Term

Fall 2017

Capstone

Capstone Project

Degree Name

MAED: NSEE

Facilitator(s)

Laura Halldin

Content Expert

Suzanne Trapp

Abstract

The research question addressed in this project was: how can I develop a pollinator activity guide for preK-6 formal and non-formal educators? I created and adapted various pollinator lessons and activities that are hands-on, place-based and engaging for early education and elementary students. They include imaginative play, interactive investigations and outdoor discoveries. These activities were designed to raise awareness and increase understanding of the importance, diversity and human connection to pollinators, including bees, wasps, flies, moths, butterflies, beetles and bats. As well, there is a focus on the diversity of native bumblebees and solitary bees in Minnesota. David Sobel and Rachel Carson provided the philosophical framework for the activities, as they focused on personal place-based experiences and student-led discoveries. The pollinator activity guide is a digital PDF and includes 11 activities, lesson materials and educator’s guides to two citizen science projects that allow students to contribute meaningful data and observations, iNaturalist (Minnesota Bee Atlas) and the Bumble Bee Watch. These activities were written to be used by preK-6 educators in urban, suburban and rural settings and are appropriate for the classroom, outreach and nature centers.

Project Type

Curriculum

Keywords

Curriculum, Early Childhood, Environmental Studies, Environmental Education

dc_type

text

dc_publisher

DigitalCommons@Hamline

dc_format

application/pdf

dc_source

School of Education Student Capstone Theses and Dissertations

Included in

Education Commons

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