Monarch butterflies have the ability to inspire people across North America and beyond as ambassadors for pollinator and insect conservation, and educators across North America are bringing this insect and its mighty migration to their classes.
As part of this spring's online North American Monarch Institute (NAMI), you can become part of this international group of educators and community leaders along the monarch migration flyway, whether you're at the northern reaches of the monarch's range in Canada, or at the end of the migration in Mexico or California, or anywhere in between.
The next offering of the North American Monarch Institute begins Feb. 2, running through March 27 on MJV's NECTAR Hub. This self-paced course takes place over eight weeks, with four live Q&A sessions over Zoom along the way.
This course is full of informational videos, journaling, activities, and engaging discussions. Educators will leave the class with the tools and knowledge to lead their students, colleagues, and community in the science of monarch and insect conservation. Participants will receive a certificate for eight continuing education units (CEUs), as well as a digital copy of our Monarchs and More curriculum guide for the grade level of their choosing (K-2nd, 3rd-5th, or 6th-8th).
"It was the BEST experience I've had as a teacher, hands down," Meg Becker, a Minnesota special education teacher who took the in-person version of NAMI at the University of Minnesota in 2014. "When I participated in NAMI, I was working at River Bend Education Center in Minneapolis Public Schools. It is a program for students with emotional and/or behavioral disabilities, and we started a school garden with the knowledge I learned at NAMI."
The goals of the course include:
- Learning about monarch biology, ecology, and conservation
- Practicing educational activities that can be done in the classroom, schoolyard or other green space
- Exploring biodiversity and invertebrate identification
- Experiencing the process of science as practiced by professional scientists, and how to fully immerse students or other program participants in this process
- Reflecting on the information given and planning for implementing the content in your education setting
- Becoming part of an international science network between educators, researchers, and students along the monarch migration flyway
After the eight weeks have passed, we hope educators will be inspired to take additional steps to introduce the natural world to their students.
"I credit NAMI and your staff for teaching me the importance of getting students outside, engaging with their natural environment. It matters. The more my students ask questions about the natural world, the more I find myself leaning on my knowledge learned through NAMI," Becker said.
David Kowalski, executive director of NINOS Head Start, said staff's participation in NAMI had a big impact, echoing Becker's sentiment.
"The workshop encouraged us to expand outdoor learning opportunities and highlighted the educational and emotional benefits of connecting children with nature," Kowalski said, adding that after participation, the NINOS team developed a plan to build a butterfly garden. Using grant funds, the first phase of the project is complete, with the garden seeing enhancements each season through signage, additional native plants, and outdoor learning stations, becoming "a living classroom that nurtures curiosity, environmental stewardship, and a sense of community pride," Kowalski said.
"[We] are already beginning to see its positive impact," Kowalski said. "Children, families, and staff are spending more time outdoors, exploring science concepts through real-world observation."
To sign up for this spring's online NAMI, click here.