Plants and Bees in Second Grade

Second graders are deep in a study of plant life and pollinators.

Students have been conducting a study of the life cycle of Wisconsin Fast Plants along with other various plants. On Monday, second graders went to the Florida Learning Garden in Tampa to supplement their study. During their field experience, students learned more about Florida safe plants, plant life cycles, the importance of pollination, how chickens can help a garden, and much more.  

Then on Tuesday the grade was surprised with a visit by a local beekeeper, Josh Harris of Queen & Colony Bee Company. They learned about how bees help plants continue their life cycles by helping with pollination. The grade has already studied the parts of bees, how they function, and how important they are to our survival. Observing live bees up close in his observation hive helped solidify this learning. The students learned that bees help create many of our daily needs likes clothes and food and that some bees are in danger due to different factors like dangerous insecticides and climate changes such as long frosts.

Mr. Harris answered many excited questions, pointed out the color-coded queen bee in his observation hive, and explained how he and his wife help bees. After running a sideline beekeeping service for three years, they are soon to start full time urban beekeeping. "We are expanding our colonies to provide the highest quality local raw honey and hive products to all of the Tampa Bay Area. We are also expanding our live bee removal services and beekeeping education opportunities to be Tampa Bay’s source for all things bee related." If you are interested in backyard beekeeping, he's leading a workshop soon!

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