Disappearing Bees Introduction | Disappearing Bees Task | Disappearing Bees Process | Disappearing Bees Resources | Disappearing Bees Evaluation | Disappearing Bees Conclusion
Week One
Monday and Tuesday
Directions:
Your teacher will divide the class into 5 groups.
One person in the group will take notes in the Top Secret Honeybee Journal.
The rest of the group will be head researchers and will find all the facts!
Your group will research one of the following topics:
· when and why the numbers of honeybee started to decline;
· what the major threats to the honeybee are;
· what has been done so far (if anything) to save the honeybee;
· why it is important to save the honeybee (Do other species depend on it for some reason?);
· what you would recommend doing to save the honeybee from extinction.
**You can visit the
resource page to find websites you can visit to find bee information!
Wednesday
Now that you did your research you are ready to tell the class about what you learned! We are going to have a class discussion today about what your group found out from your research on Monday and Tuesday.
To get ready for the discussion:
- Think about all the reasons for the declining numbers of honeybees.
- Brainstorm solutions to keep the honeybees alive and ways to keep them in their homes. We do not want them to abandon their hives!
- Think about how life on our planet would be different without the honeybee.
Write down the questions you still have about honeybees. A special guest speaker will be here tomorrow to answer your questions!
Thursday
A guest from the State Agriculture Commission, Mr. Beesley, will be here today to talk to the class about the local problem concerning Colony Collapse Disorder and to help us plan our garden. He will suggest which plants will be the best for the bee habitat in this area. Check out the resource page under "how to make a garden" to learn how to properly care for your garden.
Friday
Today is planting day! We are going to plant our garden using the plants suggested by Mr. Beesley yesterday. Let's work together to make an ideal bee habitat.
Week Two
Monday
Today we are taking a trip to a honeybee farm. Your teacher will be bringing a video camera so we can remember the important facts we hear! If we have any questions we might be able to look back at the tape to find our answers!
Before we leave we will tend to our garden. We need to make sure the plants have enough water!
Tuesday and Wednesday
Today you will be working on Microsoft publisher with your team to make an illustrated brochure that you will present to our school and to other community groups. Your brochure will help other people understand why we need to protect our bees!
Your brochure should tell about these things:
-The honeybees’ best habitat.
-Causes for the decline of the honeybees.
-Include a definition of Colony Collapse Disorder. Make sure your readers understand what this is and why it is such a problem!
*Look at this chart to see which plants depend on bees!
*You might also want to look at this map of the states affected by CCD.
- Tell why it is important to save the honeybee.
-Share some helpful hints that a person can follow to help save and protect the honeybee.
You can go to this website to see an example of a finished brochure.
You will be graded using a bee rubric. Look at this rubric so you everything you need to get a perfect score!
Thursday
Today you will share your completed brochure with the class. Your classmates will pretend to be members of city council. You need to convince them to make changes around the town that will benefit honeybees. Explain the difficulties bees face and what the city officials can do to help!
Friday
Today is the Celebration of the Bees! Your parents or other guests are invited to come and celebrate the wonder of bees with our class. You will share your brochures and tell them everything your learned about why bees are important and what we can do to protect them.
We will serve our guests honey cakes and hot tea with honey! 
