October 12, 2018
Today students looked at different insects—mosquitoes, bumble bees, butterflies, flies—under a digital microscope, pointing out structure and textures. They used magnifying glasses to study preserved butterflies and discussed the Monarch butterflies’ migration to and through California about this time of the year.
Adding the art component to the lab, we added a coloring and butterfly paper crafting project, as well as playing with yarn to build a “spider web”. We had wonderful questions from many students and lots of “aha!” moments.
Read: An incredible pop-up book Bugs by George McGavin and An Insect’s Body by Joanna Cole (found in the Wade Thomas library).
Visit: The California Academy of Sciences rainforest exhibit and the amazing Naturalist Center. Or go to local parks in search of monarch butterflies: more info at Bay Area Parents website.
Watch: Flight of the Butterflies, a movie available through the San Francisco public library system.
Thank you to all the parents who volunteered their time during the lab.
Image by Anya Bosina, shot at ANHM 2018.