Students work in groups to research, design, build, and install a bee hotel, then observe insect activity around it.
These bricks aims to raise awareness of the importance of pollinators, develop ecological thinking, and foster hands-on collaboration through sustainable design.
This activity covers two bricks. In part 1 are students sketching their bee hotel. In part 2 the students are constructing the bee hotel.
The videos and articles used in this brick (find them here: How to Make a Bee Hotel?) are in English. Check beforehand if the language level is suitable for your students, or try to find comparable videos and articles in their school language.
Begin by discussing key facts about bees, including why they are endangered, what their nesting needs are, and why pollinators are essential for ecosystems and food production.
You can use the Make a Bee Hotel – Part 1method to make it playful while still including a lot of knowledge.
Watch the articles and videos. You find them in the resources of Make a Bee Hotel – Part 1
Divide the students in small groups of 2/3 students.
All groups start sketching a first version of a Bee Hotel
- A frame (e.g., from pallets).
- Various materials: reeds, pieces of wood with drilled holes (diameter 3–10 mm).
- Ensure the roof is slanted and waterproof.
To include everyone in generating creative ideas in the group you can use the method Make a Bee Hotel – Part 1.
To make sure the Bee Hotel will be useful for the bees, you can include the Make a Bee Hotel – Part 1 method.
To pracatise Sketching you can use Make a Bee Hotel – Part 1 method.
Every group draws one final, precise sketch of the Bee Hotel (including dimensions, materials, layout etc.). They can use computer programs or hand drawings.
Didactic tips
- Connect to the local environment. Ask where students have seen bees or flowering plants nearby.
- Guide the design. Prompt with questions such as: “Which materials do solitary bees prefer?” and “How will you protect the hotel from rain?”
- Assign group roles. For example: designer, materials manager, recorder, and presenter.
- Differentiate support. Provide templates, examples, or pre-drilled materials where needed.
- Link to other subjects. Connect to science (pollinators), maths (measurements and scale), or art (technical drawing).