Butterfly Biodiversity (Grade 2)
Student will get to learn about biodiversity by building a butterfly biodiversity mobile and watching a short clip of Butterflies and Pupae from the Carleton University Butterfly Show.
This activity discusses biodiversity in the context of butterflies and pupae. This activity also allows students to see how each species of butterfly is different and has different adaptations to the environment in which they live.
What You Need
Materials if being dropped off at a school:
- 18 paper butterflies per student (cut out with a butterfly punch, at least 6 different colours) and 3 beads in a paper envelope
- 4 pieces of string (10 inches long) per student
- 1 skewer (with the sharp ends cut off) per student
- Glue (teacher may provide some but best to have some extra)
Materials if educator is providing:
- 18 paper butterflies per student (template can be provided or get the students to draw a simple butterfly)
- 4 pieces of string, ribbon, yarn, etc., each about 10 inches long per student
- 1 small stick from outside
- 3 beads with holes (or alternative) to add to the end of each string.
- Glue
Link to video:
PowerPoint:
Lesson Plan:
Safety Notes
Ensure you are familiar with Let's Talk Science's precautions with respect to safe delivery of virtual outreach to youth. These precautions can be found in the manual for this activity.
What To Do
To create the butterfly biodiversity mobile, students will have to make 3 strings with the butterflies and beads. Ensure that you go slow when explaining the steps.
1. Take one piece of string and choose 2 butterflies to start.
2. Take one paper butterfly, put glue down the centre and place it along the string.
3. Put glue down the centre of a second paper butterfly and place it on the string above the first one.
4. Repeat until you have 3 butterflies on one string.
5. Add a bead to the end of the string by tying it on or slipping the string through.
6. Repeat steps 4-7 twice so that you will have 3 strings of butterflies.
7. Tie each string to the stick, trying to balance the strings across the stick.
8. Tie a fourth string to the top of the stick in a loop and hang your mobile. If it isn't balanced, slide the strings until it hangs straight.
Now that you have made a butterfly biodiversity mobile, let's take a look at the biodiversity of butterflies in the greenhouse!
Discovery
Why is it important that we protect butterflies?
They are living things and we should respect and care for all living things. If there are a lot of butterflies in an environment like a meadow or a forest, it often means the rest of the meadow or forest is healthy. Butterflies are food for many other animals. Butterflies are pretty and make us feel good when we see them. Butterflies are pollinators and important to plants but bees are much more important as pollinators.
Some butterflies are at risk of extinction, like the dinosaurs. What do humans do to cause damage to butterflies?
We use pesticides on our crops, we build houses, malls, big factories, etc. in places butterflies live (their habitat), we mow down wild flowers along the sides of roads, in our school yards, etc. For Monarchs, milkweed is the only plant the Monarch caterpillar will eat and the number of milkweed plants is decreasing. For other butterflies the caterpillars often only eat one or few types of plants and these plants are also decreasing.
What can we do to protect butterflies?
Plant more of the milkweed species or other wildflowers that the Monarchs and other butterflies like best, stop using pesticides so much, protect patches of wildflowers.
Why does it matter?
Why is it important that we protect butterflies?
They are living things and we should respect and care for all living things. If there are a lot of butterflies in an environment like a meadow or a forest, it often means the rest of the meadow or forest is healthy. Butterflies are food for many other animals. Butterflies are pretty and make us feel good when we see them. Butterflies are pollinators and important to plants but bees are much more important as pollinators.
Investigate Further
Some butterflies are at risk of extinction, like the dinosaurs. What do humans do to cause damage to butterflies?
We use pesticides on our crops, we build houses, malls, big factories, etc. in places butterflies live (their habitat), we mow down wild flowers along the sides of roads, in our school yards, etc. For Monarchs, milkweed is the only plant the Monarch caterpillar will eat and the number of milkweed plants is decreasing. For other butterflies the caterpillars often only eat one or few types of plants and these plants are also decreasing.
What can we do to protect butterflies?
Plant more of the milkweed species or other wildflowers that the Monarchs and other butterflies like best, stop using pesticides so much, protect patches of wildflowers.