Theme: Pursuing Pollinators
Young Scientists Pursue Pollinators
"When we have visiting students investigate pollinating insects,
we set up a series of observations using some study techniques
that animal behavior scientists use," says educator Katherine
Johnson at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
First, Katherine invites students to conduct a "sweep" in the
garden by taking a slow, methodical walk to observe what is
happening on flowers. That done, students report on general
observations they've made — that bumblebees are flying
and landing on blue flowers, for instance. "We ask them to say
only what they observe and not to make assertions — assertions
that bumblebees are pollinating flowers, for instance," says
Katherine.
During the next phase, pairs of students pursue a single insect
and focus on its behaviors. First, the class generates a list
of behaviors they observed during phase one: flying, landing,
taking off, picking at the flower, and so on. Next, they create
a chart that lists the behaviors down one side and 10-second
time intervals along the top.
Partners then observe their selected insect for 2 minutes,
recording its behavior at 10-second intervals. "The kids appreciate
this short but focused activity and its physical challenge,"
says Katherine. After all, it can be tough keeping up with a
flighty butterfly or ravenous bee. One partner calls out the
time intervals and the other partner checks off the appropriate
behavior.
Once the investigators have gathered their field data, they
review it and then draw some generalizations or conclusions
about the pollinator's behavior. "The students stay quite engaged
and tend to see things they've never noticed before as they
track a single creature," says Katherine. Insect behavior patterns
and preferences become more apparent — that bumblebees
only visit flowers of one color (bluish-purple), for instance.
Finally, Katherine explains that the students have used methods
for doing scientific investigations, and that they could modify
and use these techniques to answer questions such as, How
many flowers does a bee visit in a garden at one time? How many
different kinds of flowers does a single bee visit at a time?
How much time does a butterfly spend at each flower?"
Author: Eve Pranis
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© 2008
National Gardening Association