Through a fun game of charades, students learn more about pollinators. Following the game, they
research different pollinators and create an interactive quiz for their classmates to share what they have
learned.
Grade level: 4-6
Learning Objective:
– Identify pollinators and their role in the ecosystem
In this activity, students will:
– Explore the importance of pollinators for plants
– Research one pollinator and share findings with the class through a quiz
Start it up
Determine the rules of charades most adapted to your class:
• How much time will they have? (We suggest 1 minute)
• How will a player select a pollinator? Can they only select one from a list on the board, or can they
select another one they have thought of?
• What is allowed and what is not allowed (Generally we suggest allowing gestures and not allowing
sounds)
Set it up
Instructions
- Building off student knowledge, discuss pollinators. The questions and resources below can help guide the conversation:
- What do pollinators do?
- How are they a part of a plant’s life cycle?
- Can you name some groups/types?
- Why do you think they are important? For the ecosystem? For us?
- What would happen if they disappeared?)
Pollinator Garden – Kids Takeover (ECCC)
This short video (1:32) by kids for kids explains what pollinators do and why they are important.
All about Pollinators (Espace pour la vie)
Information about different pollinators including pictures.
- With input from students, draw up a list of at least 10 pollinators on the board (for example, bees, butterflies, moths, hummingbirds, bats, beetles, flies, wasps, and birds).
- Explain the rules of the games: that one student at a time will select a pollinator and must make their groupmates guess the pollinator through gestures. Outline the amount of time they have, how to select a pollinator and what is allowed and not allowed.
- Split the class into small groups and play.
Next step
Once the game is finished, have each group research the favourite plants and the habits of one of the pollinators. The students can create a quiz to share their findings with the class.
Resources
Pollinator Garden – Kids Takeover (Video, ECCC)
All about Pollinators (Website, Espace pour la vie)
Pollinator Power Planting Guides (Pollinator Partnership Canada)
Guides to selecting plants for pollinators for different regions of Canada
Pollinator Power Mission (Earth Rangers)
An Earth Rangers Mission for home