Bee Amazed

School:: West Defuniak Elementary
Subject:: STEM Education
Teacher:: Tammy Goodman
Students Impacted:: 650
Grade:: K-5
Date:: October 10, 2017

Investor

Thank you to the following investor for funding this grant.

CHELCO - $1,000.00

Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 650

Thank you so much for your generous investment into the lives of our students. Through your contribution students have learned more about bees and their role in the environment. They have thoroughly enjoyed the STEM activities and the bee books that support our observation bee hive. Students in my STEM club have used the iPad to create and control robots. In addition, during Career Day our third, fourth and fifth grade students were able to use the iPad to control the robots. One aspect that the students really enjoyed was learning about programming the robots. Our students have been able to learn more about the life cycle of bees as well. Their interest in the observation hive at our school has increased through the use of the library books. This year we had 274 bee books checked out. Last year, we only had 172. In additon, some teachers read bee books to their classes which has made a huge impact on their knowledge of the roles of bees in our environment. Thank you again for your support of STEM in our school.

Original Grant Overview

Goal

The goal of this program is to increase student knowledge of the roles of honey bees in our ecosystem, provide innovative ways for students to study about bees, to increase student interest in STEM career fields, and provide exciting hands-on opportunities for students to learn. In the Spring of 2016, our school obtained an observation bee hive. It currently contains about 20,000 honey bees. Our media center will increase our students knowledge of these amazing creatures through access to these activities. One measurable goal is to increase the number of bee books that are checked out in the library from 172 in 2016-2017 to 225 in 2017-2018. My STEM club students will complete one program for the Lego WeDo 2.0 kits.

What will be done with my students

Our STEM club of 30 students will create robotic bees and will simulate the pollination of plants through the use of Lego WeDo 2.0 kits. These kits use an iPad to control the robot and students will learn to program these devices. These kits can be used for other robotic investigations with additional students in the future. All 650 students in our school will have access to the bee books through the use of the media center. Students in the STEM club will use the books to extend their knowledge of bees and to assist them in their projects.

Benefits to my students

All 650 students in our school will have access to the books about bees. This project will help students gain a deeper appreciation for the role of bees in our environment. Students will also learn more about why bees are disappearing, how bees make honey, why we need bees, and the anatomy of the bees. The STEM club will benefit by learning programming and problem solving skills. The robotics will create an exciting atmosphere for students to learn more about science and technology.

Budget Narrative

The items that will be purchased are two Lego WeDo kits, bee books (see below), and an iPad.

The Bee Tree Polacco, Patricia $13.74
Busy, Buzzy Bee Wallace, Karen $10.62
The Buzz on Bees: Why...Disappearing? Rotner, S. $20.47
Buzz, Bee! Szymanski, Jennifer $10.62
First Step Nonfiction: Pollination (Lerner) SET $89.95
Flight of the Honey Bee Huber, Raymond $12.96
Happy and Honey Godwin, Laura $10.62
Honey Bees Esbaum, Jill $11.40
The Honey Jar Menchu, Rigoberta $16.11
The Honey Makers Gibbons, Gail $12.96
Honeybees Schuh, Mari $17.96
It's a Good Thing There Are Bees Herrington, L. $12.15
The Life Cycle of a Honeybee Linde, Barbara M. $12.97
Plant Reproduction Buchanan, Shelly C. $14.52
Show Me the Honey Rabe, Tish $10.62
UnBEElievables: Honeybee Poems Florian, D $20.50
What If There Were No Bees?Slade, Suzanne $8.46
Processing for books ($0.61 each)