Ever wonder who’s behind all those blooming flowers and juicy fruits? It’s time to shine the spotlight on nature’s tiny but mighty superheroes—pollinators! These buzzing, fluttering (and even leaping) creatures play a huge role in helping plants grow and reproduce. Today, I’m diving into my Family Unit Study: Pollinators—a super fun, hands-on resource which is just one of the five units that make up the incredible Nature’s Child Bundle, a full and complete connection to the natural world. 

Let’s explore the magic of pollination together!

What is a Family Unit Study?

This unit study, like all of our ever-growing library of unit studies, takes one big topic (pollinators) and breaks it down into 10 manageable, bite-sized learning opportunities. This format allows you to dig deep into the topic of pollination!

Perhaps you do one area per day, perhaps one per week. Whatever works for your family! You can learn and explore from start to finish in about 1-2 hours per bite-sized learning topic.

Each of the ten topics includes everything you need—from a curated YouTube video to a “what’s happening” section, an interesting fact, a discussion question, and an ultimate-can’t-be-beat hands-on activity.

Powerful Pollinators Unit Study!

Let’s take a more detailed look at what you can expect with The Pollinators Family Unit Study! Below are the 10 topics and the 10 hands-on activities you will enjoy:

1. What are Pollinators?

Pollination is the process by which pollen is transferred from one flower to another. It is an essential process that enables flowers to become fertilized and reproduce by creating seeds. Pollinators are animals that transport pollen from flower to flower and aid in the pollination process.

Hands-On Activity: Learn about pollination and how important pollinators are. Explore a variety of different pollinators and how they transfer pollen, then play a fun game of Pollinator Animal Match with the included cards and see how many different pollinators you can name!

2. Why is Pollination Important?

Plants and pollinators are dependent upon each other for survival. Up to 90% of flowering plants depend on pollinators to reproduce. Without pollinators, we would quickly see a shortage in fresh fruits and vegetables causing our food choices to be limited.

Hands-On Activity: Discover how pollination is crucial for flowering plants (including fruits and vegetables) to reproduce. Explore how pollination is connected to the food we eat by creating your own pollinator plate! 

3. Flower Anatomy

Flowers have both male and female parts. When fertilized through the process of pollination, they produce seeds. While known primarily for their beautifully colored blossoms, the function of flowers is actually to facilitate reproduction. What are all the different parts of a flower?

Hands-On Activity: You’ll learn all about the different parts of a flower with this activity as you dissect and label a flower. Can you find the anther and filament? What about the stigma and style?

4. Honey Bees

Honey bees are social bees that live in a hive with one queen. They are good pollinators of crops such as apples, melons, pumpkins, squash, and broccoli. As a by-product of pollination, honey bees are famous for the honey they make.

Hands-On Activity: With this activity, you’ll learn all about honey bees, their life cycle, anatomy, and hives, then you’ll create a beautiful piece of honey bee mixed media artwork using hexagons!

5. Solitary Bees

Not all bees make honey and live in a hive with a queen. Solitary bees are efficient pollinators and include leafcutter bees, digger bees, carpenter bees, miner bees, and mason bees. How are honey bees and solitary bees similar and different?

Hands-On Activity: With this activity, you’ll learn all about solitary bees then build your very own bee house!

6. Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are tiny birds with long, slender beaks. They fly from flower to flower and use their long, needle-like beaks to drink nectar from deep within the flower. How do hummingbirds aid in pollination?

Hands-On Activity: Use your artistic skills in the dramatic and visual arts to create pollinator puppets using the included printable and have fun playing pollinator!

7. Butterflies

Butterflies are an insect known for their beautifully colored wings. They feed on the nectar in flowers using a long, tube-like tongue called a proboscis. How do butterflies help pollinate?

Hands-On Activity: Learn all about a butterfly’s anatomy (and beautiful symmetry!) then enjoy a design and build challenge where you build your own butterfly.

8. Black and White Ruffed Lemur

The black and white ruffed lemur is not your typical flying pollinator. This mammal lives only in Madagascar, a country in Southern Africa. The black and white ruffed lemur is the world’s largest pollinator and main pollinator of the travellers palm tree. How does a large mammal support pollination?

Hands-On Activity: Brush up on your world geography as you explore the globe and mark down pollinators around the world on a map!

7. Fruit Bats

Bats are the only mammals capable of true flight. How exactly do these nocturnal mammals assist in the pollination of crops such as bananas, pineapple, cashews and mangoes?

Hands-On Activity: Fruits like pineapple, mango, and bananas are pollinated by fruit bats. Put your kitchen skills to the test as you create a Bat Pollinator Fruit Salad made entirely from fruits pollinated by bats!

10. Planting for Pollinators

Pollinators are essential to our ecosystem and food supply. By planting a pollinator garden, you can support local pollinators by providing them with plants for them to use as both a food source and habitat. What kinds of flowers are best for pollinators?

Hands-On Activity: Research pollinators and native plants, then design and plant your own pollinator garden. Use your senses to observe the pollinators that visit your garden and record your findings!

This unit study is so full of learning and a fabulous way to dive into all sorts of academic skills. Geography, Science, Math, Writing, Reading, Culinary Skills, Gardening … there is no shortage of amazingness in this one!

You can explore this unit study, Pollinators, on its own or as part of the Nature’s Child Family Unit Study Bundle. Let Mother Nature be your guide as you and your children embark on five beautifully crafted unit studies, each with a rich focus on nature, creativity, and hands-on learning. Whether you’re looking to deepen your connection to the natural world or simply keep little minds curious and engaged this summer, this bundle has everything you need. To learn more and browse samples, visit the How Wee Learn Shop. 

Get the Complete Pollinators Family Unit Study Right Here: 

https://shop.howweelearn.com/collections/family-unit-studies/products/family-unit-study-pollinators

Thank you so much for reading, 

xo
Sarah