Shelburne Farms, Vermont
While searching online for unique and potentially great S.T.E.M. lesson plans for teachers and parents, I stumbled across this gem—Shelburne Farms—a 1400-acre working farm, and National Historic Landmark on the shores of Lake Champlain in Shelburne, Vermont.
It isn't hard for me to imagine my young character, Ashley Alexander, falling in love with a place like Shelburne Farms—the same way she loves her own home in Meadowfield.
Wow! Check out the video below!
It isn't hard for me to imagine my young character, Ashley Alexander, falling in love with a place like Shelburne Farms—the same way she loves her own home in Meadowfield.
Wow! Check out the video below!
From their website, the mission of Shelburne Farms is as follows:
to cultivate a conservation ethic for a sustainable future by
- educating young people to become ecologically literate and caring citizens who make choices that create a healthy and just world and
- practicing the stewardship of natural, agricultural, and cultural resources.
A noble cause in my opinion. This place just rocketed up to the top tier of my bucket list of places to visit.
Here is a link to their website:
Pollination Parade: A Project-Based Lesson to Teach the Importance of Pollination
With so much of the trilogy centering around Worker 1200 and her hive in the forest, it is fitting to provide a project-based lesson that teaches the concepts of pollination. It also fits in nicely with Green Strides and the National Strategy to Promote the Health of Honeybees and Other Pollinators.
Holly, the Communications Director at Shelburne Farms, has given me permission to offer this project-based lesson from Project Seasons, a collection of hands-on education activities for discovering the wonders of the world, by Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, VT.
You can access the book with the button below.
Holly, the Communications Director at Shelburne Farms, has given me permission to offer this project-based lesson from Project Seasons, a collection of hands-on education activities for discovering the wonders of the world, by Shelburne Farms, Shelburne, VT.
You can access the book with the button below.
Click on the button below for the actual pages (.pdf file) from Project Seasons that describes the project-based lesson called:
Pollination Parade.
Pollination Parade.
Depending on the teacher's time schedule, this project could be a three or four day lesson:
- Day one: Explain the process of pollination. Show the class several different flowers, each with their own unique design to attract pollinators.
- Day two: Using a wide variety of suitable construction materials, students work in groups to build an anatomically correct model flower based upon the Flower Description card they receive. Models are placed with their Flower Description card in a central location in the classroom.
- Day three: Each group of students receives a Pollinator Card and a pollinator sign to identify them. Having studied the pollinator's description on the card and the choices of flower models, each group decides which flower their pollinator is most like to visit. One member of the group "flies, buzzes or crawls" to the flower that is best adapted to them for pollination.
- Day four: Using pictures, PowerPoint, video, or actual flowers, show students examples of flowers that are pollinated by the various pollinators and compare them to the flowers they made. Stress the importance, once again, of protecting our pollinators. Note: This would also be a great time to plan a school butterfly/pollinator garden for your campus.
This activity is aligned with the following Florida State Standards:
*SC.K2.CS-CS.1.3 Describe how models represent a real-life system (e.g., globe or map).
*SC.K2.CS-CS.1.4 Solve questions individually and collaboratively using models.
*SC.3.N.1.2 Compare the observations made by different groups using the same tools and seek reasons to explain the differences across groups.
*SC.3.N.3.2 Recognize that scientists use models to help understand and explain how things work.
*SC.4.L.16.1 Identify processes of sexual reproduction in flowering plants, including pollination, fertilization (seed production), seed dispersal, and germination.
*SC.35.CS-CS.1.4 Create a simple model of a system (e.g., flower or solar system) and explain what the model shows and does not show.
*SC.K2.CS-CS.1.4 Solve questions individually and collaboratively using models.
*SC.3.N.1.2 Compare the observations made by different groups using the same tools and seek reasons to explain the differences across groups.
*SC.3.N.3.2 Recognize that scientists use models to help understand and explain how things work.
*SC.4.L.16.1 Identify processes of sexual reproduction in flowering plants, including pollination, fertilization (seed production), seed dispersal, and germination.
*SC.35.CS-CS.1.4 Create a simple model of a system (e.g., flower or solar system) and explain what the model shows and does not show.
I have adapted the lesson to provide the teacher/parent with reproducible flower and the pollinator activity cards. You can access these by using the buttons below.
I thought it would be nice if each pollinator wore a sign so the other children in the class could identify them. I have made a Word file with signs for each type of pollinator. Click on the button below to access these. You may reproduce as many of these as you wish.
Good luck and enjoy! And a special shout out to all the good people at Shelburne Farms. You rock!