R. Heironimus, M. Leonard, & J.

Daly
Pollination Party! - Activity Sheet

Materials: Sandwich baggie with colored corn starch, cotton balls, Q-tips
Safety: Students will be going outside on school property. Students were informed
ahead of time and encouraged to wear appropriate clothing and wear sunscreen.
Procedure:
1. Each of you will be assigned a pollinator (Bees or Birds). What type of plants do
birds and bees pollinate?

2. There are 10 plates with pictures on them of either trees or flowers. (Birds = trees;
Bees = flowers.)
3. Dip your pollinating tool (Q-tips = birds; Cotton ball = bees) into your power.
4. You will have 15 seconds to pollinate as many flowers/trees as you can.
5. Was it difficult to pollinate the flowers with the Q-tips and cotton balls?

6. Did you run out of pollen quickly?

7. Why were all of the flowers pollinated in a fairly short amount of time?

8. Now, anyone who pollinated a flower/tree with an X on the back was infected by a
pesticide and is now dead. What are pesticides?
9. How many bees are left? How many birds? Plot this.
10.How long did it take to pollinate all the flowers? Plot this.
11.Students who pollinated infected plants will stay out of the next round. And students
who are did not will repeat Procedure 3 & 4 two more times. Plot these points.

R. Heironimus, M. Leonard, & J. Daly

Observations:

R. Heironimus, M. Leonard, & J. Daly

Analysis A:
Explore these two web pages and answer these questions.
http://abcbirds.org/program/pesticides/
http://www.environmentvirginia.org/programs/vae/no-bees-no-food

1. What the name of the pesticide harming the birds and bees?

2. What exactly is this pesticide?

3. Are there other animals that it harms?

4. What are the effects on humans?

5. What are other alternatives to pesticides?

Analysis B:

R. Heironimus, M. Leonard, & J. Daly

http://www2.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/about-pesticide-registration
1. How many laws protect the environment?

2. List the laws and their purpose. (What are the themes?)

3. What criteria must a pesticide meet in order to be used?

4. What criteria do you think is important for a pesticide to meet before it is used?