What Is A Bee

Mount Aloysius College

I.

Introduction Lesson Title: What is a Bee? Teacher Name: Ms. Mandi Skura Date Lesson is Taught: 10/13/20 Subject/Discipline: Science Grade Level: 2nd Grade Number of Students: 20 Allocated Instructional Time: 25 minutes Multiple Intelligences Addressed: Spatial, Naturalist Pennsylvania Common Core Standards or Early Learning Standards: • 3.1 2. B.6 Participate in simple investigations of physical characteristics of living things from the same species to answer a question or test a prediction.

II.

Rationale and Background The purpose of this lesson is to teach students about the life cycle and anatomy of the Honeybee. This lesson follows the previous lesson entitled, ‘What’s All the Buzz About?’, in which students recognized the importance of Bees in their lives. It is important for students to experience this lesson to understand how these incredible insects are created and how their bodies allow them to perform the jobs that they do. Students should also experience this lesson to identify and investigate the different types and body shapes of Honeybees and bees within their hives. These include: the Queen Bee, the Drone Bees, and the Worker Bees. This lesson will meet the needs and relevance of the students’ lives by teaching them about the anatomy of the insect that they learned about in the previous lesson. Students are familiar with insects, Bees, and life cycles.

III.

Lesson Objectives TLWBAT: Ask questions about objects, organisms, and events. TLWBAT: Plan and conduct a simple investigation and understand that different questions require different kinds of investigations.

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IV.

Materials 1. Teacher Materials • Buzz Words i. Bulletin board ii. Border iii. Word processor iv. Computer v. Printer vi. Construction paper • Book, Egg to Bee, by Camila de la Bedoyere • World map • Life Cycle Activity i. Construction paper ii. Colored pencils iii. Glue iv. Pencils • Anatomy Diagram of Bee i. Colored pencils ii. Pencils • Magnifying glasses • Deceased Bees • Observation paper • Buzz Word glossary i. Word processor ii. Printer iii. White paper iv. Created by teacher v. Staples vi. Stapler 2. Student Materials • Buzz Words i. Bulletin board ii. Border iii. Word processor iv. Computer v. Printer vi. Construction paper • Book, Egg to Bee, by Camila de la Bedoyere • World map • Life Cycle Activity i. Construction paper ii. Colored pencils iii. Glue iv. Pencils • Anatomy Diagram of Bee i. Colored pencils ii. Pencils 2

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Magnifying glasses Deceased Bees Observation paper Buzz Word glossary i. Word processor ii. Printer iii. White paper iv. Created by teacher v. Staples vi. Stapler

Procedures A. Introduction and Motivation To engage the students, I will introduce the new words that will be added to the Buzz Word wall. For this lesson the Buzz Words will include: Wings, Antenna, Head, Thorax, Abdomen, Leg, Compound Eye, Queen Bee, Egg, Larva, Cocoon, and Pupa. Before I begin the lesson, the students and I will read each word from the word wall, come up with a definition, and then write it on the blackboard. After the students and I have gone over the Buzz Words, I will introduce and read to them a book entitled, Egg to Bee, by Camila de la Bedoyere. The book will introduce other new vocabulary and illustrations that offer diagrams and an illustrated cycle of the life cycle of a Bee. During the reading, I will stop at each page and allow students to point out observations they are making, ask questions, and continue discussion. B. Lesson Body After reading to my students, I will introduce the idea that every species has a life cycle in order to populate the Earth. Bees have a simple and fast life cycle that allows them multiply in order to help grow crops and pollinate other plants. Although this is the case, as easy as it is for them to multiply is for them to die. My students will then participate in recreating the life cycle of the bee. Each student will get a copy of five cards that have illustrations of the Queen Bee, the egg, larva, cocoon, and pupa. On a timeline styled paper, the students will color the cards according to the appropriate colors, and then paste them to the timeline. Furthermore, we will add a marker to a spot on the map that Bees are located from the book and discussion. My students will then be given a copy of an anatomy diagram of the Bee. They will label and color accordingly with my assistance through direct instruction and making connections with the Buzz Words mentioned earlier in the lesson. After this, my students will be given the opportunity to investigate and research the anatomy of the bee through a hands-on experience. Using magnifying glasses, the students 3

will look at three different bees: a Queen Bee, a Drone Bee, and a Worker Bee. These (dead) bees will be gathered from the local Bee Sanctuary. On an observation paper provided by the teacher, there will be a list of questions the students must answer through their findings of investigating the three different bees. These questions include: 1. How many different kinds of Bees are here? 2. How are these Bees’ bodies different? 3. How are these Bees’ bodies the same? 4. How do their bodies allow them to do their jobs? Higher level questions to ask the students: 1. What is the order of the life cycle of the Bee? (Remembering) 2. Create a different style of life cycle diagram rather than a timeline. (Creating) C. Simplification and Extensions 1. Gifted Child – these will probably finish their work before others; allow them to assist other students in completing the numerous activities. The activity should also be changed for these students by instructing them to draw the life cycle of the cards themselves and giving them a blank anatomy diagram in which they have to fill out on their own before investigating the Bees’ bodies. 2. Visually Impaired Child – allow this child to have their own copy of the book, sit them close to the front of the room, give them their own, smaller copy of the Buzz Words to have at their desk, and provide their classwork instructions in a bigger font size. 3. English Language Learners – find the appropriate equivalent to the Buzz Words in their native language, allow them to copy and learn them in both languages. Speak slowly so that the child can watch your lips, listen to your annunciation, speak loudly, and place the student at the front of the room. D. Closure/Conclusion To end lesson, I will call the students back over to the Buzz Word wall. Again, we will reach each term and make a definition based on what we have learned during the lesson. This time, they will copy down the definition into their ‘Buzz Word’ glossary which will be used later in the Unit. VI.

Home-School Connection/Homework Assignment/Independent Practice The children’s life cycle timelines will be posted outside of our classroom on our bulletin board entitled, ‘The Place to Bee’. During the upcoming parent-teacher conferences, their classwork can be observed. I will also post pictures of their timelines and of the students investing the bodies of the bees on our classroom website. An email will also be sent to all families regarding the Bee anatomy 4

activity to let them know the plan for the day so that they can ask their children about it at home.

VII.

Evaluation A. Student Assessment Formative Assessment: the students will show that they can ask questions about objects, organisms, and events and plan and conduct a simple investigation and understand that different questions require different kinds of investigations by creating their Bee life cycle timeline and investing the Bee bodies afterwards. Summative Assessment: the students will show that they can ask questions about objects, organisms, and events and plan and conduct a simple investigation and understand that different questions require different kinds of investigations by completing their Bee Anatomy questionnaire during their Bee investigation and research. B. Reflective Practice/Self-Evaluation Reflect on your teaching experience and answer these questions: 1. What were two strengths of the lesson? 2. What are two areas of the lesson that need improvement? 3. What would I do differently, if I were to reteach this lesson?

4. What biases, if any, existed in the materials, activities, language, or interactions with children?

5. Did anything surprise me?

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