application opens august 5th, 2025
This fall, Title 1 teachers, grades Pk-4th, located in San Antonio and surrounding areas, are invited to bring nature directly into their classrooms to experience the magic of monarch metamorphosis and participate in a national citizen science project with this hands-on, nature-based program, supported by a digital curriculum.
This year’s Metamorphic Morning hands-on and experiental teacher training will be held at the beautiful Botanical Garden, providing an inspiring setting for educators to learn and engage.
In partnership with Project Bloom, 501c3. Made possible by the generous support of Valero, HEB, and the San Antonio Botanical Garden.
free CATERPILLAR CONDOS FOR title 1 classrooms.
Next cohort opens august 5th, 2025
WHAT IS THE CATERPILLAR CONDOS FOR CLASSROOMS PROGRAM?
In this FREE month-long program, students have the opportunity to connect to nature in their classroom as they observe the metamorphosis of a monarch butterfly.
Students are led by their guide, Birdie, in 4 video-lessons that are 1st-4th grade TEKS or Pk/Kinder-aligned, English or Spanish, and supported by a printable digital monarch journal with real-world applications and hands-on activities.
Topics include: What is a Monarch? What is Metamorphosis? What is the Monarch Migration? (elementary) What is Citizen Science?
A Caterpillar Condo includes: a pop-up mesh cage, a milkweed plant--the host plant for a Monarch Butterfly, 1- Monarch Caterpillar, and a tag for a citizen science activity.
The Caterpillar Condo Program is designed for teachers to implement with limited planning (<1 hour/week) and without having to learn a new curriculum; Birdie does the teaching and teachers get to do the fun, hands-on activities!
What is the Metamorphic Morning Teacher Training?
This year’s Metamorphic Morning is all about experiential learning—for you, the teacher! Join us at the beautiful San Antonio Botanical Garden for a hands-on, joy-filled training designed to support your classroom through the magic of monarchs, milkweed, native plants, environmental conservation and more. This immersive experience will give you tools to inspire curiosity, stewardship, and wonder in your classroom—and yes, it counts as PD, but it feels like a field trip.
Participating teachers will:
Dive into monarch education, tagging, and native plant propagation
Receive a Caterpillar Condo, t-shirt, classroom-ready curriculum materials, wings, books, and more
Enjoy food and fun alongside fellow educators
Connect with local education partners offering pop-up learning stations to enrich your classroom content
Who is eligible to apply?
Pre-K through 4th-grade Title 1 educators in San Antonio. Yes! Librarians, specials, and other educators who service Pre-K-4th grade students are eligible. Sign-up for our newsletter or follow us on instagram @bloomingwithbirdie to stay up-to-date.
Note: there is a limited number of spots and returning teachers will be prioritized . After those spots are filled, it will be a first come first serve basis.
What is the commitment for participating teachers?
Fill out the application.
Accepted teachers will attend the Metamorphic Morning Teacher Training at the Botanical Garden to learn how to implement the program, tag a butterfly, and receive the caterpillar condo.
Complete a teacher post-survey and ensure that all participating students fill out the pre-test and post-test.
Care for the living plant and caterpillar. (Don’t worry, we’ll show you how!)
see the program in action
EDUCATOR approved
Tune in to a review of our anchor program Caterpillar Condos by 2-time caterpillar mom, Librarian Bonnie Cavazos.
Supported by Project Bloom
As the nonprofit branch of Blooming with Birdie, Project Bloom makes enriched educational experiences free for the community, classrooms, teachers, and students who need it most.
a huge thank you to our sponsors
