My students need materials that will aid them in understanding the lifecycle of a butterfly.
FULLY FUNDED! Ms. Harken's classroom raised $563
This project is fully funded
Students Who Make A Difference
I am a 5th Grade Gifted and Talented Teacher, and my students have worked very hard to create a model Butterfly Garden.
With our school having a population of 66% of students on free/reduced lunch, resources for our project are very limited. We solely rely on donors to help us purchase the materials that are necessary to create hands-on learning opportunities related to the Butterfly Garden. This garden allows students to look outside themselves and become nurturers. The students are involved in every aspect of creating and maintaining the garden. Student activities include building, planting, mulching, weeding, and watering the flower beds. It provides benefits, not only for the wildlife, but also for the students. According to Richard Louv's book "Last Child in the Woods", "nature-deficit disorder" is what happens to young people when they become disconnected from their natural world. Louv has linked this lack of nature to disturbing childhood trends, such as obesity, attention disorders, and depression. Louv's book was the beginning of a new initiative called No Child Left Inside. Gifted students often feel disconnected from other students their age and can have attention problems as well as become depressed. This initiative addresses the problems these students face.
The students need resources that will enable them to observe and interact with butterflies up close and personal. A screened-in room is a butterfly enclosure that the students can keep butterflies in. Within this enclosure, students can provide host and nectar plants for the butterflies. The students will also be able to enter the enclosure and be close to the butterflies. The Butterfly Life Cycle Kit will allow students to observe the life cycle of the Painted Lady butterfly, as well as provide an additional habitat for butterflies that we will be able to reuse. I have also requested an additional butterfly cage for this reason. When we tag Monarch butterflies, the students will need to safely net them. The nets I am requesting are specially designed to catch insects without causing harm to them. The posters I am requesting will provide a visual for the students to reference during this study. These materials will greatly enhance the quality of my program and provide students with hands-on opportunities that will not be forgotten.
By partnering with us, you will join others in the community who believe in what we are doing. Many organizations and businesses have already played a major role in helping us create our Butterfly Garden. These include The Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, AmeriCorps, Petit Jean Garden Club, Audubon, The Good Earth, The Forestry Commission, The Conservation District, Tree City USA, Wal-Mart, Ace Hardware, and The Game and Fish Commission. We still have a lot to do in order to create a model butterfly garden. We hope to get your support and add your name to our list of sponsors.
More than half of 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. Harken and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.