Special Feature Lesson:

My Family of Busy Bees

Overview:
Students explore how their family life is similar to life in a honeybee colony.

Curriculum Focus:
language arts
art
social studies

Materials: printouts
Busy Bee #1
Busy Bee #2
Busy Bee #3
Busy Bee #4

Activity:
Print out each of the four Busy Bee printouts. Make enough copies for each child to use. Review the More About story with children. Ask them to think about how the bees work together as a family. Point out that each member of a human family helps out in special ways, just as different honeybees do.

Pass out copies of the Busy Bee printouts. Tell children to think about how their own families take care of each other and their home. Ask them to identify who in the family performs each task, and to write or draw about each aspect of their home life. Allow children time to share their drawings and stories with each other.

Extension Idea: Get children thinking about how society in general relies on cooperation from all its members. Help them to complete the following list by identifying people in careers that meet each social need. (Note: There is more than one correct answer for each need):

• grows food
• helps sick people
• fixes homes
• builds bridges
• fixes cars
• keeps people safe
• helps children learn
• spreads news