A presentation, seen through the eyes of a child, for students of all ages, Helps students review what it is to learn the "Layers" of science. Science requires that our students continue to "take things to the next level", and its important that each student understands that they will work through different levels of science learning for each topic time in and time out. This presentation can be used by school science classes and after school science programs, nature programs and environmental programs.

1. Learning Science is like
a child looking at
a Butterfly V1.1
jschmied©2016Credits are hyperlinked
A child’s journey
through the layers
of science
learning.

2. • After 20 years of teaching 7th and 8th grade science I began to
reflect on how to really prepare students for the long science
journey they were about to engage in. I’d done well, year long
overviews, unit engagement plans… but attaining a big picture
that resonated within the hearts of my students was elusive.
• During a long mountain hike a couple months back I began to
revisit what first got me interested in learning science… seeing a
Monarch Butterfly in all its splendor.
• This got me thinking how I could use my experience to build a
tool to prepare new students for the journey ahead… one that
each student could use to look back at and enjoy their layers of
science learning… to celebrate the layers of learning before
preparing themselves for the journey ahead.

3. It’s really pretty, so let’s look some more!
jschmied©2015
The Layers Begin

4. jschmied©2015
Two Wings on top & also on the bottom.
Let’s look more!

5. jschmied©2015
Everything’s the same on one side of the body as the other!
Look Again!

6. This butterfly has a head, thorax and an abdomen.
Let’s look again…
jschmied©2015

7. Common Name:
Monarch butterfly
Scientific Name:
Danaus plexippus
These
are
Males!
Males have
two scent glands.
One on each lower wing.
Let’s look some more!
jschmied©2015

8. jschmied©2015
The wings have ribs!

9. jschmied©2015
The wings have
colored scales.

10. jschmied©2015
The scales hang onto even more “ribs”

11. There are six legs & two antenna!

12. jschmied©2015
The legs are jointed & have hooks!

13. jschmied©2015
There are
two eyes
and a big
roll up
tongue!

14. jschmied©2015
Big tongue!.

15. jschmied©2015
Each eye is
made of
many eyes

16. jschmied©2016
The eggs are tiny
& so are the caterpillars!

17. jschmied©2015
Monarch
caterpillars
are
colorful

18. jschmied©2015
Caterpillars completely
rearrange their insides & outsides
to become butterflies

19. jschmied©2015
The butterflies fly a long way for the winter & back.

20. jschmied©2015
Looking deeper
at butterfly
chemistry will
help solve how
monarchs find
their way out
and back home.

21. jschmied©2015
Learning Science is like a child looking at…
…a Butterfly

22. About the author:
John Schmied has been a secondary science school teacher for 20 years and is involved in developing
practical, yet innovative, hands on curriculum for teens. In addition he is a Chemical Hygiene Officer
and also created, developed and manages a 6 acre Environmental Center at his school site.
John’s presentations have been viewed worldwide & have
been in the top 5% of Slideshare for multiple years.
During this time John served as the Strategic planner for the
Friends of the Hidden River a 501(C)(3) non profit.
• Over the past 13 years Friends helped King County, WA
design, fund, construct & develop the 14,800 sqft
Brightwater Environmental Center in Woodinville WA.
• John is the Director & a principal developer of the
Ground to Sound STEM Environmental Challenge
course, a locally popular cutting edge environmental
program that merges, Science, Tech, Art, Multimedia
and other disciplines with Leadership studies at the
Center
Prior to this period John served as a U. S. Coast Guard
Officer primarily involved in ice, navigation & search and
rescue operations. His specialties are Ship handling, Diving
and Oceanographic Operations.
John can be contacted via Linked In.