KG Pollinator - ActivityandLessonPlan.Kit
KG Pollinator - ActivityandLessonPlan.Kit
Next time you see a student crunching on an apple or savoring a chocolate bar, remind them that
they should thank a pollinator for providing their snack. More than 150 of our common food crops,
from avocados to zucchini, rely on pollinators to move pollen among flowers to facilitate fertilization,
which ultimately leads to the development of fruits and seeds. Pollination by bees, hummingbirds,
moths, bats, butterflies, flies, and beetles ensures the continued existence of millions of plant
species, and in turn, of most animal species, including humans – in fact, one of every three
mouthfuls of our food depends on them!
Most pollinators are small and quiet and may easily be taken for granted, but a process and
players so essential to our survival certainly bear some investigation. The following lesson plans
offer hands-on activities for understanding and appreciating the dance of flowers and their
pollinating partners, and culminates in the planning of a schoolyard pollinator garden.
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Lesson 1: Make a Flower
Overview: Students create model flowers in preparation for studying
pollination.
Objective: To become familiar with flower anatomy and function.
Materials
• Flower Anatomy reproducible
• Assorted craft materials such as pipe cleaners, feathers, pompoms
and glitter
• Classroom supplies: tape, crayons, scissors
ovary
sepal
STAMEN
(male part)
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Pollinator Activity Guide
Laying the Groundwork
Give each student a copy of the Anatomy of a Flower reproducible.
Ask, Do all flowers look like this? Do you think all flowers have the same
parts? Name some different flowers that you’re familiar with. How are
they different from, or how do they resemble, this drawing? Tell students
you’ll discuss the purpose of these plant parts later in the activity.
Exploration
1. Provide students with craft materials to create models that contain
the same parts as the illustration. Emphasize that they don’t have to
Male or Female?
look like the picture, but must have the same parts because each
one is critical to the plant’s survival. Encourage students to color and Perfect flowers have both
draw patterns on their petals as they wish, and vary the length and pistils and stamens.
position of stamens and the arrangement of petals. Ask them to name Imperfect flowers are either
their flowers and to imagine that they are fragrant (students should male or female, and pollen
be prepared to describe the fragrance, e.g., smells like raspberries/ must somehow make its
chocolate/ bubble gum). way from the male to the
female flower. But even in
2. When they’ve completed the models, hold a “flower show.” Invite half
many perfect flowers the
the class to be presenters at the show and the other half to be
parts are arranged to keep
“visitors.” Ask presenting students to name their flowers and describe
pollen from easily reaching
their fragrances to visitors. Consider asking presenters to identify
the ovary of the same
different flower parts by name, then switch roles so everyone has a
flower. This prevents
chance to present.
self-pollination, ensuring
3. After the show, discuss the qualities of different flowers. Ask, Why do a mixture and diversity of
you think many flowers are so colorful and smell so nice? What have genes and, therefore,
you observed outdoors that might help answer this? increased health of the
Share the information that flowers produce seeds for new plants. species. Peas and beans are
Pollen must be transferred from the anther to the stigma in order examples of perfect flowers,
for the plant to produce seed. Ask, How do you think this pollen while cucumbers are
gets moved from one flower to another? What have you ever examples of imperfect
observed to make you believe this? flowers.
4. Hand out the Apple Pollination Cycle reproducible to aid the discussion.
Ask, Given the information in this diagram and what we’ve discussed as
a group, how might you adjust the design of your flowers?
Making Connections
1. Discussion questions:
• Why are some stigmas sticky?
• Can you guess why some petals have designs such as spots or
stripes?
• If you were a pollinator, what type of flower would attract you? Why?
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Pollinator Activity Guide
2. As a class, generate one list headed “Things We Know about Flowers”
and one headed “Questions We Have about Flowers.” Have students
identify questions they can answer through experimentation and those
they need to research. As your flower studies progress, add to the lists
and shift statements and questions from one column to the other.
