The Bee Tree
Duration:
2-3 hour periods
Objectives:
w The student constructs meaning from a variety of texts.
w The student uses technology resources to find information.
w
The student understands that the bee is a producer of honey and
that people
are consumers.
w The student relates reading to own experiences.
Materials:
Children's Book Patricia Polacco's The Bee Tree, Putnam Publishing Group, April, 1993. About the book: When Mary Ellen gets bored with her reading, Grandpa knows a hunt for a bee tree is just what she needs. Half the town joins the exciting chase, but it’s not until everyone returns home that Mary Ellen makes a discovery of her own: Sometimes, even the sweetest of things must be worked for. Grandpa spoons a drop of honey onto Mary Ellen's book and bids her, 'Taste,' saying, 'There's such sweetness inside books too . . . adventure, knowledge, wisdom. But these things do not come easily. You must pursue them. Just like we ran after the bees to find their tree, so you must also chase these things through the pages of a book!' See: Patricia Polacco
Bottle of honey
Internet
Vocabulary:
bee, honey, hive, beekeeper
Online Glossaries: Sue Bee Glossary
Activities:
1. Show students a jar of honey
and brainstorm how the honey got in
the jar.
2. Optional: have students taste the honey.
3. Read Aloud The Bee Tree by Patricia Polacco.
4. Determine the main idea of the story.
5. The student will create a
story map stating the problem and the
solution.
6. Discuss what Mary Ellen and
the grandpa had to do to get the
honey.
7. The student's assignment is to search
(like Mary Ellen and her
grandpa) how bees make honey.
8. Visit these sites and then
write to explain how bees make honey.
Use facts and details from the website. Add pictures along with
the response.
Assessment:
w Student will present the story map with problem and solution.
w
Student will share a similar situation in which they had to search
for something
they wanted.
w
Student will present
an illustrated response to the question "How
do bees make honey?" using details and facts from the websites
visited.
Home
Learning:
Visit the site Busy
Bee
Print Busy as a Bee (located on the first page of the web site) and write a response to what chores you do to help around your house.
Suggested Answers: Cleaning my room, washing dishes, setting the table, pick up toys.
Extension:
Students will write about a time they had to search and work hard to find or get something they wanted bad. Share experiences with the class.
Home