Live Exploration: Georgia Pollinators

The Great Southeast Pollinator Census is a citizen science project created by the University of Georgia. This project is designed for everyone to participate and make a difference for pollinator conservation!

Join Chris and Martin as they explore the process of pollination and learn the important partnership between plants and animals. Watch the accompanying clips to see how Chris and Martin uncover the amazing delivery system of plants and their animal partners.

Students explore how butterflies change and grow throughout their life cycle in this interactive lesson from NATURE. Through captivating video content and interactive activities, students will discover the amazing transformation process from a tiny caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly.

In this lesson plan from The Bee Cause, students will conduct a site assessment at their school or community space and will create a "Bee Friendly" Action Plan that addresses areas for improvement to attract and support pollinators.

Oh no! A long-awaited play date with Daisy’s butterfly friends is at risk because there are no flowers around for the butterflies to feed on. When all seems lost, Nature Cat steps up to save the day. He and his pals decide to build a new butterfly garden before the butterflies have to fly off.

Visit the Jimmy Carter National Historical Park in Plains, Georgia, to learn about the life of President Jimmy Carter and his family. Students will learn about First Lady Rosalyn Carter's love of butterflies and the importance of these pollinators. 

Since all bees need to gather pollen to survive, they all have some body parts in common. Using these parts, bees sense different flowers to get the pollen they need. A bee has many structures that help it survive. One of these is hair, the bee gathers pollen from its hair to make bee bread. The diagrams take a look at a bee’s external structures to see what we can figure out about bee hair and the relationship to other bee parts. See how the bee’s external and internal parts work together as a system to help a bee survive.

Ever wonder how food gets from the farm to the table? The Bee Cause Project has partnered with SC Ag in the Classroom to create this unique roadmap from the farm to a local food hub and finally to the table of a local restaurant. 

Learn how animals spread pollen from one plant to another with this video from Cyberchase. This resource includes discussion questions, vocabulary, and a hands-on activity that models how pollinators spread pollen from flower to flower.
 

The Honey Harvest Field Trip follows along with beekeepers Gabby and Wayne Staats as they harvest honey from their own honey bee hives. 

Have students explore this curated list of books to learn more about pollinators and their importance. 

In this episode of Things Explained, we look at the importance of pollinators like bees and the important role they play in our daily lives. We also explain the decline in bee population and why this is so alarming.

This video segment adapted from NOVA explains how flowers play a central role in the reproductive cycle of plants. Their striking array of colors, patterns, fragrances, and nectar all require lots of energy to produce. But it is these features that attract insects and other animals, which, in turn, carry genetic material from flower to flower. The video and illustration describe various parts of the reproductive system, including the stamens and pistil, which generate seeds and ensure the survival of an enormous variety of plant species.

Dr. Thomas Rosburg, professor of ecology and biology at Drake University, describes the unique pollination and seed dispersal method of the Swamp Milkweed.

Pollinators are often overlooked, but in reality are overwhelmingly crucial animals in maintaining ecosystem health and productivity. By enabling plant reproduction, bees and other insects hold the key to keeping wild systems functioning. Learn how scientists and everyday people can help pollinators by changing farming practices and by planting pollinator gardens. 

Our native honeybee population is in danger. In this video segment, adapted from QUEST, you'll learn about the work of pollination and our dire need to ensure that we have a strong population of honeybees.

The Great Southeast Pollinator Census is a citizen science project created by the University of Georgia. This project is designed for everyone to participate and make a difference for pollinator conservation!

The Great Southeast Pollinator Census is a citizen science project created by the University of Georgia. This project is designed for everyone to participate and make a difference for pollinator conservation! 

Pollinators like bees, birds, and bats contribute to the biodiversity and resilience of ecosystems and benefit people. What can we do to protect them?

Honeybees' role in the pollination process makes them vital to the food supply. Agriculture depends on increasing the number of honeybees on farms. Research scientists study ways of saving the valuable honeybee population, which is on the decline in some areas due to parasites, Varroa mites, and pesticides.

Host Sharon Collins learns about the amazing world of bees, their importance to our economy, and factors contributing do their decline.

Honey bees make honey from nectar to fuel their flight – and our sweet tooth. But they also need pollen for protein. So they trap, brush and pack it into baskets on their legs to make a special food called bee bread.

Scientists first identified colony collapse disorder in the 2000s. The phenomenon caught the public’s attention. So did a fact few realized: honeybees play an integral role in the national food supply. One result of awareness about colony collapse disorder is a new concern and respect for the honeybee. But the mystery of what’s happening to the bees has only deepened over time. This lesson plan moves beyond concern for the agricultural importance of honeybees to explore the role that pollinators play in ecosystems. Students will learn how pollinators support the sexual reproduction of plants and healthy ecosystems.