The Pollinators' Journey

Summary Background pollen directly to the flower. Students perform a short play While collecting nectar from the about threatened migratory Flowering plants are much more base of a flower, pollinators like pollinators. common than non-flowering bees brush against pollen from plants. Many people believe that the flower’s anther. The bee ends the success of flowering plants is up carrying a load of pollen on due in large part to the flower’s its body. At the next flower the Grade Level: K-4; 5-8 close relationship with animals bee visits, some of that pollen in the process called pollination. reaches the female reproductive Time: 2 to 3 class periods parts while the bee feeds. For (90 minutes or more) Many flowering plants depend other animals, the exact way on animals to reproduce. Bees, they collect and deliver the Subjects: Science, Language Arts, butterflies, hummingbirds, bats, pollen is different (humming- Art, Social Studies ants, moths, beetles and others birds sometimes collect pollen visit flowers in search of food. In on their heads!), but the Skills: Evaluation, observation the process, animals pollinate the function is the same. The polli- flowers, bringing their reproduc- nation relationship is mutually Learning Objectives: tive cells from one plant to beneficial to flower and animal – Students will be able to: another of the same species. Pol- one gets food while the other ■ List four animals that pollinate lination leads to fertilization, the receives help reproducing. flowers development of new seeds and, ■ Describe the the relationship in some plants, fruit. The young Over time, flowers have devel- between pollinators and the seeds (either in fruit or not) may oped adaptations to ensure that plants they pollinate be carried by wind, water or ani- the best pollinator for their ■ Name three environmental mals to new locations where, if species will visit and threats facing pollinators today all goes well, they will grow into return often to ■ State one way that people can new plants. feed. In fact, help protect pollinators flowers’ How does the process of Materials: pollination work? Flowers ■ Video: Pollinators in Peril contain a plant’s reproductive (Produced by NWF; to order a parts, including the male loaner copy, call 703-438-6001). anther and the female pistil. (See ■ Flower anatomy reference page 48 for a diagram). The sheet structure of the flower forces the ■ Pollinator’s Journey work male anther, holding pollen sheets grains, to brush up against the ■ Paper pollinating species while it is fragrance, bright ■ Pencils looking for its food, the nectar. colors, nourishing nectar and ■ Pipe Cleaners The female pistil includes the varied shapes are considered ■ Paper plates stamen, which is sticky and col- adaptations to attract certain ■ String lects pollen from the bodies of pollinators. For example, the ■ Glue animal visitors, and the egg, bright colors of flower petals ■ Markers or crayons called an ova. When pollen are thought to help flowers stand ■ A fresh flower grains fertilize an ova, a new seed out against a green background. ■ Pictures of a monarch butterfly, begins to develop. Many flowers, such as a black- lesser long-nosed bat, organ eyed susan, have a bull’s-eye pat- pipe cactus and milkweed Plants, rooted in one place, must tern of color to focus animal ■ Maps of Southern Arizona, the face the challenge of transferring attention on the part of the Sonoran Desert and Mexico pollen to another flower of the flower with pollen and nectar. ■ Books on pollination, flowers, same species. Some flowers rely Violets have both a weak bull’s- monarch butterflies and nectar- on wind to carry pollen grains, eye pattern as well as “nectar feeding bats while others use water. Animal guides” – a pattern that radiates pollinators, however, give plants out from the nectar cup and an advantage as they deliver leads animals to the part

| Activities of the flower where the nectar, In this decade, anther and stamen are found. conservation biol- Many flowers have nectar guides, ogists discovered a which aren’t always visible disturbing trend. to the human eye. Pollinator populations have declined Birds and bees find different drastically. Domesticated flowers attractive, largely due to honeybee populations differences in the animal senses. dropped 25% between Birds have a poor sense of smell, 1990 and 1998, mostly but keen color vision. Bees use due to the spread of a parasitic both color and odors to find a mite. Wild bee populations suitable flower. The face risks from pesticides and shape of the flower also habitat loss, and other polli- plays a role in deter- nators, such as birds, bats mining the kind of pol- and butterflies, have also linator who can feed from suffered declines. Migra- the flower. Butterflies must have tory pollinators appear a perch to land on while feeding. especially vulnerable to Hummingbirds can hover in habitat loss and other front of the flower and so don’t threats. In the United need a place to land. Pollinators States many migratory pol- have also adapted to ensure that linators are in peril. For they will have access to flower example, the lesser long- nectar. Animal adaptations nosed bat pollinates cacti such as milkweed plants and humans – include sense of smell, color the organ pipe and saguaro com- on paper scraps. Student groups preferences, beak shape (especial- mon to the Sonoran desert land- will pick a character out of a ly noticeable in hummingbirds) scape. The bat, along with bowl for the play. and tongue length. migratory pollinators such as the rufous hummingbird, white- Pollinators have a critical role in winged doves and monarch but- both agricultural and natural terflies, must move from bloom Procedure ecosystems. Crop plants depend to bloom to take in enough 1. on pollination to produce much energy on its 2,000 mile or more Introduce the main ideas of of the food we eat – from wheat journey to Mexico to survive. pollination – flowering plants and oats to corn and tomatoes. Along this nectar corridor, and their pollinators have adapt- In fact, scientists estimate that human development, extensive ed to each other to the point every third bite of food humans planting of non-native species that one may have trouble eat is made possible by the (that pollinators can’t feed on) surviving without the other. act of pollination. Pollinators and the destruction of “stop- Show a diagram of a flower’s are also key to maintaining over” areas by pesticides and parts and pictures of different the health and biodiversity of human alterations work together pollinators interacting with wildlife habitat. Many flowering to reduce the number of these flowers. Ask students to give plants will not produce seeds migrants. For instance, monarch examples of pollinators, such as for the next generation, such butterflies depend on the milk- bees, butterflies, birds, bats and as new oak trees or milkweed weed plant for food and a place others. Outline the role that pol- plants, without the aid of animal to raise young. The milkweed is linators play in maintaining the pollinators. A habitat that often a target of large-scale her- health of an ecosystem and its doesn’t have young to replace bicide spraying along roads and biodiversity. the old of all species will eventu- on farms. 2. ally become less diverse – a few Explain that some key types of plants may become pollinators (from honeybees to dominant, and in turn, the Preparation hummingbirds) are now threat- habitat will be able to support ened due to parasites, habitat fewer animal species. 1. Write the characters for the play – long-nose bats, monarch butterflies, organ pipe cacti, National Wildlife Federation | WORKSHEET

