Needs- This will address several specific needs to dispel current
misconceptions and replace them with more robust scientific
explanations tied to real-world application.
• Need 1) Understand the importance of pollinators to
humans
• The honey bee is a misunderstood animal. Honey bees
play a role among a bigger categorization of animals of
pollinators. Pollinators are responsible for bringing us
one out of every three bites of food that we eat and
pollinating 90% of the world’s plants. Bees, moths, and
other pollinators are responsible for producing 80% of
all the fruit we eat daily (LaBare, K. et al.) and of that,
“80% of insect crop pollination is accomplished by
honey bees,” (The National Honey Board 2001 as cited
by Campbell, A.).
Lawrence DuBose
Evolution and Ecology- ENTER SYMBIOSIS
• Objective
• The objective of this unit is to integrate the concept of
symbiosis into the ecology curriculum with a field trip.
By studying symbiotic relationships in general, and a
specific mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship
between honey bees and human in particular, students
will complete this section being able to describe in
detail the process of and some historical origins of
symbiosis, as well as the benefit to each . They will
identify the direct benefits of honey bees to them and
their daily diets as well as to the ecosystem in general.
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Need 2) Understand the history of honey bees in our lives
"The human-honey bee partnership as a classic example of coevolution. The bees
have benefited at least as much as we have." (Jacobsen 33-34)
"It took bees millions of years to hammer out the details of the pollination-fornectar deal with flowers, but just a few thousand to get humans to break our backs
building hives and hauling them around in exchange for a little sugar. / Sure, you
can say that we were conscious of the relationship in a way that the bees weren't,
but EVOLUTION doesn't care about consciousness or intention, only results, and
the results are unequivocal: Honey bees have conquered the world with the help
of their human general contractors" (Jacobsen 34).
How did honey bees separate from other similar insects? "About two million years
ago, in Africa, a branch of honey bees decided to give up veranda living. Apis
Mellifera moved indoor, usually to a dry tree hollow or rock crevice, and
weatheredproofed the place... Instead of hibernation... migration... generational
death... they brought the tropics with them, staying metabolically active through
the winter and leaning heavily on honey stores" (Jacobsen 29).
Why does the current popular honeybee dominate beekeeping? "One race of bee
made things especially attractive... [They] were particularly gentle and industrious.
The made tons of hone, rarely stung, and were prolific breeders. [A Swiss army
captain] acquired a colony and began spreading the word" (Jacobsen 32-33). It
spread to Europe, the Americas, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan and continues
to dominate the industry(Jacobsen 33).
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Need 3) Understand the concept of pollination
Students at younger ages have deeply embedded misconceptions about pollination. These come
from a lack of instruction in the primary grades supplemented with misconceptions or gaps in
content in children’s text books and science books.
Here’s one assessment of the current situation:
Research suggests that students struggle with concepts related to plant reproduction, such as not
understanding that flowers are the source of fruit and that pollination is related to sexual
reproduction. As part of an analysis of the effectiveness of a long-term unit of study on fourthgrade students’ (about 9 years old) understanding of the flowering plant lifecycle, Schussler and
Winslow (2007) analysed 81 student drawings of a plant lifecycle before the unit of study. Earlier in
the school year, these same students had been taught about the flowering plant lifecycle using the
school district’s textbook and associated curriculum materials. Despite this prior instruction, only
84% of students drew a flower being produced by the plant, 64% drew a
seed being produced from that flower, and only three of the 81 students (4%) drew a fruit being
produced from the flower.
Schussler also identifies other misconceptions that text books have led children to develop:
“Hershey (2004) refers to the common confusion between pollination and fertilization, as well as a
tendency to think pollination is solely dependent on animals.” For example, students don’t
understand wind pollination or self-pollination.
“Since research indicates that students take the information in children’s book as the authority
(Rice, 2002).” Since it’s in a book, children assume all the information contained in it is factual.
“these inaccuracies have the potential to support or create misconceptions about the topic being
presented (Mayer, 1995). For instance, a book that does not make clear that flowers are the site of
fruit development, and that also has an inaccuracy about the flowers falling off after pollination,
may embed improper knowledge about plant reproduction in its readers” (1691).
• Need 4) Understand the present risks to our symbiotic friends
• It is estimated that between 2006-2007, 23% of beekeeping
operations suffered from a mysterious loss of bees termed Colony
Collapse Disorder (CCD) in which beekeepers have lost on average
45% of their colonies (Cox-Foster). The bees go out to gather
nectar and do not return, with only a few remaining in a hive which
eventually die off. The circumstances behind CCD are poorly
understood, but there is strong evidence that pesticides play some
role in causing the bees to become disoriented and losing their way
back to the hive. “CCD provides a real-world example of the
importance of learning about honeybees and their connection to
our food supply.” Bee hives in the United States have decreased
from 6.0 million in the mid-1940’s to 2.1 million today (DuBose).
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Need 5) Carry out a trip with safety
In order for students to carry out a successful field trip investigation of pollinators
in their natural settings, their safety must be considered the top priority. Rupp
surveys the different reactions to stings, their symptoms, and the appropriate
medical interventions needed. He provides educators, specifically those
conducting biology field trips, with preventive measures as well as in field
responses to students. Those with severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) are
required to carry an epi-pen as a sting could kill them within fifteen minutes.
