Whys and Hows of Spring Migration
It’s springtime, and animals are on the move—migrating long distances and facing extreme challenges along the way.
Migration is a powerful compulsion, but it’s also very dangerous. Why do animals do it?
They migrate to find warmer weather, better food supplies, or a safe place to give birth to their young.
The ten featured species Going Home: The Mystery of Animal Migration offer a broad representation of migration: loggerhead turtles, monarch butterflies, manatees, ruby-throated hummingbirds, Pacific salmon, Canada geese, California gray whales, caribou, Arctic tern, and emperor penguin.
Did you know?
- Monarch butterflies travel north in the spring, and lay eggs on milkweed pants. Then they die. Their offspring continue the migratory journey.
- Arctic terns travel 20,000 miles every year, traveling over the ocean almost all the time.
- Ruby-throated hummingbirds’ wings beat about 75 times a second as they make an amazing 500 mile non-stop crossing of the Gulf of Mexico during their migration.
- Caribou travel in herds of up to 100,00 animals and are almost always on the move.
“A winning combination of verse, factual language, and beautiful illustration…” — Forward Reviews
LESSON PLAN: The Mystery of Migration Reader’s Theater
This lesson will capture your students interest in the phenomena of migration as they learn about the ten species featured in the book.
STANDARDS
Common Core Standards (ELA 1-3)
Reading: Foundational Skills
- Fluency: 1.4, 2.4, 3.4
Next Generation Science Standards (K-3)
Life Science
- LS1.A: Structure and Function
- LS1.B: Growth and Development of Organisms
- LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems.
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