Branching Out
Did You Know? • Pick several different flowers or obtain some castoffs from a florist. Invite
There are about 4,000 students to observe each with hand lenses. Have students identify the
species of native bees in flower parts and then compare each structure on the different flowers.
the U.S., ranging in length (Students can gently pull apart half the flower for a better view of its
from less than one eighth parts.)
of an inch to more than one • Soak a few whole dried cloves in water overnight. Try to identify the
inch. Most of these bees parts of these dried flower buds.
are “solitary” nesters and,
• Conduct an outdoor “flower hunt.” Give pairs of students cards with
having no hive to defend (as
directions such as “Find a flower that . . . has pistils and stamens that are
do non-native honeybees),
hard to see; . . . smells sweet; . . . has loose pollen; . . . has no petals; . . .
they are unlikely to sting!
is on its way to becoming a fruit.”
• Using cotton swabs, ask students to collect pollen from plants in the
schoolyard. Demonstrate how to do this gently to avoid damaging the
plant. Bring samples back to the classroom to observe and describe.
Look at the samples under a microscope if possible.
• Have pairs of students group flowers in different categories (e.g., by
color, smell, or shape). Challenge other pairs to guess what trait was
used to create each grouping.
• Ask students to identify and compare flowers that they suspect are
wind-pollinated with those that are pollinated by birds or insects. Ask,
What leads you to suspect wind pollination? What differences do you
notice between wind- and creature-pollinated flowers?
• Make a snack featuring flowers, including cauliflower or broccoli,
artichokes, and nasturtium or chive flowers. Ask, What other flowers do
we eat? What characteristics of these edible flowers attract pollinators?
• Collect samples of poetry and music that refer to flowers. Identify which
attributes are being described. Ask, How do these flower characteristics
please us? How do they help the flower?
• Play flower charades and have students act out flower part names.
• Press flowers or flower parts between newspapers weighted with
books. When dry, use clear contact paper to mount your specimens
on paper, cardstock, or index cards. Use as wall hangings, placemats,
bookmarks, or cards.
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Pollinator Activity Guide
Lesson 2: At Blossoms Restaurant
— Understanding Flower-Pollinator Pairings
Overview: Each student assumes the role of a flower or pollinator and Did you know?
visits a “restaurant” where flowers are on the menu. Pollinators consider
their preferences using the clues and pictures on the Pollinator Profile Pollinators are essential to
cards included at the end of these lesson plans. Flowers describe their the survival of more than
“specials” using the clues and pictures on the Flower Profile cards. ninety percent of the
estimated 400,000
Objective: To understand how a specific flower attracts a specific flowering plant species on
pollinator, and how that pollinator is suited to the job based on the the planet today.
flower’s structure and needs.
Materials
• Pollinator Profile cards
• Flower Profile cards
• Crayons or colored markers
• Journals
Background
Although bees are the best-known pollinators, many other animals visit
flowers in search of nectar and inadvertently pollinate them. Pollen dusts
these visitors’ bodies and then brushes onto the female parts of the next
flower they investigate. Over hundreds and thousands of years, many
flowers and pollinators coevolved and have developed special relationships.
A pollinator capable of detecting certain colors or scents, or possessing
structures that best fit certain flowers, passes these advantages on to its
offspring. Over many generations these traits have become well established.
Meanwhile, flowers also evolved, adapting specific characteristics that suit Respecting Bees
particular pollinators. If some students are
To compete for the attention of pollinators, flowers have evolved ingenious concerned about bees,
methods to entice creatures to their sugar- filled nectar and protein- and remind them that these
vitamin-rich pollen. In exchange, the unsuspecting creatures unintentionally insects only become
act as pollen- carrying liaisons between blooms that would otherwise never aggressive if you approach
touch. The amazing diversity of flowers results from their unique adaptations their nest or hive or harass
to lure a range of pollinators (or to ensure that wind or water carries pollen). them in some way. When
Every aspect of a flower, from the designs on its petals to the timing of its bees are foraging they’re
blooming, is vital to the process. intent on their business and
not interested in people! To
The Pollinator Profile cards describe some generalized characteristics and
make yourselves
preferences of various groups of pollinating creatures. The Flower Profile
inconspicuous, wear
cards illustrate and describe a few distinctive flowers that these pollinators
light-colored clothing and
are attracted to. Make it clear to students that these are just examples and
don’t wear floral fragrances.
not the definitive list of pollinator-plant pairings.