However, the possibility of fatality from bee stings is extremely low, with only 4050 people in the U.S. dying a year from it. However, the single best prevention
strategy is not to be stung at all. By educating students about bee attractants and
deterrents, they are more likely to conduct a successful excursion in which
students avoid being stung. Brightly colored clothing, especially blues, greens and
yellows as well as flashy jewelry are attractants for honey bees. Fragrant perfumes
also attract bees while swatting angers them. For educators, aspirin or
antihistamine tablets serve as effective measures to reduce swelling if a sting does
occur. In the event a sting occurs, scraping the stinger, washing with antiseptic,
applying ice, and applying baking soda all minimize reaction. For the worst case
scenario, anaphylaxis shock, educators need to scrape out the stinger, apply ice to
the spot, notify medical personnel, and use an epinephrine syringe. Having a little
bit of training, a first aid kit, and brief classes in preventive measures can make a
big difference in student safety around bees on field trips.
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Materials and Methods
Textbook
Internet
Poster
Journal
Bus (for transportation)
First aid kit with ice-pack and epi-pen(s)
Time
This ecological lesson will take about one and a half to
two weeks.
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Procedure
These assessments and activities will be conducted with high school freshmen.
To better understand symbiosis, students will view the video, Ancient Farmers of the Amazon:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/library/01/3/quicktime/l_013_01.html
They will identify three benefits the fungi render to the ants and three benefits the ants render to the fungus.
Read and then explain current misconceptions in current children’s books on pollination,
watch a video and take notes on the life cycles of honey bees,
sit through a safety exercise on how to avoid being stung by honey bees by wearing appropriate length clothing (longsleeves, long pants), avoiding certain colors clothing (bright yellow, blue, and green), avoiding strong perfumes, and taking a
quiz of how to be safe around honey bees, also consider interventions if they do get stung (Rupp),
See models to illustrate the role of pollination in nature, and,
Journal what they know about honey bees and listen to a speaker on colony collapse disorder (CCD) and its effect on the
honey bee populations.
During the field trip, students will be broken up into five groups of five, each with a parental chaperone. To prevent from
overwhelming the resources at the nature center, classes will stagger their visits either morning or afternoon on one of the
following days of Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday the second week of the unit. Students will spend equal amounts of time
at the following stations doing the following:
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observe a glass observation hive and draw each stage of development of the bees and then write down one thing they want to
know about bees,
put on bee veils and observe an actual hive (this is where students with allergies or abstention or non-passing grades on the
safety quiz observe butterflies with instructor),
take a snack break,
listen to a talk about the big picture of pollination and honey bees from a local beekeeper.
Following the field trip, the students will return to class and complete, by the end of the week, a poster presentation project
with a partner in which they use pictures to connect the ideas of: fruit, flower, seed, larva, pupae, adult, pollen, pollination,
human food, symbiosis, coevolution, and bee food.
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To better understand this unit as a whole, students should be able to:
Identify types of pollinators
Identify how much of the average person’s diet depends on pollinators
Study life cycle model organism (honey bee) to determine purpose for their pollination
Accurately trace the life cycle of a plant from seed through the flowering and fruit stage. Identify
especially the process that allows a flower to change from a flower to a fruit.
The activity will have several assessment phases:
Diagnositc pretest administered at the beginning of the unit- determine student understandings of
the following:
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Definitions:
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PollinationPollinatorPollenCo-evolutionSymbiosisParasitism-
Concepts:
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Where does fruit come from?
What helpful role do insects, such as honey bees, play in the environment
What is food for insects, such as butterflies and bees?
How can the following be connected:
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Seed
Pollinating Insects
Fruits
Humans
Flowers
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What are things you may do that would harm pollinators?
What can you do to avoid these things?
What are things you can do that can benefit pollinators?
On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being not important and 10 being very important, how important is it for us to help pollinators?
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Formative assessments administered as written quiz to track student understanding after classroom prep time and
as requirement to participate on field trip:
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What is the life cycle of bees?
To keep from getting stung- What clothing should be avoided around bees?
To keep from getting stung- What actions should be avoided around bees?
What should you do if you do get stung by bee?
What do bees carry from flower to flower?
What do bees feed off of?
Formative assessment in the field where student:
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Why
Draws bee life cycles after talking with beekeeper
Draws what bees carry when going from flower to flower
Summative assessment measured in two parts
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Class poster presentation diagramming bee life cycle and relationship between bees and flowers and humans using the following
words:
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Fruit
Flower
Seed
Larva
Pupae
Adult
Pollen
Pollination
Human food
Bee food
Individual exam that asks the same questions as pre-unit exam to measure student learning and understanding of concepts
following project.
References
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Campbell, A. (Feb 2009) Honeybees, butterflies and ladybugs: partners to plants, help students
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recognize the mutually beneficial relationships honeybees, butterflies, and ladybugs share with plants. Science
and Children. 46,6, 29-33.
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Diana L. Cox-Foster, et al. (Oct 2007). A Metagenomic Survey of Microbes in Honey Bee Colony
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Collapse Disorder. Science. 318, 12, 283-287.
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DuBose, L.A. The Plight of the Honey Bee. Meeting of the Illinois State Beekeeper’s Association. (Nov 7, 2009).
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Jacobsen, R. 2008. Fruitless Fall. Bloomsbury, USA, New York, NY.
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LaBare, K.; Broyles, S.; Klotz, L. (Apr. 2000). Exploring nectar biology to learn about pollinators. The
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American Biology Teacher, 62,4,292-296.
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Rupp, R. (1991) Bee stings and their consequences. The American Biology Teacher. 53, 5, 275-280.
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Schussler, Elisabeth E.(2008)'From Flowers to Fruits: How children's books represent plant reproduction',
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International Journal of Science Education,30:12,1677 — 1696