Lesson Plan - Monarchs on the Move

Watch the Video
Watch the video “Monarchs on the Move” as a class, then discuss: Why do monarchs migrate in the fall? What is epic or amazing about this migration?

Preview Words to Know
Project the online vocabulary slideshow and introduce the Words to Know.

• entomologist 
• climate change

Set a Purpose for Reading
As students read, have them think about why the number of monarch butterflies has dropped.

1. What trend does the author discuss in the second paragraph of the article?
The trend discussed in the second paragraph of the article is that the number of monarchs is dropping. The article says that last year, “the number of monarchs in Mexico dropped nearly 60 percent from the year before.” The article goes on to state that the overall number of monarchs has fallen sharply over the past 30 years.
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2. What part of monarch migration does the article say is still a mystery to scientists?
The article notes that it is a mystery how a new generation of monarchs can make the migration to Mexico and arrive in the same forests that previous generations of monarchs did.
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3. Describe two threats that monarch butterflies face.
According to the article, one main threat that monarchs face is the disappearance of milkweed, the plant that monarchs depend on as a place to lay eggs and a food source for monarch caterpillars. Another threat is the loss of habitat along monarchs’ migration routes. The article explains that “to make way for homes and farmland, people have cut down many of the trees where monarchs spend their winters.”
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Featured Skill: Reading a Diagram
Distribute the skill builder “A Monarch’s Life” and have students work in small groups to analyze the diagram of the monarch’s life cycle. Have each student write one additional question about the diagram and exchange questions with a partner.
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