Week 4

 

Week 4 Blog: Monarch Butterflies 


What question are we investigating?

This week we investigated Monarch butterflies, as well as what makes a question "good" according to the NGSS. Our class had several questions about Monarch butterflies such as, how do Monarch butterflies know where to travel, how does the super generation reproduce, and how do they travel so far. 

What did we do in lab to investigate this question?

We used the acronym KEWL to begin setting up our investigation. Starting with what we know, our evidence, what we want to know, and lastly what we learned. There were 5 different stations set up in the classroom to help us investigate these questions. The first was different diagrams of the butterflies life cycle, the second was parts of real Monarchs under a microscope, the third was looking at the caterpillars, the forth was analyzing the chrysalis, and lastly watching a video of the growing process and looking at learning materials. 

Chrysalis
Caterpillar











What did we figure out?

After completing the lab and investigating these questions, we all learned several new things about Monarch butterflies. Monarch butterflies migrate in the spring and fall, and that they lice 2-6 weeks unless they are apart of the super generation. We learned about their migration patterns and how each generation prepares for the super generation which is the butterfly that makes it all the way to Mexico. The super generation is much bigger than the regular Monarchs that came before, and they live much longer. 

What are new or remaining question after the investigation? 

In the video that we watched where the man was explaining the migration patterns of a Monarch, and what the super generation is, he mentioned that the super generation cannot reproduce. I was wondering how the generations continue if they cannot reproduce. But I continued my research and found some sources saying they can, but I am still unsure. 

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