Ways you can volunteer besides showing monarchs to your class or library...
Bring milkweed to classrooms to feed caterpillars. I'll pair you with a school in your area. Teachers are busy people, and new teachers can find the monarch process overwhelming. Here's a list of schools participating in the Madison area.
- Aldo Leopold ES
- Aldo Leopold Nature Center
- Baraboo Schools
- Chavez ES
- Crestwood ES
- Edgewood Campus School
- Frank Allis ES
- Franklin ES
- Gompers ES
- Henderson ES
- Huegel ES
- Lakeview ES
- Lapham ES
- Lincoln ES
- Midvale ES
- Middleton Cross Plains Schools
- Muir ES
- O'Keefe Middle School
- One City School
- Orchard Ridge ES
- Randall ES
- Shorewood ES
- Stephens ES
- Thoreau ES
- Van Hise ES
- Wingra School
- Wright MS
Learn to produce eggs for schools. I'm 81 years old--others need to develop the skills to carry on. It's surprisingly easy to breed monarchs to produce eggs, though it does take time every day (rainy or cool days off). The work starts around August 15 and ends about Sept. 15. You don't need much equipment--just space for a small tent outdoors. The basic skill you need to master is teaching the butterflies to feed themselves in captivity.
Help spread "Monarchs for Kids" to new schools. Contact teachers and tell them eggs are available, with lots of support, equipment and information. Eggs are free; basic equipment costs only $15.
Plant milkweed at home, or sow seeds in parks or wild areas.
Raise monarchs with your kids at home. Between May 5 and August 29, you can find eggs on milkweed plants. Use the information on this website to raise the eggs to butterflies with your kids. This experience will prepare your kids to excel at school when they raise monarchs there.