How to Start
Butterfly and Bird Gardens
GREATER ESSEX COUNTY
DISTRICT SCHOOL BOARD
ecoschools project April 2008
www.gecdsb.on.ca
Getting Started!
Take a moment and think about your backyard. Is it bird-friendly? Is it
butterfly-friendly? Does it provide safety and cover for birds, butterflies and other
wildlife? Are there natural food sources such as seeds, insects and nectar? Are
there suitable nesting sites for the birds? Can birds and butterflies take shelter
from the wind, snow, ice and rain?
Butterfly and bird gardening involves planning your garden to attract, retain,
and encourage populations. Two small sample garden plans are shown in
Figures 1 and 2, and a list of host plants listed. Flowers of similar colours are
grouped together and are more attractive to both species and the public.
You should select a variety of nectar-producing plants with the aim of providing
flowers in bloom throughout the season. This will entice a continuous
succession of new visitors to a yard.
Annuals are wonderful plants because they bloom continuously through the
season, providing a steady supply of nectar. Perennial plants, such as
coneflowers, lilac, butterfly weed and asters, are visited regularly by all species.
Most plants in the mint family are also good nectar sources for butterflies.
Figure 1. A sample butterfly/bird border garden has a large variety of host
plants.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Purple coneflower
Dill
Hollyhock
Joe-Pye weed
Globe centaurea
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
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24.
Peony
Turtlehead
Swamp milkweed
Yarrow
Queen Anne’s lace
Tawny daylily
‘Marine’ heliotrope
Gayfeather
Butterfly weed
Petunia
Mountain bluet
Annual aster
‘Autumn Joy’ sedum
Rock cress
French marigold
‘Happy Returns’ daylily
Blanket flower
Nasturtium
Goldenrod
Source: http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/DG6711e.html
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Getting Started!
Figure 2
Legend:
COMMON NAME
BOTANICAL NAME
CODE
Butterfly Bush
Buddleia davidii 'Pink Wonder''
A
Alyssum
Lobularia maritima
G
Beard Tongue
Penstemon barbatus 'Rose Elf'
E
Bleeding Heart
Dicentra 'Luxuriant'
F
Butterfly Lily
Lilum 'Red Butterflies'
D
Canna
Canna x generalis
I
Delphinium
Delphinium
C
Grecian Foxglove
Digitalis lanata'
J
Salvia
Salvia spendens
H
Scarlet Cardinal Flower
Lobelia 'Compliment Scarlet'
B
Trumpet Vine
Campsis radicans'
K
Source: http://birding.about.com/library/weekly/blgardenplan2-plant.htm
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Curricular Connections
Language and Mathematics
Before, during and after implementation of the garden, there are many
opportunities for cross-curricular links. The different stages of a growing
garden would provide inspiration for writing using a variety of forms and
opportunities for application of both measurement and data management
concepts. Please see the following curricular links in Kindergarten through
Grade 8 in Language and Mathematics.
KINDERGARTEN
Writing
Write simple messages; communicate ideas about personal
experiences and/or familiar stories, and experiment with personal
voice in their writing.
Math
Measure and compare length, mass capacity, area, temperature of
objects/materials through free exploration, focused exploration
and guided activity.
LANGUAGE
Overall Expectations (Grades 1-8)
Writing
Generate, gather and organize ideas and information for an
intended purpose and audience.
Media
Literacy
Create a variety of media texts for different purposes and
audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions and techniques.
MATHEMATICS
Overall Expectations (by grade)
Measurement
Grade 1
Estimate, measure and describe length, area, mass, capacity, time
and temperature using non standard units of the same size.
Grade 2
Estimate, measure and describe length, area, mass, capacity, time
and temperature using non standard units and standard units.
Grade 3
Estimate, measure and describe length, perimeter, area, mass,
capacity, time and temperature using non standard units of the
same size.
Grade 4
Estimate, measure and record length, perimeter, area, mass,
capacity, volume and elapsed time using a variety of strategies.
Grade 5
Estimate, measure and record perimeter, area, temperature
change, and elapsed time, using a variety of strategies.
Grade 6
Estimate, measure and record quantities using the metric
measurement system.
Grade 7
Report on research into real-life applications of area
measurements.
Grade 8
Determine the relationships among units and measurable
attributes, including the area of a circle and the volume of a
cylinder.
