Volunteer in the Michigan 4-H Children's Garden


"Butterflies in the Garden"	Butterfly Training Dates
Every spring we transform the Indoor 4-H Children's Garden into a wonderous space brimming with butterflies. Over 1000 students visit "Butterflies in the Garden" every year as part of a field trip to specifically experience and learn about butterflies. Trained docents lead classes in a two part program that teaches the relationship between butterflies and plants. Most programs last about 1.5 hour and docents may sign up to lead as many groups as they like. Training sessions for "Butterflies in the Garden" begin in mid February and potential docents are required to complete the basic training session as well as partner with an experienced docent for a couple of field trips. This mentoring process is to ensure new docents are comfortable and understand how the field trips function. "Butterflies" is a really fun program that you are sure to enjoy! Visit our "Butterflies in the Garden" website for more information.		To sign up, please RSVP to Jessica Albright, 517.355.5191 x 1-327 or garden4h@msu.edu Butterfly Training I. Dates to be posted soon! Introductory training for new docents interested in leading groups for "Butterflies in the Garden." We will cover educational philosophies, background information on butterflies and work through the Butterflies and Plants program. Butterfly Training II. Dates coming soon! Some classes are interested in spending an entire day learning with butterflies and others would like to study butterflies a little more in-depth. This training session covers Butterfly Experiments, Butterfly Timelines and Butterfly Migration.


Butterflies in the Garden Programs Listed below are short descriptions about the different programs. Click on the link to download the associated lesson plans. Discovering Butterflies: preschool An introduction to butterflies. Explore what butterflies are, what they look like, what they eat and why they are important to us. 1 hour. Butterflies and Plants: Grades K and up This is our most popular program. It can be adapted to any grade level, delving more in-depth for older students or making it more developmentally appropriate for the younger students. Discover the relationship between the butterfly life cycle and the plants that are important for each part of the cycle. In the Indoor garden, students make careful observations of each part of the butterfly life cycle. The classroom experience includes using microscopes, and interactive play to further understanding. 1.5 hours, $2 per student. Butterfly Experiments: Grades 2 and up Students explore questions about butterflies by developing some of their own experiments. We begin by brainstorming different questions to investigate, determining how we can find an answer and then making observations in the Indoor Children’s Gardens. Great to combine with Butterflies and Plants. 2 hours, $2 per student. Butterfly Migration : Grades 3 and up Study butterflies that migrate. Go on a butterfly migration- how will you find directions, something to eat, and places to spend the night? Explore butterfly migration in the Indoor 4-H Children’s Garden and using the internet. 2 hours, $2 per student Full Day Butterfly Field Trip Spend a full day investigating our flying friends! Begin with the Butterflies and Plants program for an introduction, followed by another program like Butterfly Experiments or Migration. Students will also use the computer, sketch, journal and read stories. This program developed with the teacher and the garden education coordinator. All ages welcome, 4-5 hours, $4 per student.

For more information or any questions contact: Jessica Albright Education Coordinator, Michigan 4-H Children's Gardens B102 Plant & Soil Sciences East Lansing, MI. 48824-1325 517.355.5191 x 1-327 garden4h@msu.edu To sign up to volunteer please download an application and mail or fax it to the information listed above.
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