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Pollinator Activity Guide
Laying the Groundwork
Ask, What do animals need to survive? (food, water, shelter, places to
raise young) Which of these things do flowers provide? What parts of
flowers do pollinators eat? What do flowers need? What does the
pollinator provide in return?
Exploration
1. Divide the class in half and hand out the Pollinator Profile cards to
one group and the Flower Profile cards to the other. (Depending on
Flower – Pollinator the size of your group, some students may have duplicate cards, but
Pairings make sure that each Pollinator Card can be matched with a Flower
Magnolia – Beetle Card.) Ask students to color the images. Pollinators can be any color,
Monarda – Hummingbird but to make this activity work the flower colors must reflect the
Moonflower – Moth descriptions on the cards.
Saguaro – Bat 2. Next, tell the class that the flowers operate a restaurant called Blossoms,
Snapdragon – Bee and the pollinators are their customers. Invite the pollinators and
Trillium – Fly flowers to mingle and compare the clues on their cards to discover
Zinnia – Butterfly which flowers have the traits that specific pollinators like. Based on the
clues, have students record the names of the pollinators or flowers they
think make good partners on the back of their cards. When everyone is
done, discuss what you’ve learned as a class.
Making Connections
1. Discussion questions:
What do you notice about the flowers preferred by different
pollinators?
What characteristics do they have that seem to “match” their animal
partners?
What do you think would happen if . . .
. . . bees and other insects couldn’t detect color?
. . . motor oil were splashed on a flower’s stigma?
. . . pesticides toxic to bees and butterflies were sprayed on plants?
How do people take advantage of particular adaptations that flowers
use to attract pollinators? (make perfume from flower fragrances, use
colorful or unusual flowers to beautify landscapes, plant pollinator
favorites, e.g., mints, in gardens to encourage pollination of crops)
Do you think bees or plants benefit more during pollination? (This is
a good question for debate, with no right answer.)
Which plant parts would you not expect to find on flowers pollinated
by wind? Why?
Why do you think flowers produce thousands of pollen grains, even
if they produce only a few eggs that need fertilization?
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Pollinator Activity Guide
Explain to the class that the Western prairie fringed orchid can only
be pollinated by the long-tongued hawk- moth. Ask, What are the
dangers of having such a specialized pollination relationship?
2. As a class, generate one list headed “Things We Know about Pollinators”
and one headed “Questions We Have about Pollinators.” Have students
identify the questions they can answer through experimentation and
those they need to research. As your studies progress, add to the lists
and shift statements and questions from one column to the other.
3. Create Pollinator Journals (using purchased journals or by stapling
copies of the Pollinator Journal reproducible together) and tell students
they will use them for some of the Branching Out activities (below) and
for Lesson 3.
Branching Out
• In your garden, try removing a different part from each of several flowers
while the flower is still on the plant. Observe the plant as it continues to
grow over several days or weeks. Describe what happens to the plant’s
development when it’s missing a part of the flower.
• Keeping in mind what you’ve learned about pollination, write a
description of a flower-of-the-future and illustrate it. Describe how this
flower is adapted to specific conditions and means of pollination.
• Research how pesticides can affect pollinators. Next, imagine that you’re
a pollinator concerned about pesticide use and write an editorial for the
fictional National Pollinating magazine.
• Research how different cultures use flowers (e.g., in their diets, for
medicines, or for dyes).