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Curricular Connections
Data Management and Probability
Grade 1
Collect and organize categorical primary data and display the data
using concrete graphs and pictographs, without regard to the order
of labels on the horizontal axis.
Grade 2
Collect and organize categorical or discrete primary data and
display data, using tally charts, concrete graphs, pictographs, line
plots, simple bar graphs, and other graphic organizers, with labels
ordered appropriately along horizontal axes, as needed.
Grade 3
Collect and organize categorical or discrete primary data and
display the data using charts and graphs, including vertical and
horizontal bar graphs, with label ordered appropriately along
horizontal axes, as needed.
Grade 4
Collect and organize discrete primary data and display the data and
display the data using charts and graphs, including stem-and-leaf
plots and double bar graphs.
Grade 5
Collect and organize discrete or continuous primary data and
secondary data and display the data using charts and graphs,
including broken-line graphs.
Grade 6
Collect and organize discrete or continuous primary data and
secondary data and display the data using charts and graphs,
including continuous line graphs.
Grade 7
Collect and organize categorical, discrete or continuous primary
data and secondary data and display the data using charts and
graphs, including relative frequency tables and circle graphs.
Grade 8
Collect and organize categorical, discrete or continuous primary
data and secondary data and display the data using charts and
graphs, including frequency tables with intervals, histograms and
scatter plots; apply a variety of data management tools and
strategies to make convincing arguments about data.
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Curricular Connections
SCIENCE
Grades 1 to 12
By the end of Grade 1, students will:
• demonstrate an understanding of the basic needs of animals and plants
(e.g., the need for food, air, and water)
• investigate the characteristics and needs of animals and plants
• demonstrate awareness that animals and plants depend on their
environment to meet their basic needs, and describe the requirements for
good health for humans
By the end of Grade 2, students will:
• identify and describe the major physical characteristics of different types of
animals (e.g., mammals, reptiles, insects)
• compare ways in which animals eat their food (e.g., tear flesh, crack shells),
move, and use their environment to meet their needs (e.g., gather grass and
twigs to build nests)
• describe changes in the appearance and activity of an animal as it goes
through a complete life cycle (e.g., mealworm)
• compare the life cycles of some animals that have similar life cycles (e.g.,
bee and butterfly) and some that have different life cycles (e.g., gerbil and
butterfly)
By the end of Grade 3, students will:
• demonstrate an understanding of the similarities and differences in the
physical characteristics of different plant species and the changes that take
place in different plants as they grow
• investigate the requirements of plants and the effects of changes in
environmental conditions on plants
• describe ways in which plants are important to other living things, and the
effects of human activities on plants
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Curricular Connections
Understanding Basic Concepts
Specific Expectations
By the end of Grade 3, students will:
• identify the major parts of plants (e.g., seeds, stem, pistil) and describe their
basic functions
• classify plants according to visible characteristics (e.g., type of tree bark,
leaf shape, type of flowers)
• describe, using their observations, the changes that plants undergo in a
complete life cycle (e.g., from the germination of a seed to the production of
flowers or fruit)
• describe, using their observations, the effects of the seasons on plants (e.g.,
leaf buds grow into leaves in the spring; leaves turn colour in the fall)
• compare the life cycles of different kinds of plants (e.g., plants that grow
from bulbs or from seeds)
• identify traits that remain constant in some plants as they grow (e.g., leaf
shape, leaf size, flower colour)
• describe, using their observations, how the growth of plants is affected by
changes in environmental conditions (e.g., changes in light, soil)
• explain how different features of plants help them survive (e.g., leaf
structure, fibrous or tap root systems)
Developing Skills of Inquiry, Design and
Specific Expectations
Communication
By the end of Grade 3, students will:
• design and conduct a hands-on inquiry into seed germination or plant
growth
• ask questions about and identify some needs of plants, and explore possible
answers to these questions and ways of meeting these needs (e.g., predict
how long a particular plant could go without water before its leaves started
to droop)
• plan investigations to answer some of these questions or find ways of
meeting these needs, and explain the steps involved
• use appropriate vocabulary in describing their investigations, explorations,
and observations (e.g., stem, pistil, stamen, flower)
• record relevant observations, findings, and measurements, using written
language, drawings, charts, and graphs (e.g., produce a series of drawings
to show a plant at different stages of development)
• communicate the procedures and results of investigations for specific
purposes and to specific audiences, using drawings, demonstrations, simple
media works, and oral and written descriptions (e.g., make a graph that
shows the number and kinds of trees found in different yards; design and
construct a terrarium or garden that reproduces the conditions that they
found to be requirements of specific plants)
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Curricular Connections
Relating Science and Technology to the
Specific Expectations
World Outside the School
By the end of Grade 3, students will:
