September 30th, 2017
21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM
Monarchs find solace at City School
By ELLA HOWE, NOAH ALLEN and KIANNAH PARTLOW
Special to the Messenger
ST. ALBANS — At St. Albans City School, a large group of fourth through sixth graders (called “The Incredibles”) created a small butterfly garden five years ago. The space is used and made like a rest stop; the butterflies can stop there and use the flowers to energize and replenish their strength and the milkweed to feed the caterpillars.
Years ago when it was made, it was a little project, and the fourth through sixth graders started with small goals. Little did they know that the garden would quickly be expanded and worked on immensely.
The kids started with planting various types of flowers such as mums, cosmos, snapdragons, bee balms and sedums. These flowers have nectar in them, which attract many butterflies. When the insects are caterpillars, they are attracted to the milkweed plants, which are also in the garden. The kids had first planted something called a butterfly plant, which is also a big help to attract butterflies. Unfortunately, the plant died pretty quickly because they usually can’t survive in a Northern area like Vermont (they prefer somewhere warm yearround).
Although butterfly waystations are easy for anybody to create, they have to include milkweed, nectar/ flowers and a shelter/habitat for the monarchs. Waystations can be made by anyone and don’t have to be approved or official, but fortunately, the Incredibles’ garden was stated an official waystation!
The certificate given to them was from Monarch Watch, a program that encourages and hosts events about monarch conservation and butterfly waystations. They are looking for anybody to make waystations in their home garden, school garden, public areas, parks, etc. Anywhere that a garden can be created counts as another waystation helping monarchs survive!
At St. Albans City School, the kids started to notice that the milkweed was choking out the flowers. They decided that they should move the milkweed to the side of the building where it would have more room to grow. First, they tried to transplant the milkweed (dig the plant up and put it back in a different spot). They soon found out that transplanting didn’t work, so next they decided to have the kids take all the seeds out and throw them in the gardens. They hope that this will work for the milkweed and the caterpillars.
This year, the kids saw more butterflies than ever at the garden. Most of them are a butterfly breed called painted ladies, but some are monarchs. Those are the types of butterflies they are hoping to see lots of in their garden. Kids at St. Albans City School are spotting more and more chrysalis, caterpillars and butterflies this year. One of the Incredibles’ biggest hopes is that people won’t bother them or knock them down. They are encouraging people to walk a good distance away from the garden so the creatures aren’t being disturbed.
Overall, the garden has been very successful at St. Albans City School. Since anybody can make their own way station, hopefully North America is getting better with monarch conservation. The Incredibles have worked so hard on this project over the years, and it’s amazing to watch the garden come alive with all the butterflies! -- Ella Howe, Noah Allen and Kiannah Partlow are educators at St. Albans City School.
Monarchs find solace at City School
By ELLA HOWE, NOAH ALLEN and KIANNAH PARTLOW
Special to the Messenger
ST. ALBANS — At St. Albans City School, a large group of fourth through sixth graders (called “The Incredibles”) created a small butterfly garden five years ago. The space is used and made like a rest stop; the butterflies can stop there and use the flowers to energize and replenish their strength and the milkweed to feed the caterpillars.
Years ago when it was made, it was a little project, and the fourth through sixth graders started with small goals. Little did they know that the garden would quickly be expanded and worked on immensely.
The kids started with planting various types of flowers such as mums, cosmos, snapdragons, bee balms and sedums. These flowers have nectar in them, which attract many butterflies. When the insects are caterpillars, they are attracted to the milkweed plants, which are also in the garden. The kids had first planted something called a butterfly plant, which is also a big help to attract butterflies. Unfortunately, the plant died pretty quickly because they usually can’t survive in a Northern area like Vermont (they prefer somewhere warm yearround).
Although butterfly waystations are easy for anybody to create, they have to include milkweed, nectar/ flowers and a shelter/habitat for the monarchs. Waystations can be made by anyone and don’t have to be approved or official, but fortunately, the Incredibles’ garden was stated an official waystation!
The certificate given to them was from Monarch Watch, a program that encourages and hosts events about monarch conservation and butterfly waystations. They are looking for anybody to make waystations in their home garden, school garden, public areas, parks, etc. Anywhere that a garden can be created counts as another waystation helping monarchs survive!
At St. Albans City School, the kids started to notice that the milkweed was choking out the flowers. They decided that they should move the milkweed to the side of the building where it would have more room to grow. First, they tried to transplant the milkweed (dig the plant up and put it back in a different spot). They soon found out that transplanting didn’t work, so next they decided to have the kids take all the seeds out and throw them in the gardens. They hope that this will work for the milkweed and the caterpillars.
This year, the kids saw more butterflies than ever at the garden. Most of them are a butterfly breed called painted ladies, but some are monarchs. Those are the types of butterflies they are hoping to see lots of in their garden. Kids at St. Albans City School are spotting more and more chrysalis, caterpillars and butterflies this year. One of the Incredibles’ biggest hopes is that people won’t bother them or knock them down. They are encouraging people to walk a good distance away from the garden so the creatures aren’t being disturbed.
Overall, the garden has been very successful at St. Albans City School. Since anybody can make their own way station, hopefully North America is getting better with monarch conservation. The Incredibles have worked so hard on this project over the years, and it’s amazing to watch the garden come alive with all the butterflies! -- Ella Howe, Noah Allen and Kiannah Partlow are educators at St. Albans City School.