Pollinators in the Classroom Resources

We have assembled resources to support teachers and students to use pollinator observations to gain skills in observation, data collection, and data analysis in the science classroom.

If you are a science teacher working with grades 6-12 anywhere in Minnesota, join us at our Pollinators in the Science Classroom professional development summer workshop, led by bee and butterfly pollinator experts.  You can learn detailed background information to enable implementation of the Driven to Discover: Pollinators and the Great Sunflower Project Citizen Science Curriculum Guide and Pollinator Education Toolkits into grade 6-12 science classrooms.

Resources to help you do your pollinator observations

Check out this video to see how to make pollinator observations and share your data with the scientific community.

 

If you are unable to get outside for observations, you can practice your skills with this video playlist of pollinators on flowers.

Before you go out, learn some basic pollinator identification with one of these tutorials.

"How to tell if your pollinator is a bee, wasp or fly" video

 

This photo guide to common Minnesota pollinators can help you see what is what.

photo guide to common Minnesota bees
Photo Guide to Common Minnesota Bees (.pdf)

 

 

 

 

If you have photos of plants or pollinators that need identification, here is a tutorial video on how to use iNaturalist.

 

Resources to help teach about pollinators and inquiry-based science projects.

Check out the lesson plans in the The Driven to Discover Citizen Science Curriculum Guide: Pollinators and the Great Sunflower Project.

Pollinators and the Great Sunflower Project


A variety of pollinator education pieces are available digitally with online components from the UMN Pollinator Education Toolkits.

Get access to these resources by filling out the Online Pollinator Education Toolkit Form

Find out more about the Pollinator Education Toolkits and find out how to get ahold of a physical kit.