Our Monarch butterfly workshops are immersive learning experiences that explore the science of the Monarch butterfly through a lens of conservation education.
VIEW 2020 WORKSHOPS
Teaching & Learning with Monarch Butterflies
Discover the incredible story of the Monarch butterfly — and learn how it can engage children and others in wildlife conservation.
Explore the Monarch butterfly’s life cycle, migration and habitat requirements in this hands-on workshop, and develop the skills to bring Monarchs into any educational environment.
Delivered by experts from the Monarch Teacher Network of Canada, this workshop helps participants build their confidence to work with Monarchs, through rigorous and comprehensive training. Topics include:
- The importance of habitat creation and conservation for monarchs, especially milkweeds
- An overview of how to participate in citizen science projects that involve monitoring and observing the insect in its natural habitats
- History of tagging and tracking of migrating Monarchs
- Ethical considerations related to species conservation
- Appropriate care and handling protocols throughout all of the Monarch’s life stages
2020 WORKSHOPS
This season, MTN of C is adapting Teaching and Learning with Monarch Butterflies to meet health and safety guidelines stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. We are committed to facilitating a positive, supportive, and fun learning experience for individuals interested in our workshops, while upholding the rigour that our program is best known for.
Our 2020 workshop will consist of four one-hour online sessions and a half-day in-person session*.
Audience: Educators, nature enthusiasts and anyone interested in Monarch butterflies. Please note that our workshop is designed for adult learners.
*Individuals who wish to register under our Wildlife Scientific Collector’s Authorization to conduct activities with Monarchs (i.e. rearing, tagging) will be required to attend all four online sessions and a half-day in-person session.
ONLINE SESSIONS
Each virtual session will take place at 10:00 a.m. EST, via secured Zoom Meeting. Dates:
- Tuesday July 28 – Session 1: Life Cycle + Migration
- Thursday July 30 – Session 2: Milkweed + Mission Monarch
- Tuesday August 4 – Session 3: Habitat + Citizen Science
- Thursday August 6 – Session 4: Responsible Rearing
Can’t make it to a scheduled virtual session? All online sessions will be recorded and made available to those who are unable to attend.
IN-PERSON SESSIONS
During the month of August, MTN of C will be hosting small in-person events at various locations across the Greater Toronto Area.
Participants will be able to observe monarchs in all life cycle stages and review rearing techniques and tagging activities with MTN facilitators.
For details on our proactive safety measures, please refer to TRCA’s COVID-19 Related Updates.
Creating Monarch Friendly Habitat
Creating Monarch Friendly Habitat is a self-directed presentation framework on nurturing butterfly populations by growing an easy-to-maintain pollinator garden.
Design your own workshop, tailor-made for your community. Each presentation is unique to the host site and can be adapted for your local context.
Participants are introduced to issues and threats to pollinators, and learn how to create a Monarch friendly habitat from the ground up. Local experts in horticultural practices and conservation provide tips and advice.
A typical presentation will cover:
- The life cycle and biology of the Monarch butterfly
- Threats to the Monarch population
- Native plants that attract Monarch butterflies
- Best practices for Monarch friendly gardens
- Maintenance requirements
Interested in hosting your own Creating Monarch Friendly Habitat presentation?
CONTACT US for access to the presentation framework and resources.
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER for updates.
Voices from the Land
Voices from the Land is an interactive workshop that brings people together to explore the natural world through visual art and language.
Voices from the Land explores the intersections between language, culture and the natural world, and celebrates our connections to the land and our relationships with each other.
Expert educators will take participants through the Voices process, a creative and collaborative exploration of art, photography, language and performance. This process helps participants gain the skills, resources and perspectives to nurture artistic reflection and expression in their learners
Through the Voices process, participants will:
- Make ephemeral art in a local landscape using natural materials
- Write and perform poetry that reflects and represents art, language and culture
- Use photography to capture artwork and performance
- Learn best practices for designing and publishing artwork
2020 WORKSHOPS
Please check back soon for details on upcoming presentations, or SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER for updates.