“Mariana Becomes a Butterfly”

Allie RaymondAbby McAbee

About Mariana

• lives in the Dominican Republic• has a Papa and a Tia Leti• favorite plant is Ohelo berry plant• loves butterflies

Mariana’s Problem

• favorite plant, Ohelo, is not growing• berries are in seeds• insects pollinate seeds• seeds aren’t getting pollinated-

why??

Why Don’t Bugs Come?

• Ohelo is from Hawaii• not shaped like D.R. plants• bugs can’t get the pollen out

What Mariana Does

• watches her garden for insects• records in her journal pictures and

words• sees no insects visiting Ohelo• What can she do??

Solutions

• bring insects from another country• use a puff ball to transfer pollen• make her own pollinator

What She Chooses

• insects can harm other plants and people

• puff ball is too big• So…. she makes her own!!

What Kids Learn

• Science- what is an engineer? pollination scientific process pesticides butterfly life cycle• culture- Domincan Republic Spanish words

Critique

• Age: 2nd and 3rd • liked this activity for younger

elementary students• directions not clear, though• lots of information in the book for

age level• activity is fun and engaging

Our Experiment

What We did

• made a hand pollinator• tested aluminum foil and pipe

cleaners• pipe cleaner worked much better• why? – furry like insects legs– thinner– picks up pollen easier– less pollen falls off