Page 31 - kids ebook

B C s

Published by the Bee Girl Organization

Author: India Bolding and Sarah Red-Laird, with assistance from Rich Hatfield, Xerces Society
Subject: Science
Season: Spring, Summer, Fall
Place of Learning: Garden, Farm, etc.
Grade Level: 3

Concept: Bumble Bee Watch is a collaborative effort to track and conserve North America’s bumble bees.

Objectives:
 Students will be able to list and identify three of the common bumble bee species in their region.
 Students will observe bumble bees in their natural habitat and sketch a picture of them showing their domi-
nate markings.
 Students will note how the species of bumble bee changes as the habitat changes and make a prediction about
the ideal habitat for each species.

Assessment:
 Students will be able to define citizen science.
 Students will understand the importance of bumble bees to the student’s own environment.

Standards (NGSS)
3-LS4-3 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive
less well, and some cannot survive at all.

3-LS4-4 Biological Evolution: Unity and Diversity
Make a claim about the merit of a solution to a problem caused when the environment changes and the types of
plants and animals that live there may change.

Investigation:
1. Discussion:
a. “What is science?”
b. “Can anyone do science?”
c. Introduce the idea of citizen science and explain that we will be helping scientists monitor bumble bee
populations.
 “Why would scientists want to monitor bumble bees?”

Introduce students to bumblebeewatch.org and look at the common types of bumble bees in your state. Common
bumble bees in the western US are: Bombus huntii, Bombus vosnesenskii, Bombus mixtus, Bombus flavifrons, Bom-
bus melanopygus, and Bombus fervidus. Bumble bees common to the east coast are: Bombus impatiens, Bombus
bimaculatus, Bombus griseocollis, and Bombus ternarius.

2. Sketch
a. As you explore, show that there are more than one species of bumble bee.
b. Have students list and sketch three of the most common species in your area.
i. Note identifying markings by using the provided outline on page 35 so students can focus on
physical traits (eg color patterns, size, facial features, etc.).

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