Wildlife Tag
OC Field Investigation Activity: How Pollinators Pollinate OLD
In this activity, students will investigate how pollinators (bees, birds, butterflies, beetles, etc.) help to transfer pollen from one plant to another or from one flower to another.
STEP 1: Engage through Discussion
The background information, chart, song and example questions below can be used to help introduce the topic, engage the students, and build a foundation to discuss the topic:
STEP 2: Explore with Literature
This book can be used to further explore the topic with your students:
STEP 3: Explain using Technology
These videos can be used to further explain the topic to your students:
STEP 4: Investigate in your Outdoor Classroom
The Outdoor Classroom Field Investigation Activity Sheet(s) allow students to apply what they have learned as they investigate and record their real-world observations on their activity pages. Before you go outside, don't forget to review the activity instructions and your Outdoor Classroom Rules with your students:
STEP 5: Review with an Assessment
Review and assess the students’ observations and answers on their activity pages. Another extension might be to have students select another pollinator, and then have them complete the observation pages as an assessment for that species. You can also use the Questions & Answers Interactive Powerpoint to review the material. .
- Lesson Plan & Resources for Teachers: Use the interactive STEPS below... OR... Print them as a PDF
- Outdoor Classroom Field Investigation Activity Sheets for Students: Word Doc that can be edited | PDF that is ready "as is"
- Outdoor Classroom Field Investigation Answer Sheet for Teachers: Word Doc that can be edited | PDF that is ready "as is"
- Materials Needed: ~25 Copies of the "How Pollinators Pollinate" Field Investiagion Activity Sheets, 25 Clipboards, 25 Pencils, Crayons or Colored Pencils, Magnifying Glasses, AND Q-tips with ziploc bags to collect pollen samples
- Duration: Introduction - 30 min. | Outdoor Exploration - 30 min. | Review - 30 min.
- Alabama Course of Study Standards Taught: PDF
STEP 1: Engage through Discussion
The background information, chart, song and example questions below can be used to help introduce the topic, engage the students, and build a foundation to discuss the topic:
- Background Info: (Word Doc | PDF)
- Building Background Vocabulary: (Word Doc | PDF)
- Example Questions & Answers (Word Doc | PDF | Interactive PPT) - If you use the PowerPoint (PPT), be sure to click "Slide Show" & "From Beginning" to display questions and answers separately.
STEP 2: Explore with Literature
This book can be used to further explore the topic with your students:
- What is Pollination? (Big Science Ideas) by Bobbie Kalman (ISBN: 978-0778733065)
- The Reason for a Flower: A Book about Flowers, Pollen & Seeds by Ruth Heller (ISBN: 978-0698115590)
- Animal Pollinators by Jennifer Boothroyd (ISBN: 978-1467760690)
- Who Will Plant a Tree? by Jerry Pallotta (ISBN: 978-1585365029)
These videos can be used to further explain the topic to your students:
- Pollination for Kids Video (6:48 min) @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AuVm1jpKEA
- Seed Song-How Seeds Move Video (4:25 min) @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CCOWHa-qfc
- The Decline in Bees - Part of an America's Heartland show (5:12 min. total - click play button and it will auto-play from 8:43 to 13:55) @ http://www.americasheartland.org/episodes/episode_304/migrant_bees.html
The Outdoor Classroom Field Investigation Activity Sheet(s) allow students to apply what they have learned as they investigate and record their real-world observations on their activity pages. Before you go outside, don't forget to review the activity instructions and your Outdoor Classroom Rules with your students:
- How Pollinators Pollinate Activity Tip - Before taking the students outdoors to explore the outdoor classroom, consider splitting them into groups of two or three, so that they can work together as teams. One child can hold the clipboard and record the observations on the activity page, one child can hold the magnifying glass to view the details of the flower, and one child can collect and hold a sample of pollen in a container such as a ziploc bag. Optional: Take iPads or cell phones to take pictures of the plant and the pollen grains up close. Students can use the photos to observe similarities and differences in the pollen grains as a follow up activity.
- Activity Instructions for How Pollinators Pollinate Activity Sheet(s) (Word Doc | PDF) - Have students explore the outdoor classroom looking for flowering plants, shrubs and trees and pollinators. Give them a magnifying glass to magnify the pollen in the flowers, and a Q-tip to collect the pollen. They should record their observations, and then complete the pollination process diagram on the activity sheet. Optional: Collect a sample of the pollen using Q-tips and a ziploc bag.
- Activity Answer Sheet for Teachers (Word Doc | PDF)
- Wildlife Identification Tips – Use the National Audubon Society Field Guide to the Southeast or other similar field guides to help the students identify the animal(s) they found. Also, you can use the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ Outdoor Alabama Watchable Wildlife website to assist you with the identification of local native wildlife.
- Example Outdoor Classroom Rules - The outdoor classroom is not a playground, so do not run and do not climb on anything. Remember that the outdoor classroom provides habitat (a home) for local wildlife, and you should not damage the local wildlife habitat. Therefore, do not pick up wildlife, plants, flowers or rocks unless you are collecting a specimen for the activity. Also, do not feed wildlife.
STEP 5: Review with an Assessment
Review and assess the students’ observations and answers on their activity pages. Another extension might be to have students select another pollinator, and then have them complete the observation pages as an assessment for that species. You can also use the Questions & Answers Interactive Powerpoint to review the material. .