• Take a walk outdoors and identify different traits that flowers have
developed to lure pollinators. Identify flowers that you suspect are
wind-pollinated.
• Research the origins of different flower names or the historical
significance of different flowers. Design cards that include illustrations of
these flowers and their names.
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Pollinator Activity Guide
Healthy Pollinator
Lesson 3:
Gardens Planning a Pollinator Garden
Do not use pesticides and Overview: The class designs a pollinator garden with the aim of helping
herbicides near pollinator preserve struggling native pollinator populations. You may simply use this
gardens. Even organic activity as an academic exercise, but if you can find a way to implement
pesticides derived from your designed garden, students will benefit not only from their real-life
plants and microbes can be observations and explorations, but also from increased pride in their
as harmful to pollinators as environmental stewardship.
they are to pests. Herbicides
may wipe out key plants Objective: To learn about native pollinators and their habitat needs and
(weeds) that are important to collect the necessary information to create a schoolyard habitat.
food sources for pollinators. Materials
Diverse plantings are less
likely to have severe pest • Internet access and reference books for research
problems and are more • Pollinator Journals
likely to attract pests’ natural
enemies: predatory insects Background
and birds. If certain plants You don’t need a lot of space to start a pollinator garden. Even a few
become plagued with pests, containers of flowers can attract hungry bees and butterflies. To design a
replace them with less successful pollinator garden, students must use what they learned about
susceptible species pollinators in the first two lessons and provide for basic wildlife needs
or varieties. — food, water, shelter, and places to rear young — in their plan. Here is
some information to get you started:
• Food sources (host plants). Although pollinators in adult stages thrive
on flower nectar and/or pollen, the larval stages usually require plant
leaves. In your planning process, consider allowing a section of your
schoolyard to revert to wild grasses, weeds, and wildflowers (e.g.,
milkweed and Queen Anne’s lace) to provide this food, then locate
your pollinator plot nearby.
• Water. Be sure to include a water source in your design. Butterflies,
for instance, sip at shallow pools, birdbaths, and mud puddles; some
bees and wasps use mud to build homes. Mud puddles also provide
important minerals for some pollinators.
• Nesting sites and overwintering materials. Think about the kinds of
places and materials insects and birds need for building nurseries
and spending down time, and allow room for them in the plan:
flowerpots with drainage holes bottom-up on the ground; small piles
of twigs and brush; mud puddles.
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Pollinator Activity Guide
Laying the Groundwork
If possible, have students spend at least a couple of sessions observing
flowers and their visitors in the schoolyard, at a nearby park, or at home.
Ask the following guiding questions:
• What types of insects or other animals are visiting which flowers?
• Are some flowers visited more often or only by certain creatures?
• Is there more activity at certain times of day?
• What kinds of paths do the insects take as they move among flowers?
• Which insects hover and which perch?
• How do the flowers they visit seem designed to support these habits?
• Does a mixed planting draw more different kinds of pollinators?
Students’ observations should lead to fertile questions, some of which
they can answer through systematic observations and some through
further research.
Exploration
1. If you don’t already have a garden site, have the class scope out a
location that receives at least six hours of full sun each day. If space is
limited, design a container pollinator garden (use a rich, well-drained
soil mix when planting).
2. Research pollinator species native to your region. Also, research
specific plants and habitat features these creatures need in order to
thrive and reproduce. The Pollinator Partnership offers free Ecoregional
Planting Guides that are an excellent resource for your search. These
guides include in depth information on pollinators and recommended
plants.
3. Create a list of pollinators you hope to attract and the plants you
need to attract them. In general, the greater the variety of plants you
offer (trees, shrubs, perennials, annual flowers, and herbs), the more
pollinators you’ll attract. Since pollinators have different needs during
different life cycle stages, maintaining diversity also makes your site
more widely appealing.
Consider the following when creating your plant list:
• Use as many plants native to your region as possible. Native
plants have evolved closely with native creatures and are well
suited to meet their needs. In fact, some pollinator species are
entirely dependent on the availability of certain native plants.
