Ms. Reyes: Today we are going to learn about a long trip that happens right over our heads. Every fall, millions of monarch butterflies fly south across Texas. They are on their way to the mountains of central Mexico, where they spend the winter in the forests.

Ms. Reyes: Some of them travel more than two thousand miles, and each butterfly weighs less than a paper clip. Along the way they stop to rest and to sip nectar from flowers. The nectar is their fuel for the next part of the trip.

Ms. Reyes: In the spring, monarchs head north again. On the way, they lay their eggs on one kind of plant: milkweed. When the caterpillars hatch, milkweed is the only plant they can eat. Without milkweed, there would be no new monarchs.

Ms. Reyes: That is why many schools, parks, and families in Texas are planting milkweed and other flowers. Next week, our class will plant a small butterfly garden by the front office, and every one of you will get to help.