Stillman Valley High School & Junior High: Pollinator Growth & Habitat
- Project Type: Native Plant Garden
- Students: 150
- Staff: 3
- Location: Stillman Valley, IL
- Grade Level: 8th, 11th, 12th
The Project
Stillman Valley High partnered with the eighth grade science classes to germinate milkweed plants for Monarch butterfly habitats. Throughout this project, students have been involved in germination, transfer of plants to a greenhouse, and preparation of a landscape bed for final planting. The goal of their project was to connect with the younger generation of learners and introduce them to the germination, growth, and final installation of a habitat for Monarch butterflies.
Stillman Valley received an Illinois Green Schools Project Mini-Grant, which was used to purchase a mini-greenhouse and grow light for the eighth grade science classroom.
Stillman Valley was able to bring a creative way of involving the eighth grade science classes and high school horticulture classes to work together on a project that will continue into the future. The eighth graders will be responsible for keeping this project going for the next four years.
Students were responsible for researching the particular plants that do well in our area. We settled on Milkweed. We were able to collect seeds, germinate, transfer, and grow these plants. Once the weather turns warmer, the class will make the final transfer to the outdoor environment.
What’s Next:
Following the summer, Stillman Valley hopes to set up a net habitat in the high school and eighth grade classrooms in order to feed the monarch caterpillars and allow them to grow into butterflies. They will be producing their food in our outdoor planting bed.
