Magnet school project takes flight to help save monarchs

Kate Moody and Matt Jarrett, teachers at Steindorf STEAM Magnet School, are helping save monarch butterflies with the help of their secondgrade students. They began the effort about four years ago as part of a project-based learning program.

“The students built a butterfly garden by the front of the school,” Moody said. “It is a project they love. Kids love to see butterflies coming back into the community. It is exciting for the staff as well.”

The students planted milkweed to attract the butterflies, which lay eggs on the plant. To increase the dwindling monarch butterfly population in San Jose’s Cambrian area, the second graders also planted milkweed seeds in city parks such as Doerr Park and Houge Park. They handed out packets of milkweed seeds to parents in the Cambrian Union School District, which enrolls students from Campbell.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that the monarch is a candidate for the Endangered Species Act. More than beautiful, monarch butterflies pollinate many types of wildflowers while feeding on nectar.

“This is a perfect example of what we do and how we solve real-world problems through projectbased learning,” Steindorf Principal Lisa MacFarland said.

Since Steindorf is a STEAM school, MacFarland said, “art has been integrated in many ways during the years with this project. One example is learning about symmetry by painting half a butterfly and then folding the paper. Another is creating 3D caterpillars in our Makerspace.”

Students also designed and created the signs that are hanging in the garden.

Moody said students’ efforts have paid off over time.

“We have had daily sightings of monarchs and found at least 20 eggs that have been laid in our garden and hallways,” she said.