Engaging our littlest scientists: Aussie butterfly project

A child’s natural curiosity is their superpower to be amazing mini-scientists. This spring, encourage the wonder of shared discovery by combining a citizen science project and a child’s love of butterflies. It’s a fun, investigative experience for learning, and helps Aussie scientists better understand our environment.

Butterflies Australia is run by the Australian National University and offers a springboard into the magical world of caterpillars and butterflies.

It’s like catching butterflies without a net, and it’s a citizen science project that will engage children with a love of science, hands-on exploration and learning.

All that’s required is a phone for downloading the free app (iOS and Android), and to capture photos of butterfly sightings for recording and uploading. It’s similar to a Where’s Wally discovery approach, except children are outside observing nature as they seek butterflies. All sightings collected are used to provide scientists with crucial information to help protect at-risk species.

What is citizen science?

A citizen scientist project involves everyday adults and children who help collect or analyse data for an active science study or research opportunity. This involvement can help scientists make important discoveries.

Joining in citizen science projects not only teaches scientific thinking, but it can also teach children to care for their world. By asking children to become little scientists and turning the playground or local park into a lab, they get to have a ‘real’ experience with projects that can help contribute to research.

Some projects are seasonal while others take place year-round.  Some projects are very location-specific while others collect data across the globe. Across Australia and internationally there are many projects where kids can get involved with adult assistance.

Budding scientists are spoilt for choice with projects available internationally, Australia wide and in local neighbourhoods. Projects suitable for children and families include The Aussie Bird Count and FrogID.

To find out if there are any relevant projects in your local area visit the Australian Citizen Science Association and search ‘Child Friendly’ studies in your state.

Butterflies Australia: An outdoor learning activity

Butterflies are a fun species to target and children love them. They are active during the day, and often large and brightly coloured, making them easier to spot. They’re also one of our best-known insect species. Involvement in this project helps to create a database of butterfly sightings in Australia. This allows researchers and conservationists to understand more about our butterflies and if they are flourishing or in decline.

Participation requires a nominated educator to download the free phone app (iOS and Android), then take photos of butterflies to record, identify and upload the images. There’s a helpful guide to steer you through the features within the app.

The app includes a free digital field guide with information to help identify species of butterfly found in Australia.

Ask children to notice what the butterflies are doing, what plants they are attracted to and invite their observations. You could even make craft cameras so they can pretend to snap photos themselves or butterfly binoculars for spotting.

Review the images with the children. Next comes the challenge of matching the photo of the discovered butterfly using the apps field guide to complete the identification process. This takes some thoughtful planning.

As the phone screen is small, try printing out the local butterflies you’ve managed to photograph. Let your little scientists compare a printed image of the local butterfly with images from the apps digital field guide. Or to make it more manageable print a few database butterfly images from the app and let the kids match the photographed image to the correct database image from the selection.

Once the butterfly is identified, use the app to record the sighting, upload the information and send. You can encourage family involvement by inviting them to participate in the project and to seek backyard butterflies with their children at home.

A display board could showcase the butterflies found in your area so children can see their contribution and learn about their own natural environment.

Bring the brilliance of butterflies to life

From reading books through to observing the butterfly lifecycle, here are suggestions for fun, learning opportunities:

• Install a butterfly science centre using a variety of hands-on and visual materials to showcase the brilliance of butterflies. Colourful photos, a list of butterfly words – such as wings, antennas, caterpillar – magnifying glasses, non-fiction and fiction books, and display a lifecycle poster.
• Observe the amazing metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a beautiful monarch butterfly by purchasing a Chrysalis Kit (suppliers are available online). An educational and hands-on experience, these kits allow your classroom to hatch their own butterfly and then set it free.
• Creating a butterfly garden or planting butterfly attracting plants in a sunny spot allows children to get digging, connect with nature and engage their senses and minds. Butterflies love vibrant, lively colour and nectar-rich flowers such as sunflowers, verbena, alyssum, marigold, and Sedum spectabile. Talk to your local nursery about suitable plants for your location.
• Reading books such as The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. Incorporate a collection of books on caterpillars and butterflies to help children become familiar with the life cycle of the butterfly.
• Craft, ask children to observe patterns and colours of butterfly wings and engage them with crafting their own creations. Try The Spruce Crafts for some bright butterfly ideas.

References and further resources:

Backyard Buddies: Butterflies

Teaching Treasure: Preschool life cycle of a butterfly