grade 3
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Earth & Space Systems: Soils in the Environment
- Life Systems: Growth and Changes in Plants
- Grade 4
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Life Systems: Habitats & Communities
- Science 4: All living things sense and respond to their environment
- Grade 5
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 5: Earth materials change as they move through the rock cycle and can be used as natural resources.
- Grade 6
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Life Systems: Diversity of Living Things
- Nova Scotia
- Nunavut
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- Grade 3
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Earth & Space Systems: Soils in the Environment
- Life Systems: Growth and Changes in Plants
- Grade 4
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Life Systems: Habitats & Communities
- Grade 6
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Life Systems: Diversity of Living Things
- Ontario
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- Grade 3
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- Science & Technology
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Earth and Space Systems: Soils in the Environment
- Life Systems: Growth & Changes in Plants
- STEM Skills and Connections
- Grade 4
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- Science & Technology
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- Life Systems: Habitats and Communities
- STEM Skills and Connections
- Grade 5
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- Science & Technology
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- Earth and Space Systems: Conservation of Energy & Resources
- STEM Skills and Connections
- Grade 6
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- Life Systems: Biodiversity
- STEM Skills and Connections
- Prince Edward Island
- Quebec
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- Science & Technology
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- Living Things
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- Living Things
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- Living Things
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- Science & Technology
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- Living Things
- Saskatchewan
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- Grade 3
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- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Exploring Soils
- Plant Growth and Changes
- Grade 4
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- Science
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- Habitats and Communities
- Grade 6
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 6: Life Science: Diversity of Living Things
- Yukon Territory
- Step 2Select a grade level
- Grade 3
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 3: Living things are diverse, can be grouped, and interact in their ecosystems
- Grade 4
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 4: All living things sense and respond to their environment
- Grade 5
- Step 3Select a subject
- Science
- Step 4Relevant matches
- Science 5: Earth materials change as they move through the rock cycle and can be used as natural resources.
Themes Addressed
Ecosystems (3)
- Biodiversity
- Endangered Species
- Habitat Loss
