1) From a closed bag, students will pull out models or pictures of a Monarch butterfly, milkweed, a tiny map of North America, a caterpillar, a small calendar and a leaf. Using Total Physical Response, build and review vocabulary including the months and weather. With the models, pose questions about where the Monarchs fly, when they fly and what they eat. Is it possible for such a small animal to go so far? (See Appendix C, P. 265 of the World Languages Framework for an explanation of this strategy)

2) Students memorize the poem:

Baila, baila mariposa, que la lluvia ya no está.

Baila, vuela con el viento y el sol pronto vendrá.

3) In pairs, students create their own melodies, raps or chants to match the rhyme. May include percussion instruments. Share in class or, as a "jazz festival."

4) Read La oruga muy hambrienta by Eric Carle.

5) Review the stages of the butterfly cycle and play a guessing game with objects/pictures (oruga, huevecillo, mariposa, crisálida) hidden in a bag.

To practice the stages with younger students, use rice for the eggs, macaroni spirals for the caterpillar, macaroni shells for the cocoon and macaroni bow-ties for the butterfly. Label.
Lifecycle Stages

6) Make paper butterfly toys with penny weights on the wings for balance. See which group can have its butterfly perch on fingers the longest while crossing a floor map of North America. Place milkweed photos along the way to guide path. Students direct each other using north, south, east, west and other verbal commands.
Patterns For Toys

1) Using illustrations from the book and sentence strips, the teacher will introduce several episodes from the story La mariposa bailarina (Carlos Ruvalcaba) in TPRStorytelling format. Students will re-tell the story orally and in writing and make up variations.
La Mariposa Bailarina

TPRStory: Es la primavera. Las mariposas están en México. Lucero es una mariposa monarca que baila y baila. Las mariposas tienen hambre. Vuelan al norte. Lucero ayuda.

Right-click the thumbnail on the right to download a larger version of this image.

2) From the website below and/or the article "La migración de la mariposa monarca", students will map the Monarch’s migration and fill in a graphic organizer of the location, season, climate and plants.
http:// www.learner.org/jnorth/monarch/index.html

3) Teacher introduces vocabulary for the Winter 2002 Monarch Tragedy booklet for students to illustrate.
Booklet Outline

Los trabajadores cortan los árboles. El bosque tiene espacios vacíos. Los espacios dejan pasar el viento, la lluvia y la nieve. El viento tumba las mariposas de las ramas al suelo. Las monarcas se congelan hasta morir.

1) Using the paper butterfly toys already made or creating new butterflies, student pairs will role-play a conversation between a butterfly and a Mexican sanctuary caretaker. The tired butterfly will ask for friendship and for shelter in the Oyamel trees for the winter. The caretaker will express hospitality and appreciation that the butterfly helps pollinate the plants. Students will write a message on the butterfly to send to Mexico.

2) Divide the class in thirds. One third will become expert in Monarch behavior in Mexico, another third in Canada and another third in the U.S. Students prepare index cards to prompt them in interviewing each other on the butterfly’s behavioral responses to the climate, food and shelter in their target country. Students fill out a graphic organizer.

3) New teams of students are formed that contain an "expert" from each country. The team will prepare an illustrated brochure or Powerpoint presentation suitable for sending to the Univision or Telemundo TV station to raise awareness about the need for cooperation among the countries in North America to protect the migration.