This is a two class periods long activity for 6-8 graders.   OBJECTIVE: Students will understand the following: 1. Bees use the pollen from flowers as food. 2. When they land on flowers to collect pollen, they spread pollen from one flower to another. 3. Many plants cannot grow unless they are cross-pollinated by insects such as bees. 4. Because […]

A well-known sunflower characteristic is that the flowering heads track the sun’s movement, a phenomenon known as heliotropism. Most new varieties have heads that droop down to face the ground as the plants mature. This helps reduce damage from birds and from diseases that could occur if water collected in the sunflower heads.   OVERVIEW: Students will have an opportunity […]

BACKGROUND: Successful pollination depends on pollinators finding the right flowers at the right time. Pollinators locate appropriate flowers by visual and chemical cues. Since the structure of the mouthparts of pollinators differ greatly as do flower structures, the pollinator also has to locate the right type of flower. OBJECTIVE: In this activity, students will become hawkmoths and attempt to collect […]

This is an activity for students in grade 4 to 6 and with this activity they will explore the relationship between flowers and their pollinators. It will last ~30 minutes. Click HERE to download the full activity.

OBJECTIVES: Students will understand: 1. The pollination process and show examples of bee pollination on specific plants, 2. The interdependence between insects, plants, and humans, 3. That insects can have a negative impact on their ecosystem.   MATERIALS: – Access to a library or reference books on bees, butterflies, and pollination – Copies of Pollination Parties worksheet => Click HERE […]