• describe ways in which humans can protect natural areas to maintain
native plant species (e.g., establishing conservation areas, wildlife reserves,
wetland sanctuaries)
• describe various settings in which plant crops are grown (e.g., farms,
orchards, home gardens)
• describe ways in which plants and animals depend on each other (e.g.,
plants provide food for energy, and animals help distribute pollen and seeds)
• compare the requirements of some plants and animals, and identify the
requirements that are common to all living things (e.g., the need for water
and minerals)
• demonstrate awareness of ways of caring for plants properly (e.g., ensure
that a plant has sufficient light and water)
• identify some functions of different plants in their local area (e.g., trees
provide shade; grass binds soil to prevent soil erosion)
By the end of Grade 4, students will:
• identify, through observation, various factors that affect plants and animals
in a specific habitat (e.g., availability of water, food sources, light; ground
features; weather conditions)
• describe structural adaptations of plants and animals that demonstrate a
response of the living things to their environment (e.g., the height of a plant
depends on the amount of sunlight the plant gets; many animals that live in
the Arctic have white fur)
• classify plants and animals that they have observed in local habitats
according to similarities and differences (e.g., in shape, location)
By the end of Grade 7, students will:
• formulate questions about and identify the needs of various living things in
an ecosystem, and explore possible answers to these questions and ways of
meeting these needs (e.g., research the population levels of a species over
time and predict its future levels on the basis of past trends and present
conditions; determine how the structure of specific plants helps them
withstand high winds, live on the surface of water, or compete for sunlight)
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Curricular Connections
Kindergarten
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demonstrate an awareness of the natural and human-made environment
through hands-on investigations, observation, questioning, and sharing of
their findings
conduct simple investigations through free exploration, focused exploration,
and guided activity, using inquiry skills (observing, questioning, planning an
investigation, carrying out the investigation, and communicating findings)
demonstrate an understanding of and care for the natural world
describe some natural occurrences, using their own observations and
representations (e.g., drawings, writing)
sort and classify groups of living and non-living things in their own way
(e.g., using sorting tools such as hula hoops, sorting circles, paper plates, Tcharts, Venn diagrams)
describe and/or represent, using their own observations, patterns and
cycles in the natural world
pose questions and make predictions and observations before and during
investigations
demonstrate an awareness of local natural habitats through exploration and
observations
participate in environmentally friendly activities in the classroom and the
school yard
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Curricular Connections
Applied and Academic Science
Grade 9
Biology: Reproduction
Specific Expectations
• describe various types of asexual reproduction that occur in plant species or
animal species, and various methods for the asexual propagation of plants
(e.g., fission, budding, production of spores; fission in the amoeba and
planaria flatworm, budding in the hydra and sponge; use of bulbs, cuttings,
grafting, and modified stems in plants)
• describe and give examples of types of sexual reproduction that occur in
plants and in animals, including hermaphrodites (e.g., conjugation, crossfertilization, internal and external fertilization)
ACADEMIC SCIENCE
Grade 10
Biology: The Sustainability of Ecosystems
Overall Expectations
• demonstrate an understanding of the dynamic nature of ecosystems,
including the relationship between ecological balance and the sustainability
of life
• investigate factors that affect ecological systems and the consequences of
changes in these factors
• analyse issues related to environmental sustainability and the impact of
technology on ecosystems
APPLIED SCIENCE
Grade 10
Biology: Ecosystems and Human Activity
Overall Expectations
• demonstrate an understanding of ecosystems, including the relationship
between ecological balance and the sustainability of life
• analyse natural and human threats to a local ecosystem and propose viable
solutions to restore ecological balance
• relate issues to environmental sustainability with a particular focus on
issues in Ontario and Canada
Grade 11
Biology 11C: Plant Structure and Physiology
Grade 12
Biology 12W: Gardening and Horticulture
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Resources for Starting Seeds IN THE CLASSROOM
Native Plant Species of the Essex Region http://www.erca.org/
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Resources for Starting Seeds IN THE CLASSROOM
From Seed to Seed
From Seed to Seed is a professional development course designed for K-8
teachers who already incorporate botany and gardening (indoors or out) into
their Science curriculum and for teachers who would like to start doing so. You
can work sequentially through the entire course or jump to the sections that
will help you with specific concepts you would like to grasp or teach to your
students. There are no prerequisites. This course will provide you with all the
information you will need to get started. In addition to the core botanical
information, we provide activities and experiments that address K-8 national
standards in various disciplines. Although the National Science Education
Standards are emphasized throughout the course, connections are also made
to Geography, Health, History, Language Arts and Mathematics.
