This project is a part of the Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month celebration because
it supports a Latino teacher or a school where the majority of students are Latino.
My Students
One of the second grade Science Standards is the study of animal life cycles. Doesn't it make more sense to have live animals for students to study and observe rather than just read it in a book? The opportunity to provide live butterfly eggs to watch them go through the life cycle is a must.
I teach a wonderful group of second graders.
The majority of them are second language learners who come from low-income families. Regardless of their backgrounds, and personal experiences, they are still children who are eager to learn and who have very inquisitive little minds.
My Project
I would love to be able to provide my students with the opportunity to study and observe the life cycle of a live Painted-Lady Butterfly. I try to do it every year, but this time I want each student to have and take care of one butterfly egg. Our school budget doesn't allow for this.
They will watch each one go through its transformation until it becomes a butterfly. They will make observations and write down what they see every few days. They will become little scientists.
Then when the butterflies are ready, we can let them go around the mallow plants where they will eat and hopefully reproduce. It is an amazing thing to see all my students' faces light up as they see all the changes that the larvae go through. Having it live in the classroom beats reading it in a book anytime.
With your help, my students will have a once in a lifetime opportunity to see and study a butterfly's life cycle.
It is very 'hands-on' and children are always motivated to learn when they see it in person. I am a firm believer of providing real things to my students because it's so much better than to just read it in a book and because my students sometimes don't get a chance to have these experiences on their own.
Nearly all students from low‑income households
Data about students' economic need comes from the National Center for Education Statistics, via our partners at MDR Education. Learn more
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Paiz-Perez and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.