A kindergartner enjoys a butterfly on her shoulder during a field trip to FMG last week. Photo by S. Read

By Sarah Read

Seventy-five homeschoolers filled Frederik Meijer Gardens last week during a field trip organized by Greenville Michigan Inclusive Connection for Home Learners to visit the popular Butterflies are Blooming exhibit. As the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibit in the nation, the FMG exhibit is open from March 1–April 30 and features more than 6,000 tropical butterflies flying free in the 15,000-square-foot Lena Meijer Conservatory.

More than 6,000 tropical butterflies are flying free in the Lena Meijer Conservatory until April 30. Photo by S. Read

This is the second annual trip for G-MICH to this exhibit, where students of all ages could enjoy an up close look at butterflies, their eating habits, living chrysalis in various stages and more. “[Our] family had a great time,” shared homeschool mother, Kristin Harrison. “[There was] fantastic weather.”
Prior to the field trip, G-MICH hosted a 3-hour unit study on butterflies at their weekly learning cooperative. Students created the butterfly life cycle with dried pasta, read various butterfly books, made butterfly feeders and experimented with rope to measure the length and strength of a cocoon thread.
To learn more about this home learning support group, please visit www.greenvillemichiganhomeschoolers.com