Big Idea: All of us have a duty to our

environment.
Lesson Title: Clay bee bath
Grade: 5th grade
Time allotment: Three 50 minute class
periods

Overview
Lesson Summary: Students will be
educated on the importance of honey
bees. After learning about honey bees
and why we need them the students will work with clay to create a bee bath that will
benefit honey bees.

Key Concepts/Essential Questions:

Honey bees are essential to our lives.
-In what ways do humans depend on honey bees?
Through art, humans can make an impact.
-What forms of art could impact the environment?
Humans have a relationship with nature.
-In what ways can humans help honey bees?

Standards:
VA:Cr2.2.5a: Demonstrate quality craftsmanship through care for and use of materials,
tools, and equipment.
9.1.5.B. Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements
and principles to produce, review and revise original works in the arts. Visual Arts:
paint draw craft sculpt print design for environment, communication, multi-media

Objectives:
Knowledge:
The students will identify the body parts and purpose of honey bees by participating in
Brain Pop quiz on honey bees.
Skills:
The students will properly create a clay platter for their bee bath.
The students will employ proper clay techniques through their construction of additional
items for their bee bath.

Disposition:
 The students will realize their impact on the environment and what they can do to help
through a class discussion.

Assessment:
___ The student participated in the Brain Pop quiz.
___ The student created a clay platter for their bee bath.
___ The student demonstrated proper clay techniques.
___ The student participated in class discussion on environment impact.
4/4 checks = O (Outstanding)
3/4 checks = S (Satisfactory)
2/4 checks = S- (Short of satisfactory)
1/4 checks = N (Needs improvement)

Instructional Procedures:

Day 1- Introduce students to honey bees and their importance. Students will create clay
platter.

Hook: Upon entering the classroom the students will find their proper seats and
attendance will be taken. The teacher will be dressed in honey bee themed clothing to
grab the students attention. The teacher will ask the class if they have any guesses of
what they will be learning about based on the teachers outfit. The teacher will take
guesses until the correct answer is revealed. The teacher will overview the days
schedule and then ask the students what they know about honey bees.The teacher will
call on students who are sitting quietly with their hands raised.

Development: After the teacher has allowed a few answers from the students, the
teacher will discuss the importance of honeybees to humans and explain how honey
bees are starting to die off. Then the teacher will ask the students how they can help
bees. The teacher will take answers from the students before adding the idea of making
a bee bath. The teacher will explain what a bee bath is and how it helps honey bees.
The teacher will then go over what their project is. Students will be asked to gather
around a table for a demonstration on how to create a platter for their bee bath. The
teacher will demonstrate rolling out and flattening a piece of clay and how to properly
pinch the edges in order to create a lip on the platter. The students will be shown how to
smooth their clay and other techniques of working with the clay.
Students will be allowed to add texture and design to their platter including additional
items if desired. Students can create miniature houses, bees, or other garden like items
to make an attractive looking bee bath.
Students will be given time to work with their clay and create their platter and additional
objects if they so desire. The teacher will circle the room checking in on students to see
how they are progressing and if they have any questions.

Closing: The teacher will notify the students when they have to start cleaning up. Once
cleaning up has ended and the students have found their seats again and are ready for
lining up, the teacher will review the days information. The teacher will ask questions
from the days lesson, and will call on quiet students for the answer. When the class
period is over the students will line up for their teacher.

Day 2- Students will glaze their platters and any additional objects.

Hook: Students will be welcomed into the classroom and will find their proper seats.
Attendance will be taken. The teacher will have a drawing of a bees head on the board
with labels of the eyes and mouth to grab the students attention. The teacher will ask
the class to recall what they did last class. Questions will be asked to evoke facts on
honey bees and their importance, and what we can do to help the environment.

Development: The teacher will explain the reason why the bee bath is so important to
honey bees. The teacher will point out the proboscis (tongue) of a honey bee on the
drawing and explain how the bee drinks water. The teacher will explain to the students
that they will be glazing their platters and objects today. The teacher will briefly explain
the 5 eyes of a honey and inform the class that honey bees cannot see the color red.
Students will be allowed the duration of the class to glaze their platter and objects. The
teacher will circle the room checking in on students to see how they are progressing
and if they have any questions.

Closing: The students will be informed of when they need to clean up. Once students
have cleaned up and are sitting quietly, the teacher will go over what the next class will
involved. The students will review what they know already and the teacher will explain
what the last step in their bee bath process will be; putting it all together. Students will
be invited to bring in any natural items they want to include in their bee bath (sticks,
rocks, gems, etc) from home.

Day 3- Students will be putting together their bee bath and discussing what else they
can do to help honey bees.

Hook: The students will be welcomed into the classroom and will find their seat. The
teacher will take attendance. The teacher will be wearing a bee jacket with veil, and
gloves to grab the students attention. The teacher will explain the beekeeping items she
 is wearing which will lead into the explanation of how to finish their bee bath and what to
do with it at the students houses.

Development: The teacher will gather the students around a table to show them how to
complete their bee bath. Students will be able to place rocks, twigs, gems, and their
additional objects in the platter as they choose. The students will be given time to work.
The teacher will circle the room checking in on students to see how they are
progressing and if they have any questions.
Once the class is finished constructing their bee baths they can fill them with water and
take them outside by a flowering plant. The teacher will review why a bee bath is
needed for honey bees and where the bath should be placed.
Students can spend time looking for a place to put their bath as well as watching from a
distance if any bees stop by a bath to drink. Students will then be asked to return to the
classroom to clean up their supplies.

Closing: Once the students have cleaned up they will be asked to sit at their table. The
teacher will reiterate how the students have helped the bees. The teacher will ask the
class what other acts of service the students could do to help the bees or nature in
general. The teacher will call on students for suggestions and write them on the board.
At the end of the class period the teacher will highlight good suggestions for helping the
environment before lining the students up to go.

Timeline:
Day 1
Hook/Q&A 5 minutes
Discussion on helping bees 3 minutes
Lesson intro/demonstration 5 minutes
Work 28 minutes
Clean up 7 minutes
Closing/Q&A 2 minutes
Day 2
Hook/review 2 minutes
Bee bath review/honey bee drinking 2 minutes
Glazing 37 minutes
Clean up 7 minutes
Closing 2 minutes
Day 3
Hook 2 minutes
Demo 5 minutes
Work 20 minutes
Placing in nature 10 minutes
Clean up 7 minutes
Closing/discussion 6 minutes
 Preparation:
Teacher Research and Preparation:
Research honey bees and their importance
Cut clay into equal portions
Gather additional natural objects for inside platter

Student Supplies:
Clay
Clay tools
Water cups
Brushes
Rolling pins
Glaze

Extension:
If time and resources would permit an observational hive could be a part of the lesson
as an up close observation on the ways bees work.
For a science interdisciplinary connection, students could research and draw the body
of a honey bee, focusing specifically on the head and the proboscis.