Webquest: 

Monarch Butterfly

An Introductory Teacher-led Internet Activity for the Kindergarten Level

Hi!  I'm Monty and I'm a Monarch butterfly!  I was born at Kingsway Christian School in Avon, Indiana.  The boys and girls in Mrs. Bucy's Kindergarten class got to watch me as I emerged from my chrysalis (you'll find out more about that later)!  We're going to take a trip from my home in Indiana all the way to Mexico.  Your teacher will fill you in on some interesting background information (since you can't read yet).  We'll also take a look at the life cycle of a Monarch butterfly--we'll look at some really cool pictures!  Then we'll visit the actual city in Mexico that some of my relatives and I migrate to in the fall.  Let's get going!!

	1. Click on the butterfly button to see the first stage of the butterfly's life cycle.  Draw this stage in space #1 of your activity sheet.
	2.  Click on the butterfly button to see the second stage of the butterfly's life cycle--larva.  Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed leaves and then eat milkweed leaves at this stage.  Draw this stage in space #2 of your activity sheet
	3.  Click on the butterfly button to see a poster of the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly.  Your teacher will show you a picture of the next stage--chrysalis.  Draw a picture of a chrysalis in space #3 of your activity sheet.  Teachers:  the Big Book titled "A Butterfly is Born" by Melvin Berger is an excellent tool for this.
	4.  Click on the butterfly button to see a full-grown Monarch butterfly.  Draw a picture of a Monarch butterfly in space #4 of your activity sheet.
	5.  Click on the butterfly button and we'll look at a map showing the path we'll be taking now that we're full-grown.  What country will we be flying to according to the map?
	6.  Here are some pictures taken by a teacher who visited the actual site in Mexico that many of my relatives travel to in October.
	7.  It's been fun guiding you on this Monarch butterfly tour.  I know you have learned a lot and would probably like to travel with me to Mexico.  The neat thing is you can (kind of).  Your teacher will explain how you can complete your last activity and Send a Monarch to Mexico!

This webquest was created by Jane Bucy, a Kindergarten teacher at Kingsway Christian School.  If you would like a copy of the Life Cycle of a Butterfly Activity Sheet click here.

Last Updated January 2005 by Trisha Armstrong