STANDARDS-ALIGNED ENVIRONMENTAL STEM PROGRAM

Our Environmental STEM Education lessons align with The Next Generation Science Standards & The Common Core!

We teach about the importance of bees to our food systems and ecosystems as a pathway to conservation and STEM fields, cultivating the green leaders of tomorrow through the power of science and stewardship.

Planet Bee phenomenon-based lessons are designed for active learning with conservation at the heart. Developed by entomologists, bee experts, and experienced state-certified teachers, our program is grade-banded, aligned with NGSS and Common Core, and incorporates leading-edge interactive learning technology.

Educators can access our professional development workshops, real-time virtual STEM lessons taught by our certified teachers, individual lesson videos, scripted lesson plans, differentiated supplemental material, educational material kit grants, and our Native Bee Citizen Science Projects. We also invite local beekeepers to schools for classroom visits.

In our commitment to equity and inclusion, lessons are provided at NO COST to schools and nonprofits, thanks to our generous donors and grantmakers.


STEM PROGRAM COMPONENTS

  • Real-time synchronous STEM lessons

  • Asynchronous Video Lessons

  • Professional Development Workshops

  • Native Bee Citizen Science Program

  • Differentiated Supplementary Material

  • Scripted lesson Plans

  • Education Materials Kit Grant

  • Stewardship Grants

Please register for the program you are interested in below and don't hesitate to contact our educators with any questions at programs@planetbee.org.


Beeyond HarvestED UNITS

Our new dynamic asynchronous classroom garden and agriculture program cultivates sustainability through a Soil, Bees, Seeds, and Food Program. It includes Asynchronous Digital STEM Toolkits Units and educational materials grants to schools nationwide.

Asynchronous STEM Digital Toolkits Units

Beneath Our Feet: Unveiling the Secrets of Soil - Explore the wonders of soil composition and its impact on plant growth and the larger ecosystem! Your learners will engage in hands-on soil experiments that help them learn more about the role of invertebrates and microorganisms in soil health.

From Scraps to Soil Gold: Nature's Way of Nutrient Recycling - Learn the processes of composting and decomposition and their role in nutrient recycling on the microscopic and macroscopic levels in an ecosystem. Your learners will understand the importance of reducing waste and promoting sustainable habits that improve the quality of life all around them.

Tiny Garden Allies: Native Bees and Garden Invertebrates - Discover the world of native bees and powerful pollinators in our ecosystem! A Planet Bee classic, this lesson will have students explore the symbiotic relationship that plants and pollinators depend upon to thrive and contemplate what might happen to us if we ever lose them!

Seeds of the Future: Saving, Sowing, and Growing -  Unravel the magic of seed saving and the historical significance of the practice. In this toolkit, students will engage in the hands-on nurturing of plants, from seed to sprout and investigate the cultural significance of some heirloom plant varieties.

Sustaining Our World: Food for Today and Tomorrow - Build the habits of sustainability by studying what it takes to create food systems that take care of our planet! Students will learn how to advocate for food systems that sustain their communities and the planet while learning to prepare simple and fresh recipes right from the garden!


Special thanks to our premier sponsor, The GIANT Company, for sponsoring educational material kits for hands-on STEM learning to schools in Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland while supplies last.

 
 

Not in those states? You will be put on a waiting list as we consistently seek funding opportunities for our programs, which are accessible to schools nationwide.

Applicants that are not awarded will receive an acknowledgment email with a link to Beeyond HarvestED Digitial Tool Kit and supplies list to purchase supplies or use what they currently have in their classroom.


SYNCHRONOUS VIRTUAL STEM LESSONS

Bee an Engineer! - What does nature have to teach us about marvelous feats of engineering? Learn more about the engineering design process to unlock your own potential as a creator!

Bee a Scientist! - Students will observe insects, record their findings, describe what they see, and compare data. Learn about citizen and community science to help the world (especially bees!) around us! 

Bee-ometry - Beeometry - Learn geometry fundamentals like shape, size, dimension, and more in this bee-themed STEM Lesson that goes bee-yond the hexagon.

The Waggle Dance - This social-emotional learning lesson dances into the importance and science of communication among bees and other creatures.

Adapta-Bee-lity - Explore the wide variety of adaptations that different native bees use to survive in their natural habitats around the world from deserts to rainforests..


ASYNCHRONOUS VIRTUAL VIDEO LESSONS

Intro to Bees (K-3rd) - A perfect introduction to bees for younger learners. Discover why bees are important while learning about pollination.

Humble Honey Bee (2nd-8th) - Dive into the world of honey bees as you learn about honey bee anatomy, the 3 castes, bee jobs, metamorphosis, how honey is made, pheromones, and the waggle dance! 

Native Bees (3rd-12th) - This lesson looks at the importance of native bees, the mechanics of pollination, habitats, ecosystems, keystone species, anatomy, coevolution, and the different ways native bee species pollinate. 


NATIVE BEE COMMUNITY SCIENCE PROGRAM

Become a real bee scientist through this unique conservation opportunity, as you participate in community science while supporting local bee and pollinator populations. This program includes a self-paced program for community members as well as a program for schools.

Dr. Jason Graham, Planet Bee STEM educator, and staff entomologist will lead virtual lessons for students and professional development workshops for teachers.

This program includes building a native bee nest that you engineer! As you collect data, you will input it into iNaturist and our website portal. We also offer a professional development workshop to train educators on this process.


STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM FOR SCHOOLS

APPLY FOR A SEED BALL KIT GRANT!

This grant is closed. Please check back in September!

This unique program includes enough materials for your classroom or school to create 900 seed balls, growing over 9000 flowers. Link here for a detailed program description.

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PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS

Want to learn more about integrating STEM concepts into your classroom lessons? We offer unique hands-on professional development workshops that help teachers take STEM lessons to the next level in their classrooms. Our dynamic interactive workshops demonstrate how to meet NGSS, Common Core, and district standards while reaching learners of all levels using cross-curricular methods. Participants in our workshops have full access to our online materials, video lessons, and synchronous STEM lessons.


HOMESCHOOL PROGRAM

Planet Bee is excited to provide our environmental STEM lessons to homeschoolers across the country! To continue to meet the pressing need for quality Environmental STEM Education. We offer a comprehensive homeschooling program centered around the bee, that can be tailored to the needs of your learning situation, even if you’re not in a traditional classroom!

Your student(s) receive a real-time STEM lesson at no cost taught by one of our certified teachers and gain access to our portal of supplementary material, including video lessons, activities, worksheets for home, and more!


SPONSOR A SCHOOL!

Businesses or individuals looking to make a huge difference for our planet can join our efforts by becoming sponsors of Planet Bee’s Seed Ball Kit Program! Please contact programs@planetbee.org for more information.


Special thanks to The GIANT Company for sponsoring education programs in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland!