This collection highlights teaching activities, hands-on lessons, and online simulations we found on the web that can help students learn about pollinators. They are created by science educators and partner education organizations. Just as all our original content is free, we only recommend external resources that are free for teachers. If you find any issues with these resources, please let us know by emailing: editor @ sciencejournalforkids.org
1. Bee Hotel Activity
This activity is offered by PBS Kids for Parents as part of the series Nature Cat. In this activity, students use household supplies to build a shelter for mason bees.
- Activity: web page
- Topic: bees, bee habitat
- Level: elementary school, middle school
2. Bee and Pollinator Activities
This collection is offered by Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. This PDF offers brief activity ideas about bees and pollinators for early learners (preK-Grade 2), upper elementary school students (Grades 3-5), and middle and high school students (Grades 6-12) plus additional recommendations on gardening for pollinators. Each recommendation links to a video, activity, or information resource.
- Collection: PDF
- Topic: bees, pollination, horticulture
- Level: elementary school, middle school, high school
3. Pollination Activity
This activity is offered by the New Jersey Agricultural Society as part of its Learning Through Gardening series. In this activity, students will make finger puppets and then use Cheetos to mimic the spread of pollen by pollinators.
- Activity: PDF
- Topic: pollination
- Level: elementary school
4. Pollinator Observation Activity
This activity is offered by The Bee Conservancy, an environmental and food justice organization launched in 2009. In this citizen science project, students will take photos of pollinators and use iNaturalist to identify them, and then send their findings to scientists.
- Activity: web page
- Topic: bees, pollination, conservation
- Level: elementary school, middle school, high school
5. Flower Adaptations Activity
This activity is offered by the California Academy of Sciences. In this activity, students will activity explore how flowers have adaptations to attract pollinators.
- Activity: web page
- Topic: flowers, pollination, adaptation
- Level: elementary school, middle school
That’s Not All!
Check out our full collections of adapted research articles on Pollination. Each article comes with tailored teaching resources, lessons, labs, and other activities for your students.
Title image by Erik Karits
Last updated: March 2025. If you come across any issues with this collection, please let us know by emailing editor @ sciencejournalforkids.org.
