Materials
pictures of insects and spiders with all their legs visible
2 bowls
Instructions
Read a book about busy bees and their beehive to the class.
* Discuss in simple terms how bees work, going from flower to hive.
* Practice humming or buzzing like a bee.
What to Do
1. Suggest that the children can be "busy bees" too.
2. Tell the children that they will pretend that the toys and blocks are pollen that
they must take back to the hive.
3. Tell the children that they must put their "pollen" in its proper place in the
hive.
4. Discuss the proper place for each item in advance.
5. To avoid chaos, give each child a specific "pollen" (blocks, trucks, dolls, and so
on) to collect.
6. Play "The Flight of the Bumblebee" and invite the children to buzz around the
room until all their pollen is in its proper place.
7. Tell the "bees" where to go (for example, the snack table or to the coat area)
after they complete their task.
8. Release the bees in shifts (for example, the "block bees," then the "truck
bees," and so on).
Fingerplay
Busy, Buzzy Bee by Christina Chilcote
Busy, buzzy bee, (wiggle finger like a flying bee)
1, 2, 3. (show fingers while counting)
Busy, buzzy bee, (wiggle finger like a flying bee)
Stay away from me! (point to self)
Assessment
Consider the following:
* Do the children understand the vocabulary words?
* Can the children imitate a bee's sound?
* Are the children able to collect their toys and put them away?
