Friday 16 August 2013

The Pollinator game

Back in May we went to the 'science rendevous', an annual science fair in Toronto, Canada. 
There were lots of games and hands on activities for the children.

 I particularly enjoyed this Pollinator game, 
to explain the process of plant reproduction.

 Flowers were made with large bright petals, and at the centre a plastic drinks bottle with a whole cut in it large enough to reach inside the bottle. 
You'll need to make at least two of these flowers.

 The bottle had tiny pom poms placed in the bottom. This is the pollen.

Each child was given an insect to pollinate the flowers, made of a lollipop stick with an insect sticker on the end.

On the back of the lollipop stick was a sticky pad. 
The pad was removed...

 
 and then the insect pollinator could reach into the flower and collect the pom-pom pollen. Once you've loaded up with pollen...

 You go to the next flower and pollinate it.
This is a great way for young children to learn about pollination.

Back home in England, we carried on learning about plant parts, pollination and fertilization.
 As the flowers were in full bloom in the garden, why learn from a book.

We looked at a flower diagram and then we identified the parts on real flowers in the garden. We had a great morning in the garden looking at the flowers, watching the bees and butterflies visiting them. We talked about how the flowers are adapted to insect and wind pollination and Jemima enjoyed taking photos.







18 comments:

  1. This is great. I am following you from Sun Scholars.
    Blessings,
    Janis www.janiscox.com Author of Tadeo Turle

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  2. What a neat game and field trip! Mt hanks for,sharing at field trip Friday!

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  3. Thank you so much for posting this on Hip Homeschool Moms Blog Hop! I love this article and have chosen it as one to be featured this week on our blog hop! I hope you will continue to link your articles up on our future hops! I LOVE hands-on activities and THIS one is sure one I would do with my boys! Great article!!

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  4. What a brilliant idea. I never thought to teach pollination like this!

    Thanks for joining in The Sunday Showcase. I've pinned to our board and on my g+ page.

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  5. What a clever idea - thanks so much for sharing! Love the photos from your garden too :)

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  6. Great way to learn for kids, fun too. I even got a refresher lesson with that flower diagram :) Lots of bees around my garden at the moment :)

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  7. Oh wow what a fun activity. I'll have to keep it in mind.

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  8. Such fun and creative ~ Wonderful photos ~ carol, xo

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  9. That would make a great entry for a science fair. My grandkids and I have been trying to cross pollinate some day lilies. We were successful in getting some seed pods which we have planted, ...so we'll see...

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  10. This is such a wonderful activity! What fun!

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  11. Atishoo - what a brilliant game! ...and an idyllic way to learn with the world as your classroom.
    Wrenx

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  12. That is a perfectly delightful way to teach about pollination! Love that you took the learning to your own gardens.

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  13. There's nothing like hands-on teaching... kids are like little sponges!

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  14. Love the pollinator game. Our local 4H Clubs do a great job every year of coming up with fun ways to teach children about plants and animals.

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  15. Thank you for the positive comments. I' m really pleased that you all like the game so much, I hope your children enjoy it too.
    x

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