What’s The Buzz on Bees?

K. Jados

kjados@schools.nyc.gov

INTRODUCTION:

What is your favorite meal? Does that meal include any fruits or vegetables? Does it include grain? What if I told you something was happening right now that would make all of your favorite fruits, vegetables and plants disappear? Let’s watch the following video to learn more!

TASK:

What is happening to our bee population and how can we help the bees? You have been asked to not only raise awareness on this issue but to get down to the bottom of it! You will be creating a presentation to make your peers at Q300 aware of the Bee Crisis! This can be a virtual poster or Google Slides presentation. As a school, what can we do to help the bees?

PROCESS/RESOURCES:

Day 1: Defining the Problem

1. Let’s learn about bees and why they are important.
2. Now that we understand a little about bees, let’s learn about what a food web or food chain is and how taking out one piece of the puzzle can affect the entire web.
3. Post on the padlet and answer the question: Why do you care about the bees?

Day 2: Gathering Evidence

4. Think about the different animals you see in New York and New York City! What do each of those animals eat? Make a list of the different animals you have seen in your backyards or at the park. What do each of those animals eat?
5. Build a food web or chain with the different animals found in New York.
6. Think about the following: What would happen if one of those animals in the chain disappeared? How would this affect the rest of the chain?

Day 3: Identify The Causes

7. What is causing the bees to disappear?
8. Let’s do some research:
1. A Bee Is More Than A Bug
2. Colony Collapse Disorder
3. The Mystery of the Vanishing Honey Bee
4. Why Are Bees Vanishing
5. Find any great articles or books on your own? Share them with the class on google classroom!
9. Why do YOU think the bees are disappearing?

Day 4: Evaluate An Existing Policy

10. Bees have been making the news in recent years. Here is what has been going on:
1. EPA Action to Protect the Pollinators
2. Pollinator Protection Plans
3. Laws Around The World
4. Beeing Serious About Saving the Bees
5. Pesticide Action Network

Day 5: Develop Solutions

11. How can YOU save the bees?
12. Let’s do some research:
1. Kids Can Help Save The Honey Bees
2. 6 Ways To Help Honey Bees
3. 10 Ways To Save The Bees
4. Find any great articles or books on your own? Share them with the class on google classroom!

Day 6: Select the Best Solution

13. Yesterday we researched MANY solutions to helping the bees. Pick 1 solution you think is the BEST!
1. What is the solution you chose?
2. Why did you choose this solution?
3. What makes it the BEST solution?

Day 7: Create Your Final Product

14. Remember your finished product should identify the following 6 steps:
1. Define a Problem (where are the bees going)
2. Gather Evidence (gathered from research)
3. Identify the causes (based on the information you learned in your research)
4. Evaluate an existing policy
5. Develop Solutions
6. Select the best solution

EVALUATION:

Task	0-1	2	3
Group Work (collaboration)	Is not able to: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners; express ideas clearly and persuasively and build on those of others.	Is sometimes able to: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners; express ideas clearly and persuasively and build on those of others.	Is able to: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners; express ideas clearly and persuasively and build on those of others.
Presentation of knowledge	Group Included 1-2 digital media and visual displays in presentations to emphasize and enhance central ideas or themes.	Group Included 3-4 digital media and visual displays in presentations to emphasize and enhance central ideas or themes.	Group Included 5 or more digital media and visual displays in presentations to emphasize and enhance central ideas or themes.
Content Knowledge	Project does not make connections to the global community or environmental issues. No food web or chain was created.	Project mentions connections to the global community and environmental issues. Students created a food web/chain. Students' knowledge is limited in their research. Students are limited in their ability to speak about the research conducted.	Project provides legitimate connections to the global community and environmental issues. Students include a detailed food chain/web. Students’ research is extensive. Students are able to speak about the issues at hand in their presentation.

CONCLUSION:

In this unit, students learned about food chains and food webs and what happens when one animal is at risk or even eliminated from the chain/web. Students learned the importance of the honey bee and what is currently happening to the honey bee population. Students researched possible causes to the honey bee crisis. Students looked at how they could help the honey bees what the best and most feasible solutions may be.

Extend your learning using the PPA steps to solve your own social problem:

1. Define the Problem

2. Gather the Evidence

3. Identify the Causes

4. Evaluate an Existing Policy

5. Develop Solutions

6. Select the Best Solution

STANDARDS:

Social Studies:

● K.SOC.16. [K.7a] Demonstrates understanding of how climate, seasonal weather changes, and the physical features associated with the community and region all affect how people live

● K.SOC.13. [K.6a] Understands a globe represents Earth, and maps can be used to represent the world as well as local places or specific regions

Science

● K.SCI.4. [K-LS1-1.] Uses observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive

● K.SCI.5. [K-ESS2-2.] Constructs an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs

● K.SCI.6. [K-ESS3-1.] Uses a model to represent the relationship between the needs of different plants or animals (including humans) and the places they live