Monarchs as ambassadors for science, outreach in Ithaca area schools – By Amy Hastings
Each spring, members of the Agrawal Lab visit local second graders to engage them in a scientific endeavor with monarchs and milkweed. We began this outreach project in 2017 at Belle Sherman Elementary School and have continued every year since (except for a covid pause), for 7 total years, adding Caroline Elementary School in 2024. We grow two closely related species of milkweeds, Asclepias incarnata and A. pulchra, and bring them to the school, along with young (2 day old) monarch caterpillars.
While all students attend a presentation about insects and the plants they feed on (herbivory!), other lab members set up the milkweeds in butterfly cages in each classroom, and place a caterpillar on each plant. When the students return to the classrooms, they make observations in small groups about the similarities and differences of the 2 plants (green! fuzzy/smooth! rounded/thin leaves!) and draw their plants and caterpillars. They also practice collecting data, including the number of leaves on each plant and the length (in millimeters) of each caterpillar, while interacting with Agrawal lab members. Teachers guide their students to continue these observations every few days, following the growth of their caterpillars and taking note of when each large caterpillar turns into a “J”, just prior to pupation, and students get to witness the emergence of the butterflies.
Typically, caterpillars reared on A. incarnata grow substantially faster than those on A. pulchra, and students discuss possible explanations for the difference. This project has been supported by NSF and fits nicely into the second grade science curriculum – studying insect and plant life cycles – and the math curriculum – measurement using the metric system. Most importantly, this experience gives students practice thinking like scientists – making observations, engaging their curiosity, and coming up with possible hypotheses for what they observe!
