Students watch videos, discuss bee pollination, and explore solutions to protect bees.
Students learn why bees matter and how we can help them survive.
This class is a call to action. Plan ahead by considering which follow-up activities students might undertake, and prepare the necessary materials to help them get started right away.
The introduction video is in English. Check beforehand if the level of English suits your group, and if not try to find a comparable video in the teaching language
First, watch The World’s Most Important Insect from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. It explains why bees are so important for our ecosystems and food supply.
Discuss the video together. You can ask questions like:
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Which percentage of all plants depend on pollination?
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What human-made factors are threatening bees?
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What key points are mentioned in the video?
You can use the The World’s Most Important Insect or the The World’s Most Important Insect for the discussion.
Then watch this short video from Cheerios, that shows what supermarkets might look like in a future without bees.
In some places, a world without bees is already becoming a reality. In these areas, hand pollination or using robotsis the only alternative.
Watch The World’s Most Important Insect from DW to see how hand pollination works in Southwest China.
Now, let’s take action! Even small changes can make a big difference for bees. You can do something at school or in your local community. Decide together with the students which of the following bricks could be interesting to do as a follow-up of this one:
- To experiment with hand pollination, try the activity The World’s Most Important Insect
- To do something concrete for the bees, try the activity The World’s Most Important Insect
- To examine the situation of the bees in your region? Try the activity The World’s Most Important Insect
- To start a campaign, try the activity The World’s Most Important Insect.
Didactic tips
- Encourage critical discussion, not just facts. Ask open-ended questions like “What would your life be like without bees?” or “Do we have a responsibility to help?” to promote deeper thinking.
- Empower students with choice in action. Let students suggest or choose how they want to help bees (e.g., planting flowers, making posters, contacting local officials).