(In addition to the Pollinator Partnership Ecoregional Guides,
your state’s agency of natural resources or conservation and
native plant societies are excellent resources.)
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Pollinator Activity Guide
Note: Never dig plants from the wild unless the area is slated
for destruction and development and even in that case, make
sure you have permission from the landowner. The best source
for native plants is a local nursery or native plant association that
offers plants that have been grown, not gathered.
• Whether you use native or nonnative plants, look for
old-fashioned varieties. Many newer varieties have been bred to
look or smell nice for humans and may lack accessible nectar or
pollen for animal partners.
Good Bets for • Choose a range of flower shapes and sizes to suit the feeding
Pollinators preferences of a variety of pollinators.
• Aromatic herbs: coriander, • Include a range of flowers that bloom at different times
catnip, mint, parsley, throughout the season to accommodate individual pollinators’
lavender preferences and provide a sequence of pollen and nectar
• Annuals: marigold, phlox, sources throughout different life cycle stages. For instance,
bachelor’s button, zinnia, flowering shrubs and trees tend to blossom early in the season,
cosmos, salvia, sweet providing nectar or pollen when other food is scarce. On your
alyssum list, note the mature plant size and growing needs (soil, moisture,
• Perennials: bee balm, sun exposure) of the various plants in preparation for the next
Shasta daisy, aster, step: drawing a plan.
coneflower, lobelia, 4. Challenge individual students or teams to draw a site plan, positioning
butterfly weed, goldenrod plants from their list based on the characteristics they’ve noted: size
and growth requirements, plus which flowers might look nice together.
Young children can draw a two-dimensional, frontal view of their
garden. Older students can create an aerial-view landscape design on
a piece of graph paper. Explain how to use the blocks on the graph
paper to scale the drawings.
Making Connections
1. Discussion questions:
Why are native plants so important to our pollinators?
Why is it important to include a variety of plants in our garden?
2. Learn about the Pollinator Partnership’s S.H.A.R.E. program
([Link] S.H.A.R.E., Simply Have Areas Reserved
for the Environment, was created to encourage individuals, schools,
community organizations and businesses to set aside space in their
landscapes for pollinators. Search their online map to find registered
habitats in your area. Discuss the importance of gardens for migrating
pollinators. If you decide to install a pollinator garden, register your
site with S.H.A.R.E to help them accomplish the Million Pollinator
Garden Challenge.
3. Revisit your “What We Know…” and “Questions We Have…” lists from
the previous activities. Has the exercise of planning a pollinator gar-
den helped to answer some of your questions?
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Pollinator Activity Guide
Branching Out
• Choose a favorite fruit, vegetable, or nut crop, and research it and its
pollinating partner(s) for a report or presentation.
• Discuss changes brought to your region by colonizing humans and
how those changes have altered pollinator habitats. Ask, How might
things look if pollinators had been on the “planning commission” all
along?
If you do build a garden:
• Study the life cycles and anatomy of pollinators that visit.
• Create a brochure for your pollinator garden that includes plant
descriptions, which plants attract which pollinators, the importance of
pollinators, and information on how to start a pollinator garden.
• Invite the community to guided tours of your garden.
• Write a press release about the project and share it with local
newspapers and TV and radio stations.
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Pollinator Activity Guide
Resources
The following websites provide exemplary materials to further support your pollinator explorations:
National Pollinator Garden Network:
[Link]
Pollinator Partnership:
[Link]
Pollinator Partnership EcoRegional Planting Guides:
[Link]
Pollinator Partnership Learning Center:
[Link]
[Link] – Creating a Pollinator Garden:
[Link]
North American Pollinator Protection Campaign:
[Link]
Nature’s Partners: Pollinators, Plants, and You Curriculum from NAPPC:
[Link]
USDA Forest Service — Pollinators:
[Link]/wildflowers/pollinators/[Link]
Appendix Materials
• Anatomy of a Flower reproducible (in old class action)
• Apple Pollination Cycle reproducible (in old class action)
• Flower Profile Cards (additional attachment)
• Pollinator Profile Cards (additional attachment)
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Pollinator Activity Guide
Stigma Anatomy of a Flower
Style
anther
Petal
filament
ovary
sepal ovule
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Reproducibles
1
A pollinator, such as this honeybee, transfers
pollen from one flower’s stamen to
Apple Pollination Cycle
another flower’s stigma.
