On March 23rd, the 4th graders got to take an adventure to Frederik Meijer Gardens to explore the butterfly exhibit, sculptures, treehouse playground, and more! The opportunity allowed us to build on our animal and plant adaptations science unit, in which students studied the various internal and external features that affect the survival of organisms.
We began our trip by taking a walk through the plant exhibits, where we saw plants like cacti, and were able to connect the needles to our studies about how plants protect themselves from animals who may want to eat them.
When we headed to the butterfly exhibit, we were able to see the life cycle of a butterfly on full display. Students used their field journals to choose a butterfly to follow through the exhibit and observe. They drew the butterfly, tracked its flight patterns, and its colors. This helped us determine how it survives in various situations and deters predators from attacking.
“I loved seeing the tropical birds in the exhibit too,” added Anabelle from 4th Clark.
Some students even had butterflies land on them and hitch a ride through the exhibit!
To end the day, we got to do a “Learning Lab” about butterflies, filling in more of our observation journals and using lab tools to study the features of wings up close. Students worked together to investigate how light, color, and translucency can impact the survival of a butterfly in the wild.
“The patterns on the wings were so cool to see up close!” Kasia from 4th Clark relayed.
