Our little school is joining with some friends to go visit the bees at Bee City. Here are some links to tie it into the curriculum:

Lapbooks and Unit Studies:
Joann's Bee Lapbook Early elementary, site has lots of links.
Honey mini unit
Busy, Busy bees (kindergarten)


Printables:
Write on bee shapes - bee 1 and bee 2
Honeybee anatomy worksheet to label (upper elementary)
B tracing, crafts, and worksheets (Kindergarten)
Bee maze
Learning page.com (You must register, but it is free. I've been a member for several years.)
Honeybee Fact file, Insect Anatomy labeling for lower elementary, bee maze (kindergarten), bee pairs (kindergarten)

Literature:
What does the bee do? poem by Christina Rosetti

Aesop's Fables: The Bee-Keeper, The Bee and Jupiter (Greek gods and goddesses),

Practical Life:

First aid for stings. With pictures! (older children)

The Foxfire books have a fascinating article about bee keeping in Appalachia and features locations in Georgia and South Carolina. See if your library has them.

Beekeeping basics, at Backcountry Home Magazine. Very interesting!

Scripture and Liturgy:
Make Beeswax candles (you can find beeswax at craft stores, usually.)

Why are only beeswax candles allowed on the altar?

One of my favorite Scriptures (RSV) (on humility)

The bee is small among flying creatures, but her product is the best of sweet things. - Sirach 11:3

St. Ambrose, the patron saint of beekeepers

Art Appreciation
How to Study a Work of Art at Mater Amabilis

Flight of the Bee1 or Bee2, by Sydenham Edwards

Asian-style Bee Compostion

Play the Flight of the Bumblebee for the children. Have them move to the music or "draw" the music, making a picture as they listen.

Preschool Activities:

Separate out a pile of yellow and black legos, and make bee creations. (Fine motor skills, 3 dimensional thinking)

Make designs out of hexagon pattern blocks. Make a honeycomb. (Math, fine motor)


Make a tape or chalk hexagon on the floor and walk the line. (Phys. ed and good for balance and refining movement) Johnny Cash music is optional.

Bee songs and rhymes

Use yellow and black blocks, legos, or unifix cubes and make patterns (black, yellow, yellow). Have your child copy the pattern. Patterning is an important pre-reading skill. First have your child copy the pattern, then have them predict what will come next in the pattern.

Bee File Folder game I made:

I drew beehives, and printed off these cards.

Labels: children, education, Friday Fun