Did you know that Minnesota has more than 400 species of bees? How about the fact that 15 percent of bees nest in cavities like hollow plant stems or holes in wood?
If you didn’t, don’t let it sting you that you might not be smarter than a fourth grader at Forest Hills Elementary! These budding bee experts were buzzing with excitement as they learned about these crucial pollinators from a community partner on Thursday, Oct. 24.
The crisp and sunny fall day made for the perfect conditions to take advantage of the school’s outdoor classroom. Bundled in their hoodies and windbreakers, the fascinated fourth graders learned about all things bees from Mary Beech, an intern in the University of Minnesota Extension Master Gardener volunteer program and grandma to a Forest Hills first grader.
“During this lesson, students learned about the vital role that bees play in the ecosystem,” said Cori Johnson, a fourth grade teacher at Forest Hills. “Ms. Mary helped raise awareness about the challenges bees face, such as habitat loss and pesticides. This knowledge helped foster a sense of responsibility and encouraged students to think about their impact on the environment.”
Beech focused the lesson on species of bees small enough to live in plant stem nests. She taught students that nesting bees use mud, leaves and other materials to build walls and divide tunnels into a series of small, sealed cells. Each cell contains a lump of pollen and an egg, with the complete life cycle usually taking one year — which is why bee houses make a yard pollinator-friendly all year long.
She then showed students how to create simple stem nests using paper cups and different-sized plant stems, some of which could be found in the outdoor classroom. Once students stuffed their cups full of stems, the ultimate test was holding them upside down like Dairy Queen blizzards to ensure the stems were packed enough to stay in place.
“I think the students were very engaged and interested,” Beech observed. “They asked a lot of good questions and listened to the responses. They were pretty awesome!”
One student who had a blast learning about bees was Omar, who beamed with pride at his bee house. “I’m proud of it because of how many bees could fit and live in here,” he said while dangling his creation on its string. When asked how many bees he thought would make a home in his bee house, he optimistically answered, “More than 50!”
When Beech isn’t volunteering her time teaching students about pollinators as part of her Master Gardener training, she also volunteers two times a week in her granddaughter’s first grade classroom at Forest Hills. “It is an awesome school, with great staff and the best students in Eden Prairie!” she proclaimed like the proud grandma she is.
Johnson said she appreciates opportunities for her students to learn from community partners like Beech, who enrich students’ educational experiences. “Through these experiences, students learn about community needs and how they can contribute positively to our Eden Prairie community, fostering a sense of purpose and belonging.”
In addition to introducing students to the role we all play in environmental conservation, Beech hopes that students learned “about nature and all of its beautiful wonders, including pollinators.”
If you ask the class, it sure seems Ms. Mary succeeded in passing on her passion. “I love bees!” Omar exclaimed.
