Monarchs have been in the news the past few weeks. Thousands of monarchs are migrating from Canada to Mexico. Ohio is along their migration route and this past Thursday I was so fortunate to see hundreds of them in a pollinator meadow not too far from the Lake Erie shoreline. (Click HERE and HERE to see them) These special monarchs are part of the 4th generation for this season and have a lifespan of up to 9 months, allowing them to make the 3000 mile journey. Most of you are at least 2 weeks into the school year. There is a long journey ahead of you and your students, and just like the journey these monarchs are facing, you are going to need some rest and refueling stops along the way. Being intentional about mapping out these roosting spots will not just benefit you. It will benefit your students, your colleagues, and your family. Just like the pollinator meadow that was planted in the early spring and attracts bees, grasshoppers, crickets, more than one type of butterfly…and people, you have to plan ahead so that the stopping points will be ready when you and your students get there.
For yourself, put non-negotiable holds on your calendar to leave time to do the things you love - reading, biking, baking, playing a sport, and playing music along with time to just be quiet with yourself and let your mind roam. I noticed the butterflies spent time on each flower before flying off to the next one. If you are feeling like you haven’t even had time to eat or take a bathroom break, you need to pause and recharge. It is time to just be still. Students need this too. Research has demonstrated that “down time”, literally letting your brain wander, actually helps your brain learn and solve problems. Reflect on where you can build reflection points and quiet time into your lesson planning. When can you take advantage of a service learning opportunity or integrated unit and co-plan with a colleague, allowing your students to stretch their thinking across multiple areas and apply what they have learned before moving on.? What topics or skills during the year are traditionally more challenging for students? What checkpoints can you build into your lesson planning that will give them additional scaffolding or engage their prior learning around those times? And, have you set a realistic timeline for the learning? It takes the monarchs up to 2 months to travel 3000 miles, going 50-100 miles a day.
Monarchs often wait for the right winds, and the warmer mid-day sun to travel. If the conditions aren’t right, they will roost by the hundreds in trees, waiting. What time of the day or the week is the best time to introduce new learning? Do you collaborate with colleagues to be sure that important projects and tasks are staggered and don’t all fall on the same day? What do your students start to look like/sound like when they aren’t ready for the next step in the journey? Are you intentionally watching for these signs? The migration of the monarchs happens every year about the same time as the first weeks of school. As I watch them flying onshore after crossing Lake Erie, I am always so impressed with how strong they are and find a lot of joy in watching them gliding along on a favorable wind. There is joy in watching students learn each year. Remember, you are strong too - and I know you have the skills you need to make this year’s learning journey a successful one.
Resources To Spark Your Thinking
Sign up for a JourneyNorth.org account. This is a citizen science site where you can report your own sightings of monarchs and a number of other animals. You can also find maps to follow migrations. This is a great site to use in classrooms too.
Monarch Resources and lesson plans from Journey North.
Plant milkweed https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/backyard-wildlife/Milkweeds%20and%20Monarchs.pdf
Why Downtime Is Essential For Brain Health - Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials
Colleges are focusing on helping students understand the importance of taking breaks and how to study effectively --
https://learningcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/taking-breaks/
https://health.cornell.edu/about/news/study-breaks-stress-busters
Just One More Thing Podcast - taking a break
The Learning Pit model by James Nottingham is a good way to think about the right time for new learning, when struggle leads to learning, and what role intentional reflection plays in the learning process --- https://www.learningpit.org/resources/graphics/#detailed
The Importance of Doing Nothing - the Atlantic
How to plan an integrated unit - common theme model I created
How to plan an integrated unit- literature or text set centered model I created