School Group Programs

Please note: all School Group Programming is currently on hold. Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory is temporarily closed due to the on-going public health situation surrounding COVID-19. Read more.

Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory is where learning takes flight! Students’ learning will come to life in a lush, tropical garden – marvel at thousands of free-flying butterflies as you experience the tropics under floral canopies and a cascading waterfall. Your visit to Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory will focus on inquiry and exploration, with a variety of curriculum-linked hands-on activities. It is sure to inspire curiosity and wonder about butterflies and insects, and their importance in the natural world.

Program Overviews

Each of our Education Programs are 90 minutes in length.

Students will have the chance to experience three interactive components:

The Butterfly Conservatory

Students will journey through the Conservatory in small groups, surrounded by free-flying tropical butterflies, birds, fish, and turtles. Students will also see the Emergence Window, where live butterflies emerge from their chrysalides, dry their wings, and take their first flight into the Conservatory.

The Learning Discovery Room

Students will participate in hands-on activities that are curriculum-specific for each grade level, led by one of our experienced Nature Interpreters. The learning activities focus on small-group inquiry and exploration, allowing students to engage in curriculum topics and build meaningful connections between themselves, butterflies, and the natural world.

The Insect Galleries

Students will have the chance to meet some of our live tropical bugs – up close and personal! They will learn about parts of insects by observing and, if they’re brave enough, touching different insects and arachnids.

Resources and Downloads

The following downloads are available to use as trip resources, as well as pre- or post-trip activities.

Plan Your Class Trip!

Booking

While we are temporarily closed to the public we will not be receiving voicemails. Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding.

We can be reached by email to info@cambridgebutterfly.com

Cost

COST

Programs booked April – September: $8.50 per student (elementary), $10.05 per student (high school), HST included.

Programs booked October-March: $7.50 per student (elementary), $9.05 per student (high school), HST included.

Teachers, ECE’s and other adult supervisors: Adults within the supervision ratios below are admitted free. Additional adults are given discounted admission of $12.00 (+HST) when added to your school booking. Please collect payment from these adults ahead of time and include them in your payment for the group.

Preschool to Grade 6 – 1:4
Grade 7 to 12 – 1:10

Educational Assistants (including 1:1 support workers): Admission for EA’s is free but must be discussed with the Booking Coordinator at time of booking.

Minimum booking: 17 students or equivalent dollar value.

Annual passes are not valid for this program.

PAYMENT

Payment is due in one lump sum on the day of your visit. We accept cash, cheque, debit, Visa, MasterCard. Please make cheques payable to Cambridge Butterfly Conservatory. In the case of cheques made out in advance, change will be given for students who are away on the day of your visit. A $20.00 Administration Fee will apply to groups who do not pay on the day of their visit and need/wish to be invoiced.

Programs

PRESCHOOL TO KINDERGARTEN

Early Learning

Discover live examples of each stage in the life cycle of a butterfly and a beetle and learn the appropriate vocabulary (eg. the pupa for a butterfly is called a chrysalis and the pupa for a moth is called a cocoon). Our hands-on learning centres allow students to explore various aspects of butterflies and their life cycles up close.

GRADE ONE

Parts of a Butterfly

While working as a group to build a large butterfly, students investigate the basic parts of an insect and learn how each part helps the butterfly survive. Our hands-on learning centres allow students to see various parts up close! Also suitable for Grade Two

GRADE TWO

Butterfly Life Cycle

Students discover the strategies used by butterflies to survive through the different stages of life (eg. caterpillars looking like bird droppings, chrysalides camouflaged like a leaf). The similarities and differences between two different kinds of insect life cycles are also investigated. Hands-on learning centres incorporating live specimens will help students explore various aspects of the life cycle up close (eg. wing scales, butterfly eggs, various caterpillars and pupae). Also suitable for Grade One

GRADE THREE

People, Plants and Pollinators

Students will be engaged in a variety of interactive activities and will discover the importance that plants and pollinators have on our daily lives and their role in the food chain.

GRADE FOUR

Monarch – An Incredible Journey

Students will learn the fascinating story of the Monarch butterfly – its life cycle, biology, migration, population status and conservation challenges. Students will discover how humans are affecting Monarch habitat and survival. Also suitable for Grade Five

GRADE FIVE

We do not currently have a program that meets the Grade 5 Ontario Curriculum however we would be happy to discuss offering any of our other educational programs.

GRADE SIX

Biodiversity

Students will discover the characteristics of a variety of arthropods and compare them with the characteristics of other animal groups. Students will learn about how the biodiversity of our plants and animals helps to provide us with many everyday products.

GRADE SEVEN

Interactions within Ecosystems

Working in small groups, students will discover an ecosystem and everything it involves, including habitats, communities and food webs. The effects of introduced species on ecosystems are also explored.

GRADE EIGHT

We do not currently have a program that meets the Grade 8 Ontario Curriculum however we would be happy to discuss offering any of our other educational programs.

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS

Please e-mail our Education Coordinator at education@cambridgebutterfly.com to inquire about our programs for Grades 9 to 12.