Activities and Lesson Plans

What's the Buzzzzz?
Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine, April 2009

You may print What's the Buzzzz?  children's pages from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine. We hope you'll consider a subscription to our magazine. Be sure to check out the Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine special offer for teachers. And please let us know your suggestions for future issues at: education@tpwd.state.tx.us

Suggested Topics: agriculture, pollination, adaptations, humans and nature, diversity.

Related 4th Grade TEKS:
Language Arts:
4.13 A,B,C,E,G: Reading, Inquiry, Research : Inquires and Conducts Research Using a Variety of Sources
4.21 A,B,C,D: Writing, Inquiry, Research : Uses Writing as a Tool for Learning and Research
4.5 A,B,D,F: Listening, Speaking, Audiences : Speaks Clearly and Appropriately to Different Audiences for Different Purposes and Occasions
4.9 B,C,E: Reading, Vocabulary Development : Acquires Extensive Vocabulary through Reading and Systematic Word Study
Science:
4.1 A,B: Scientific Processes : Conducts Field and Laboratory Investigations
4.2 A,B,C,D: Scientific Processes : Develops Abilities to do Scientific Inquiry in Field and Laboratory
4.3 C: Scientific Processes: Uses Critical Thinking and Scientific Problem Solving to Make Informed Decisions
4.5 B: Science Concepts: Parts Removed from Complex Systems
4.6 A: Science Concepts: Change Creates Recognizable Patterns
4.8 A, B: Science Concepts: Adaptations Increase Survival
Math:
4.4 C: Number, operation, and quantitative reasoning: Recall and apply multiplication facts through 12 x 12
4.2 A,C,D: Fractional parts: concrete and pictorial models; name, compare to decimals
Social Studies
4.22 B,D: Critical-thinking skills: identify cause-effect relationships, different points of view about an issue

Discussion Questions

  • What jobs to bees have?
  • How does a bee's body help it pollinate? Make honey?
  • What are the shapes in a honeycomb? How do bees use honeycombs?
  • How many foods or products can you name that are fruits? Are they here because of bees?
  • What are different ways of pollination?
  • Why are people concerned about bees? What is Colony Collapse Disorder?
  • What do you think would happen if most of our bees died? Would this affect your life? How?

Activities

There are wonderful teaching guides and lesson plans available on bees.

Other Ideas:

  • To help students with the "Bee Boogie" activity for Keepin' It Wild, watch these videos: Dances with Bees (PBS)
  • Explore outdoors -- look for plants that rely on pollination by insects (flowers with stamen and pistils) and plants that might rely on wind (Look for plant with seeds that hang down, such as grasses or look at pictures of corn tassels). For background, see the illustrations on pollination at: http://animals.howstuffworks.com/insects/bee1.htm
  • Watch the video from How Stuff Works: http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/6133-incredible-insects-bees-video.htm or Anatomy of a Hive (PBS) and have students list the various jobs bees have.
  • Try this language arts activity: Have students pair up, choose one picture and prepare a short report for the rest of the class. Use the links on the Bee Amazed children's garden web site http://www.longwoodgardens.org/BeeAmazed.html or the Learn About Texas Insects Activity Book.
  • What's in your lunch? Look at lunches and pick out foods that are affected by bees. Make a chart of foods that are fruits, leaves, stems or roots.
  • For a different "flavor" activity, guide students through this web site from Haagen Daz ice cream. http://www.helpthehoneybees.com/#/home/home/ to learn more about the role of bees. The "how you can help" section has a downloadable lesson plan which includes bee facts, crossword puzzle, anatomy of a bee, honeybee math, etc.

Project WILD