Students understand what melliferous plants (honey plants) are and why they are important for bees and the environment.
Students learn about the most common melliferous plants in their country and create a list of local nectar-producing plants.
Short Introduction & Discussion
Ask: Why are bees important? What do they eat? You can do this e.g. through the Round Robin or Ping-Pong Argumentation method.
Briefly introduce the concept of melliferous plants (plants that produce nectar and pollen for bees).
Video
Watch a short video. Either Flowers and Their Pollinators: A Perfect Match! from SciShow Kids (which also includes bats and butterflies), or The Importance of Honey Plants From Deep Look, including specifically bees.
(Optional: Prompt students to note one new fact or question during the video, for example through using the Active Listening method.)
Group Discussion
In small groups, students brainstorm: “Which local plants might be nectar-producing?” Here the methods of Visual Brainstorming or Silent Brainstorming can be used.
Encourage the students to think about nearby parks, gardens, fields, etc.
Teacher Presentation
Introduce common melliferous plants (e.g., linden, lavender, dandelion, clover, buckwheat, sunflower).
Show images or bring real-life examples if possible.
Student Activity
In groups or individually, students create a list or poster of melliferous plants found in their region. For this the Moodboard method can be used.
Encourage students to go out into nature and carry out simple fieldwork. They can observe, collect, and even dry some melliferous flowers to create a small herbarium or display. You can use the Honey Plants – Fieldwork Brick.
To extend the lesson into the ‘Act’ phase, consider organising a planting activity. Students can plant melliferous flower seeds in the school playground, garden, or a nearby green space.
| Engage | Investigate | Create |