As a part of their science unit on plants, the kindergarten students in Mrs. McDonough’s class
learned about the role that bees play in pollinating flowers. Through read-alouds, videos, and a
bee named Polly, the students discovered how Polly collected nectar from flowers to make
honey while also spreading pollen from flower to flower to help the flowers make seeds and
grow fruits.

To make the learning engaging, students became a “pollinator” themselves using bees made
from craft sticks, pom poms, and pipe cleaners. Students flew their bees around the room
visiting “flowers” with cake mix as pollen to transfer it between paper flowers that they had
colored. This culminating activity reinforced the connection between pollination and plant life
cycles. Working as responsible collaborators through this hands-on activity, their curiosity was
sparked, a deeper understanding and appreciation for nature was formed, and they understood
how pollination supports the food we eat and the world around us.