Butterfly Garden

    The development of a butterfly garden, the first in a Cumberland County School, began in the fall of 1996 when Mrs. Hooker, a former fifth grade teacher at Morganton Road School, was awarded a grant by the Junior League of Fayetteville for her idea. The amount was matched by the school's Parent Teacher Association. Our Partner in Education, Triangle Building Supply Company, donated building supplies for the project, and another partner, Fort Bragg's 83rd Chemical Battalion, supplied man power for the construction. A parent and community planner, Mr. Wojcicki, assisted with the design of the garden and local environmental agencies were consulted as to soil preparation and plantings.

    On March 9, 1996, the ground was prepared according to the evolving plan. Students, parents, teachers, and community members arrived early on that day with shovels, hoes, and rakes to remove the grass, build the raised beds, prepare the soil, and set out the trees and plants. Later in the year a butterfly hibernating box was built for the Butterfly Garden habitat. New plant specimens are added on a regular basis.                                                                                                                                        

    This project is integrated into all areas of the curriculum as students take measurements and make calculations for the garden design, as they continue to identify kinds of butterflies and the plants that attract them, as they keep a journal of their activities, write reports and stories about wildlife attracted to the garden, and learn about the healthful benefits of plants in the environment. The garden has also spawned cooperative and interdisciplinary teaching efforts as the staff works together to provide the students with many experiential environmental learning activities centered around the "Butterfly Garden."

     
Spring flowers in the garden

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