Introduction
Did you know that bees help make many of the foods we eat, like apples, strawberries, and even chocolate? You can even create wonderful ecofriendly products from the wax they produce, such as lip balm or hand soap! Bees are tiny but super important! Sadly, bees are in trouble and facing dangers, and we need to help them.
In this WebQuest, you will learn why bees are important, what is happening to them, and how you can help. Then, you will get to design your own bee-friendly garden and create a poster to teach others how to help save the bees!
Teacher: Carl Youssef
Grade: Upper Elementary School
Task
By the end of this WebQuest, you will:
🐝 Understand how bees help plants and food grow.
🐝 Learn why bees are in danger.
🐝 Design your own bee-friendly garden!
🐝 Create a poster with your garden design to raise awareness about saving bees!
Process
🐝 Step 1: What Do Bees Do?
- Watch this short video about how bees help flowers grow
- Read this simple article about why bees are important
- Answer these questions in your notebook:
- What is pollination?
- How do bees help plants and food grow?
- What foods do bees help make?
🚨 Step 2: What’s Happening to the Bees?
- Watch this video to learn why bees are in danger
- Discuss or write down:
- What are three things that are making bees sick or go away?
- How do you think this affects people?
🌸 Step 3: Design Your Own Bee-Friendly Garden!
- Read this fun guide about how to make a bee-friendly garden.
- Draw and color your own bee-friendly garden! Your garden should include:
- Flowers that bees love (like lavender, sunflowers, or wildflowers).
- A small water source for bees to drink from (like a tiny pond).
- A safe place for bees to rest (like a log or bee house).
🎨 Step 4: Create a Poster About Your Garden & Save the Bees!
- Take your garden drawing and turn it into a colorful poster!
- Write important facts about bees on your poster, like:
- “Bees help plants grow!”
- “Plant flowers to save the bees!”
- “Bees need safe places to rest and drink water!”
Evaluation
|
Criteria |
Excellent (5 pts) |
Good (4 pts) |
Fair (3 pts) |
Needs Improvement (2pts) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Understanding of Bees |
Explains how bees help plants and why they are important. |
Mostly understands how bees help. |
Has some understanding but is missing details. |
Shows little understanding of bees. |
|
Bee-Friendly Garden Design |
The garden has bee-friendly plants, water, and resting spots. |
Includes most bee-friendly elements. |
Missing some important bee-friendly parts. |
The garden does not support bees well. |
|
Creativity & Effort |
The poster is colorful, neat, and well-organized! |
Looks nice but could use more details. |
Needs more effort and creativity. |
Looks rushed or incomplete. |
|
Helping Bees Message |
The message is clear and encourages action! |
The message is good but could be stronger. |
The message is a little unclear. |
No clear message about helping bees. |
Conclusion
You’ve completed the WebQuest! You now understand how important bees are to our world and what we can do to protect them. Remember, small actions can make a big difference. Share your bee-friendly garden and poster with your classmates, friends, and family to help teach others how to save the bees too! Don't forget to get your poster to class so we can all share our findings. 🐝
Credits
References:
British Beekeepers Association. (2021, June 5). Why bees are important and how you can help [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/5SuEig9lQSg?si=Zn01fMjeOfzAt2Rk
Fair Planet. (2021, October 5). The risks and dangers of bee extinction. https://www.fairplanet.org/story/the-risks-and-dangers-of-bee-extinction/
Gardeners' World. (2023, March 15). How to make a bee-friendly garden. https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/how-to-make-a-bee-friendly-garden/
Michigan State University Extension. (2019, January 1). Smart gardening for kids: How to make your yard bee-friendly. https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/smart-gardening-for-kids-how-to-make-your-yard-bee-friendly
National Geographic. (2022, July 8). The Importance of Bees [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/ys4xcom6nnc?si=evq1_6ggaPDPmNtM
United Nations Environment Programme. (2020, May 20). Why bees are essential to people and planet. UNEP. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/why-bees-are-essential-people-and-planet
Picture References:
Elephango. (n.d.). Honeybees - Learning resource image. https://www.elephango.com/index.cfm/pg/k12learning/lcid/11262/What's_All_the_Fuss_About_Honey_Bees?
Next Generation Science. (2022, September 12). Bees and pollination educational video thumbnail. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z5FxJl6-QaM
PBS. (2015, June 22). Why Are The Bees Dying?. https://www.pbs.org/video/its-okay-be-smart-bees-dying/
Pollinator Partnership Canada. (n.d.). Crayola Save the Bees campaign image. https://pollinatorpartnership.ca/en/p2c-kids
Tees Valley Wildlife Trust. (2016). Bee-friendly garden illustration. https://www.teeswildlife.org/what-we-do/inspiring-people-to-take-action-for-nature/wild-gardens-week/