We've Been Busy Bees

literally.

We study plants at the beginning of each year and this pollination activity is my favorite for a few reasons.
a)it really helps the kids understand and remember what pollination is all about
b)it's a way to get in some fun artsy craftsy time and we call it "science"
c)they're so darn cute buzzing around to each flower

So here's what we do:
1. Each child decorates a flower (pomping style with tissue paper, does anyone still use the word "pomping" or even know what I mean?).
2. Then they each make a bumble bee, glue it on a popsicle stick, and glue a cotton ball on the underside of the bee so there will be something for the "pollen" to stick to.
3. Glue a cupcake liner to the middle of the flower and put a spoonful of "pollen" (yellow cake mix, lemon is good too) in the cup.
4. Have the kids dip their bees in the pollen and then fly around and pollinate all the other flowers in the room.

I don't know where this idea or the blacklines came from. Someone on my grade level shared them years ago. But I thought I'd share since I think this is so much fun. And I always read this book first since it has great info on pollination (and Gail Gibbons books just rock).