1
2
pollen grains
ovary
ovule
sperm
4 4
Once the flower is fertilized, the
petals wither and drop and the ovary
begins to enlarge and develop into
the apple fruit.
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Pollinator Activity Guide | Reproducibles
MONARDA
My petals are tubeshaped.
I have lots of nectar.
My petals are bright red or purple.
MONARDA
My petals are tubeshaped.
I have lots of nectar.
My petals are bright red or purple.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
MAGNOLIA
I’m bowl-shaped.
My petals are white.
I open during the day.
I have lots of pollen to offer.
MAGNOLIA
I’m bowl-shaped.
My petals are white.
I open during the day.
I have lots of pollen to offer.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
SNAPDRAGON
My flowers have handy landing pads.
I smell sweet.
I have lots of small blossoms.
My flowers come in many colors.
SNAPDRAGON
My flowers have handy landing pads.
I smell sweet.
I have lots of small blossoms.
My flowers come in many colors.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
Zinnia
I have clusters of small flowers.
I have a flat top to stand on.
I come in bright colors such as yellow,
red, and orange.
Zinnia
I have clusters of small flowers.
I have a flat top to stand on.
I come in bright colors such as yellow,
red, and orange.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
MOONFLOWER
My flowers open at night.
My petals are white.
I have nectar to offer.
MOONFLOWER
My flowers open at night.
My petals are white.
I have nectar to offer.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
TRILLIUM
My petals are dark purple.
I smell foul.
I have pollen to offer.
TRILLIUM
My petals are dark purple.
I smell foul.
I have pollen to offer.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
SAGUARO
I blossom at night.
I have white petals.
I smell like over-ripe melons.
I have lots of nectar to offer.
SAGUARO
I blossom at night.
I have white petals.
I smell like over-ripe melons.
I have lots of nectar to offer.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
BAT
I feed on nectar.
I like fruity fragrances.
I am active at night.
BAT
I feed on nectar.
I like fruity fragrances.
I am active at night.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
BEETLE
I eat lots of pollen.
I like white flowers.
I like, open, bowl-shaped flowers.
BEETLE
I eat lots of pollen.
I like white flowers.
I like, open, bowl-shaped flowers.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
BUTTERFLY
I’m attracted to bright flowers.
Nectar is my main food.
I need a place to stand while I eat.
BUTTERFLY
I’m attracted to bright flowers.
Nectar is my main food.
I need a place to stand while I eat.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
BEE
I like sweet-smelling blossoms.
I like clusters of small flowers.
I eat nectar and pollen.
I like having a place to land while I eat.
BEE
I like sweet-smelling blossoms.
I like clusters of small flowers.
I eat nectar and pollen.
I like having a place to land while I eat.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
FLY
I eat pollen.
I like dark or pale-colored flowers.
I’m attracted to foul odors.
FLY
I eat pollen.
I like dark or pale-colored flowers.
I’m attracted to foul odors.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
HUMMINGBIRD
I hover to eat.
My main food is nectar.
I like red and purple flowers.
I’m attracted to tube-shaped flowers.
HUMMINGBIRD
I hover to eat.
My main food is nectar.
I like red and purple flowers.
I’m attracted to tube-shaped flowers.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards
MOTH
I am active at night.
I like white flowers.
I need lots of nectar.
MOTH
I am active at night.
I like white flowers.
I need lots of nectar.
© 2016, [Link]
Pollinator Activity Guide | Pollinator Flower Cards