Our World: Honeybees
Join NASA scientists and beekeepers in a citizen science project to collect important data about climate change. Learn how honeybees pollinate over 130 crops in the United States each year and what NASA is doing to help study the decline in bee populations.
Discussion and writing prompts
1. Honeybees are small organisms, but they play a vital role in ecosystems and agriculture. Why are honeybees considered essential to both natural environments and human food production?
2. The health of honeybee populations can provide scientists with important information about the health of the environment. Why are honeybees considered indicators of ecosystem health?
3. Scientists, farmers, and community members all play a role in protecting pollinators. How can scientific research help people make decisions that support healthy honeybee populations and sustainable ecosystems?
4. Develop a plan to make your school or neighborhood more pollinator-friendly. Describe three actions you would take, explain how each action benefits honeybees and other pollinators, and discuss how these changes could positively affect the local environment.
Background Information
Grades 3 through 12
- NASA eClips Our World: Systems to Grow Plants in Space (video)
- NASA eClips Ask SME: Life Sciences Project Scientist Dr. Gioia Massa (video)
- NASA eClips Ask SME: Technical & Horticultural Scientist Jacob Torres (video)
- NASA Earth Day Poster: Bee Connected (pdf)
- NASA GSFC Bee Facts (webpage)
Grades 5 through 12
- NASA Pollinator Initiatives (webpage)
Grades 6 through 12
- NASA Honey Bees and Climate Change (webpage)
- NASA Earth Observatory Buzzing about Climate Change (webpage)
- NASA GSFC Honeybee Net (webpage)
- NASA EarthData: Clues in the Nectar (pdf)
- National Park Service About Pollinators (webpage)
Activities
Grades K through 2
- National Park Service Pollination Exploration (webpage)
- National Park Service Pollination Adaptations: Connecting Habitat and Anatomy (webpage)
Grades K through 5
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Pollinator Activity Book (pdf)
- The Bee Conservancy Free Kids' and Classroom Resources (webpage)
Grades K through 8
- Project Learning Engage Students With Pollinator Activities for World Bee Day (webpage)
- Kids Gardening Pollinator Activity Guide (pdf)
Grades K through 12
- Maryland Department of Natural Resources Bee and Pollinator Activities (pdf)
Grades 3 through 12
- American Beekeeping Federation Kids and Bees (webpage)