The Oklahoma Alliance for Geographic Education (OKAGE) located at the University of Oklahoma in Norman partnered with Asher Public School to create a dark sky – friendly pollinator garden. During the Spring 2023 semester, Asher Public School’s fourth grade students have learned about the impacts of light pollution on pollinators and bird and monarch butterfly migration through Oklahoma. This garden was sited not only where the plants will receive adequate sunlight during the day, but equally importantly, enough darkness at night.

We have a native oklahoma redbud tree surrounded by native butterfly plants, such as
Black eyed Susan,coneflowers,coreopsis, and host plants.
With our science curriculum we plan to plant seeds in the classroom and then add to our garden to host butterflies during their life cycle.
We plan to paint rocks to make a rainbow as an art project and provide water for the butterflies and moths.

The goals for this project were to increase awareness of extinction probabilities, help support the monarch butterfly population, and provide experiential learning opportunities in all curricular areas with an outdoor classroom. We achieved this by creating a place where our students can come to watch, learn, and discover the beauty found in nature. These experiences have instilled in them an environmental awareness and empower them to be environmentally conscious. During library lessons, Mrs. Mosier introduced the garden to the students and throughout the year continued with a variety of lessons in different subject areas that supported the students’ growth and understanding of Monarch habitats. Examples of these lessons are drawing diagrams of the garden with upper grades, life cycle of the monarch butterfly with the lower grades, releasing monarchs in the garden, Monarch butterfly tissue art, etc. Students have learned to maintain the sustainability of the garden; they have developed a sense of ownership and became empowered to be active members of their environment.

Pollinator Garden & Butterfly Mural: We received a grant through the OKC Living Classroom Project. We were able to build out an existing area and create a pollinator garden and mural (Ebony Iman Dallas -Artist). Our school is located in a migration path!