Lesson Plan K4-G6 – Building a Butterflyway Habitat for Pollinators

Lessonplan and script created by Localeaf Gardens and Pollinate Aylmer for use in creation of the Butterflyway Aylmer.
Feel free to use or adapt as needed. Credit is appreciated but not mandatory. @localeafgardens #pollinateaylmer

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Title: Building Habitat for Pollinators
Grade Levels: PreK–Grade 6 (adaptable)
Duration: 45–60 minutes
Location: Outdoor planting space or schoolyard

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

  • Explain what pollinators are and why they are important
  • Understand the concept of pollination through demonstration
  • Identify several native pollinators, including specialist species
  • Understand the needs of pollinators: food, water, shelter
  • Participate in creating pollinator habitat by planting native species
  • Demonstrate teamwork and environmental stewardship

Materials Needed

  • Yellow pompons (representing pollen)
  • Double-sided tape dots (to hold pompons, placed on shoulder)
  • Butterfly wings (for student volunteer)
  • Printed photos or slideshow of:
    • Honeybee
    • Bumblebee
    • Sweat bee
    • Leafcutter bee
    • Monarch butterfly
    • Moth
    • Hummingbird
    • Fruit-eating bird
    • Bat
    • Wind-blown seeds (e.g., dandelion)
    • Rusty Patched Bumblebee
    • Example nesting sites for solitary bees (hollow stem, under leaves, etc.)
  • Hollow plant stems or drilled wood (bumblebee nesting example)
  • Shovels, trowels, forks/spoons (for digging)
  • Watering can or jugs
  • Native pollinator-friendly plants and grasses / sedges (seedling or plug size is fine. Aim for spring / fall blooms to align with school calendar)
  • Natural materials from school yard (ideally children gather)
  • Popsicle sticks (marking planting spots)
  • Sign for Butterflyway (if available)

Lesson Structure

1. Introduction (5–10 minutes)

Engagement Hook:
Introduce yourself as a Butterfly Ranger. Invite students to help butterflies and their friends by learning about them and planting a special garden.

2. Circle of Life Game (5–10 minutes)

  • Ask students what nature is and what’s alive in it.
  • Form a circle and hold hands to show interconnection.
  • Explain extinction as breaking the circle (e.g., dinosaurs).
  • Discuss how animals rely on plants, and plants come from seeds, which come from pollinated flowers.

3. Pollination Demonstration (10–15 minutes)

  • Use photos to show flower and bee covered in pollen.
  • Explain pollen transfer using yellow pompons and tape.
  • Select a volunteer pollinator (give butterfly wings).
  • “Pollinate” another flower (teacher/student) with a high-five.
  • Reinforce how pollination = making seeds and baby plants.

Adaptations:

  • PreK–K: Emphasize movement, sounds (“buzz like a bee”), fewer facts.
  • Grades 1–3: Include more examples of plants we eat.
  • Grades 4–6: Introduce the role of nectar, and native vs. non-native bees.

4. Pollinator Picture Quiz (5–10 minutes)

Show each photo and ask students to guess what it is and what makes it special. Include:

  • Specialist pollinators (e.g., Monarch and Milkweed)
  • Nocturnal pollinators (moth, bat)
  • Surprise pollinators (birds, wind)
  • Highlight Rusty Patched Bumblebee (endangered) and ask why it might be missing (food/shelter loss)

Adaptations:

  • PreK–K: Focus on colors and features (e.g., “fuzzy bee!” “blue bee!”).
  • Grades 1–3: Emphasize who eats what and when (day vs night).
  • Grades 4–6: Discuss habitat loss, native plant importance, and food webs.

5. Nesting Needs & Habitat Discussion (5 minutes)

  • Pass around sticks with holes: “Where do bumblebees live?”
  • Discuss difference between honeybee hives and wild bees.
  • Prompt kids to look around: where are good hiding spots for pollinators? Is pavement/roof/grass helpful?

6. Habitat Creation Activity (20–30 minutes)

Split Class in Two:

  • Group A: Planting
    • Demonstrate digging, removing plant from pot, planting, patting soil, watering.
    • Introduce the plant (name and who it helps, if known).
  • Group B: Habitat building
    • Collect natural materials (sticks, leaves, stems) for shelter/mulch.

Switch groups halfway through.

Adaptations:

  • PreK–K: Let them explore textures and shapes. Sort and separate natural materials. Adult-assisted planting.
  • Grades 1–3: Talk more about roots, names of plants.
  • Grades 4–6: Involve them in deeper plant selection reasoning (shade, sun, spacing).

7. Wrap-Up & Reflection (5 minutes)

  • Recap: What did we learn about pollinators?
  • Show the Butterflyway sign.
  • Celebrate: “We just built a stop on a Butterflyway!”
  • Invite them to help pollinators at home too.
  • Optional: Take a group photo to commemorate.

Assessment Ideas

  • Ask students to name one pollinator and one thing they learned.
  • Have older students draw a pollinator and label its role.
  • Create a “Thank You Pollinators” poster as a follow-up.

Extensions & Optional Activities

Home Connection: Encourage students to build bee hotels or plant native seeds.

Art: Decorate large Butterflyway sign collectively as a class.

Writing: Create information posters for each planted species, or targeted pollinator species

Science: Observe garden weekly and record pollinator visits. Research pollinator value of each plant planted, along with specialist and generalist pollinator relationships (i.e. milkweed and monarch butterfly)