http://courses.garden.org/courses/fstsdesc.htm
Exploring Classroom Hydroponics
http://www.kidsgardening.com/HYDROPONICSGUIDE/hydro1-1-intro.asp
Grow Your Own: Seedling Success
http://www.kidsgardening.com/Dig/DigDetail.taf?ID=965&Type=Art
The Naturalized Habitat Network of Essex County & WindsorSeeds of Hope program to promote the growth of native plants
http://www.naturalizedhabitat.org/
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Native Plants
AUTUMN WILDFLOWERS
http://www.ojibway.ca/septoct.htm
BIRD BRAIN CHALLENGE
A game from Cornell University identifying eastern North American bird
species.
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/birding123/identify/quiz
BUTTERFLY GARDENING: GOOD NECTAR SOURCE PLANTS FOR ADULTS
(This is specific to Southwestern Ontario from Evergreen)
http://www.evergreen.ca/nativeplants/lists/view-list.php?list_ID=00176
CREATING A FLOWER PRESS
Information on creating flower presses from simple materials to create art
work.
http://www.kidsgardening.org/growonder/flowers.php
DYEING WITH PLANTS
Natural dyes from plants have been used throughout history for decorating
animal skins, fabrics, crafts, hair and bodies. Kids love to colour their world,
and they need look no further than their growing garden, a patch of weeds,
their family garden, and local grocery stores to find enough plants to yield a
rainbow of colours.
http://www.kidsgardening.org/growonder/dye.php
INFORMATION ON CONTAINER GARDENING
Includes how to get started and simple step-by-step instructions for growth
and care.
http://www.kidsgardening.org/growonder/containers.php
NATIVE PLANT SPECIES SEARCH FROM EVERGREEN
http://www.evergreen.ca/nativeplants/search/index.php
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Native Plants
NORTH AMERICAN BIRD SOUNDS
The songs of many common North American birds, such as loons, gulls,
woodpeckers and ducks.
www.naturesongs.com/birds.html
SPECIES AT RISK AND PLANT BIODIVERSITY
http://www.evergreen.ca/nativeplants/learn-more/00_speciesatrisk.php
SPRING WILDFLOWERS
http://www.ojibway.ca/apr_flrs.htm
START YOUR OWN NATIVE PLANT GARDEN FROM EVERGREEN
http://www.evergreen.ca/nativeplants/learn-more/start-garden.php
SUMMER WILDFLOWERS
http://www.ojibway.ca/julaug.htm
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Medianet Resources
Title: Beetalker: The Secret World of Bees (35142)
Physical 46 minutes
Audience: Senior High (Grades 9 to 12), Adult (SA)
Series: The Nature of Things - DVD (0654)
Synopsis: This fascinating documentary explores the perfectly constructed,
architecturally complex structure that has remained virtually unchanged for all
of known time, the beehive. With the help of a high definition camera, viewers
get up-close and personal with these industrious insects. Dr. Mark Winston of
Simon Fraser University is attempting to solve the mystery of bee
communication and behaviour by studying the effects of the queen’s
pheromones on other bees in the hive. Since bees pollinate approximately 1/3
of all human food supplies and nearly 80% of the worlds plants, their rapidly
declining populations are of great concern. As well, an artist tries to demystify
the secrets of bees and their honeycomb by using these tiny creatures to create
natural works of art.
Title: Curious Naturalist (Grade 6) (70018)
Audience: Junior (Grades 4 to 6) (J)
Synopsis: Please compare the inventory sheet inside the kit to the contents of
your kit immediately. Our list will be considered accurate unless we are
contacted with discrepancies upon your receipt of this kit. All equipment that
is damaged or not working must marked and returned.
Students will compare and classify living things and begin to explore a
scientific classification system.
