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Tales from the Hive
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Ideas from Teachers
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(K-12)
This activity could go with NOVA's "Tales from the Hive"
program. Contact a local beekeeping club or a beekeeper and have them talk about their beekeeping experiences. The club that I belong to has an "Observation Hive." The hive is taken to a lot of functions to show the colony at work. This allows the students a visual reference to coincide with the lecture.
An observation hive is good for science, biology, business, technology, vocational-agricultural, or family science classes. Students can inspect the hive and to ask questions of the beekeeper. This has worked great for me in the past. Sent in by
George West
Vinita High School
Vinita, OK 
(Gr. 5)
Objective
To connect math and science through tessellations.
Materials
- NOVA's "Tales from the Hive" Web site
- hexagon manipulatives
- paper
- pencils
- rulers
Procedure
Students investigate and discover how systems in nature reveal tessellating patterns of geometric shapes from mathematics. Have students explore the NOVA Web site on bees and the construction of the hive. Ask students to apply the tessellation pattern of hexagons by drawing the pattern on paper using manipulative shapes. Have students respond to the following questions:
- Why do you think that bees construct the hive using this system?
- How might this system help bees compete and survive?
- Do tessellation systems enhance a natural system's effectiveness in competition and survival?
Assessment
Observation and analysis of responses.
Editor's Note: To read an extended description of this idea, see Featured Teachers.
Sent in by
Gina Strandlien
Granite Quarry Elementary
Granite Quarry, NC
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