Climate Literacy in Education, Volume 3, Issue 2 (Special Issue) 
 
13 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Bees Matter 
Kindergarten - Second Grade  

Science, Language Arts, and Art 
California  

 
 
 
You know those rare moments in teaching that stick—really stick—with you? In 2016, I was walking 
my kindergartners to lunch when I noticed a bee crawling on the ground. This was nothing 
unusual, as I teach in California’s rural Central Valley. Our beautiful school is surrounded by 
almond and cherry orchards and grape vineyards. But as we walked, I noticed dozens of bees on 
the sidewalk crawling or spinning. I wasn’t then a bee expert or lover at the time, but as a human, I 
felt they were suffering and wanted to help them. 
And I wasn’t alone. The kindergartners wanted to 
help them, too. 

Together, we started to research bees. Bees 
around the world are dying, but there isn’t a 
consensus on the reason why. Experts blame 
parasites, chemicals, poor nutrition or pathogens. 
Some blame droughts. Regardless, we have a crisis. I 
wanted to do something, and the something that I 
can do is educate… and plant flowers. Turns out, kids 
also enjoy helping pollinators.  

Primary teachers often focus lessons on their 
local community, so (in my opinion) climate justice is best taught through local issues. Most of my 
students’ parents are migrant farm workers, so my students are familiar with farming. And with a 
beehive in a tree on the playground, they know to not upset the bees. What they didn’t know is the 
importance of our fuzzy friends to us. 

Student collecting pollen 



K-2 Science, ELA, and Artú Californiaú  Bees Matter 
 
 

14 

Through art, science experiments, dramatic play and writing, I teach about pollination in 
my classroom. My hope is by understanding the importance of pollinators, they are enthusiastic 
about promoting pollination through growing their own flowers at home.  And they do—I’ve been 
sent many photos of students’ sunflowers (I provide seeds in my treasure box) in their own yards. I 
get it. It’s some sunflower seeds in some little hands in a tiny town in Central California. But, just 
like those seeds, big, beautiful ideas started small.  

 
 

Student art depicting Super Bee 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VAcEpWtwO4kQ7r_28BoxxqjztSrrx_C9/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qXWVLhgRXvRZ3OPRe_34upWRb5eb0pcq/view?usp=sharing