Title: Dirt: Nature's Sandbox (29203)
Physical 13 minutes
Audience: Primary (Grades 1 to 3) (P)
Series: Naturally Nature (0906)
Synopsis: Children love digging around in dirt. In this program, young students
will learn how water and dirt mix to make mud, that dirt is full of living things
and that roots from plants and trees can be found there. Students will discover
the importance of soil and will receive an excellent introduction to the study of
earth science.
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Medianet Resources
Title: Ecosystems for Children - DVD (S00209)
Audience: Junior and Senior Kindergarden, Primary (Grades 1 to 3) (KP)
Synopsis: Whether you go for a walk around the block or travel around the
world, you'll find complex communities of amazing plants and animals.
“Ecosystems for Children” allows children to build an understanding of
biological concepts through experience with living things, their life cycles and
their habitats. Young students will explore many ecosystems up close,
including deserts, grasslands, coniferous forests, deciduous forests,
rainforests, oceans, rivers and streams, and lakes and ponds. Each program
includes a stimulating visit with an expert working in the field, as well as a fun,
informative experiment that students can do in the classroom.
Title: Growing Green (Grade 3) (70003)
Audience: Primary (Grades 1 to 3) (P)
In this unit, students learn about the roles of different parts of a plant and how
plants change as they grow.
Title: Growing Plants: Science in a School Garden (34789)
Physical 22 minutes
Audience: Junior and Senior Kindergarden, Primary (Grades 1 to 3), Junior
(Grades 4 to 6) (KPJ)
Synopsis: How do plants grow and how do they fit into and interact with the
environment? These and many other questions regarding the life cycles and
importance of green plants are answered as we join a group of elementary
school.
Title: How Plants Grow (34062)
Physical 18 minutes
Audience: Primary (Grades 1 to 3), Junior (Grades 4 to 6) (PJ)
Series: Understanding Plants - DVD (1027)
Synopsis: Students will investigate and understand that in order for seeds to
germinate and grow they must receive certain basic needs food, air, water,
light, and a place to grow. Next, they are introduced to the parts of a plant and
learn how plants produce their own food. They also see how plants and
animals depend upon each other for growth. DVD features include on-screen
teacher's guide and vocabulary plus chapter selections: (1) Introduction (2)
Plant Parts (3) Plants make their own food (4) Seeds (5) Bulbs (6) Reproduction
(7) Plants have needs (8) Plant habitats and life cycle (9) Plant Adaptations (10)
Different kinds of plants and (11) Fun Facts.
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Medianet Resources
Title: Plant Life Cycle (34065)
Physical 15 minutes
Audience: Junior and Senior Kindergarten, Primary (Grades 1 to 3) (KP)
Series: Understanding Plants - DVD (1027)
Synopsis: With the help of a friendly scarecrow, students identify the basic
needs of plants. They learn how seeds grow into plants and that the plant goes
through changes called a lifecycle. They witness each step as seeds germinate
and grow into flowering plants which produce seeds that eventually germinate
and grow again.
Title: Reason for a Flower (90487)
Synopsis: Big Book - Pollen, seeds and a variety of plants are featured in this
book. Plants are very important for our every day needs as well.
Title: Science Alive (Grade 4) (70008)
Audience: Junior (Grades 4 to 6) (J)
This unit focuses on habitats and communities. Students become familiar with
plants and animals and how they have adapted to their habitats.
Title: Seeds! Seeds! Seeds! (34575)
Physical 15 minutes
Audience: Primary (Grades 1 to 3) (P)
Synopsis: A special package from grandpa shows buddy something interesting
about seeds and how plants grow. Buddy has fun collecting, sorting and
planting the seeds.
Title: Understanding Plants - DVD (S01027)
Physical 18 minutes
Audience: Primary (Grades 1 to 3), Junior (Grades 4 to 6) (PJ)
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Webquests
PRIMARY
http://www.macomb.k12.mi.us/wq/WebQ97/BugsBugs.htm
http://www.gecdsb.on.ca/d&g/dougpete/webquests/plants/
PRIMARY/JUNIOR
http://coe.west.asu.edu/students/dnonack/webquest.htm
JUNIOR
http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/butterfly/monarch.htm
http://www.manteno.k12.il.us/webquest/elementary/Science/VeryHungryCat
erpillar/questfor.htm
JUNIOR/INTERMEDIATE
http://its.guilford.k12.nc.us/webquests/butterflies/butterflies.htm
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