Post-Visit Activity

"Bella the Butterfly"

Grade Level: Middle School age

Time needed: 1 day to 1 week

Supplies needed: access to internet, plant and insect identification, books on pollinators, The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan, Sex in the Garden by Angela Overy

Have students work in small groups (or work as a class depending on class and how in depth you want to get). Each group or class will do some limited research on a different issue brought up from the activity.

Honey bee and gene altered corn-Does it still work?

Migration path of pollinators and its effect on pollination

Relationship between pollinators and pesticides

Using what one person ate in a 24 hour period-show which foods needed pollination

Match plants in our school prairie with specific pollinators

Match specific pollinating organisms with common plants that humans use

Using the apple and Johnny Appleseed story in the book The Botany of Desire- Is it man or the plant controlling the future of the apple?

After researching or studying issue, group will share their findings with the rest of the class. The sharing can be orally and/or pictorially.

Assessment Rubric:

Minimum Achievement= Group gives 1 - 2 thoughts/examples on topic

Moderate Achievement= Group gives 3 - 5 thoughts/examples on topic and displays good thinking

Excellent Achievement= Group gives 5+ thoughts/examples on topic and/or shows real cognition in response