Pollinators vs Pest. Controllers – 60 minutes Fieldwork

Introduce the lesson and objectives

• Explain that students will explore the local environment to find pollinators and pest controllers.
• Clarify that the goal is to understand how these species help gardens thrive.
• Introduce the activities Team Pollinator and Team Pest Controllers, explaining that these are hands-on ways to observe and learn about these organisms.

Pre-activity preparation

• Review common local pollinators (bees, butterflies, hoverflies) and pest controllers (ladybugs, spiders, frogs, birds).
• Discuss their roles in gardens: pollinators help fruits and vegetables grow; pest controllers manage harmful insects.
• Provide simple ID guides, pictures, or laminated cards for students.
• Explain safety and ethical observation: no harming insects or plants, maintain distance, wash hands after handling.

Organize observation groups

• Divide students into small teams for the activities.
• Assign each team a method:
  • Team Pollinator: Observing pollinators visiting flowers or tea-bait stations (sugar-water-soaked cotton in a safe dish, under teacher supervision).

Team Pest Controllers: Observing or attracting natural predators using small traps or “mini-habitats” (like a tray with soil and leaves to attract insects). 

Field investigation

• Take students to the school garden or nearby green space.
• Each team records:
  • The type of pollinator or pest controller seen
  • What plants or areas they visit
  • Quantity and behavior (e.g., flying, feeding, hunting)
• Encourage sketches or photos in observation notebooks.

 Data compilation and analysis

• Back in the classroom, have teams combine their observations into one table or chart.
• Discuss patterns: Which pollinators are most common? Which pest controllers are easiest to attract?
• Connect findings to gardening: How can these species support their own garden’s health and productivity?