Bee - Pollinator

Pistil Stigma

Style Stamen Ovary Anther

Filament

Petals

The Stamen is the male part of the ﬂower that produce the pollen. Each stamen has 2 parts: The Anther, which produces the pollen, and the Filament, which provides support for the anther.

The Pistil is the female part of the ﬂower that produces the seeds. The pistil has 3 parts: The sticky Stigma receives pollen during pollination, the Ovary produces seeds, and the Style connects the stigman to the ovary. Petals surround and protect these parts of the ﬂower.

48 | Activities © Copyright 2001 National Wildlife Federation loss, pesticides and introduced ridor has been built on or con- a long nose and a long tongue species. The effects of a major verted to roads or farms. People (use pink construction paper) loss of pollinators could be have used pesticides in some and may also fashion wings. dramatic. Ecosystems could areas that kill the plants relied Cacti can color their masks change their character, as trees upon by migrants. Not having green and cut pipe cleaners in to and plants once common, begin enough plants to feed on during 1/2 to 1 inch pieces to represent to disappear. Agriculture could the journey reduces the number cactus spines. Have them glue also suffer huge losses, which of pollinators that can survive. the “spines” onto the paper plate might lead to less food being as well as a “flower”. Milkweed produced. Create a chart show- 6. Tell students that they will plants may want to draw or cut ing what students know and now act out a short play about and paste green leaves and milk- what they want to know about the problems faced by a special weed flowers onto the mask. pollination. group of pollinators, the migratory pollinators in the South- 8. Read the following story to 3. If you have it available, watch western United States. Divide students once out loud. Then, the NWF video Pollinators in class into 5 groups, which will have them rehearse the four Peril for further background for each pick one character from a scenes while you remind them of the students. After the video, bowl. All of the group members the story, with the educator giv- further complete the chart to will act as the character during ing stage directions. Encourage survey what students learned the play. Characters will include students to expand on the story from the video. two pollinators (the long-nose during rehearsal if they wish. bats and monarch butterflies), 4. After the video, ask students two flowering plants (the organ for ideas on how people can help pipe cacti that bats feed on and Modifications for pollinators. One idea is to plant the milkweed plants visited by Older Students native plants in the area to help butterflies) and humans. (The local and migrant pollinators human role could also be played 1. Follow procedure outlined survive. by the teacher.) above through #5. Tell students that they will now work in 5. Today students will focus on 7. Optional: If there’s time, groups to write scenes about the pollinators that migrate between provide art supplies for students threats facing migratory pollina- the U.S. Sonoran Desert and to create paper-plate masks to tors today. tropical Mexico. Scientists are wear during the play. Butterfly especially concerned about masks should include a curled, 2. Then, hand out copies of the migratory pollinators, such as the long proboscis (use pipe clean- Pollinator’s Journey story above. ones in the Sonoran Desert. Use ers) and antenna. Students may Instead of acting out this story, a map to point out the Sonoran also wish to make wings. Long- however, the older students will Desert as well as Mexico. nosed bat masks should include write their own play based on this story. (Alternatively, have These pollinators get food along the class pick one example they their journey from flowers along learned about in the video and what’s called a “nectar corridor.” set up their own story plot, Along the nectar corridor, the divided into scenes (keep it to pollinators move north or south 5 or fewer scenes.) Divide the from one area to the next at class into 5 groups. Each group the same time that flowers on will be responsible for writing which they feed are blooming. That means they always have one of the scenes outlined in the something to eat on their long story. (If students write a new journey. However, these corri- story, divide the class into as dors are suffering. Introduced many groups as there are scenes, (non-native) plants are outcom- or assign more than one scene to peting some of the plants the groups.) They should add dia- pollinators rely on for food. logue, name characters and make Much of the land along the cor-

National Wildlife Federation | other changes as necessary. If props or a simple set, and how investigate the habitat require- they have additional questions they would go about creating ments of these local pollinators they should do research to find these. and plant species that they need the answers. Students should to survive. agree on how they will work 4. Have students perform the together to write the scene. One final version of the play. Consid- ✔ Have students investigate the idea is to improvise within the er inviting a class of younger travels of hummingbirds and group, and have one member students (or parents and family monarchs by observing and shar- responsible for recording what is members) to come watch the ing data online. Visit Journey said. Then, the recorder can final performance. The student North (www.learner.org/jnorth/) write the scene based on that. performers may want to have a for more information. The group and the educator question and answer session should review and suggest with the younger students about Assessment changes on the script before it’s pollination, flowers and the shared with the rest of the class. threats facing pollinators today. ✔ Have students draw a short (This can serve as a built-in cartoon (using words and pic- 3. Once all the groups are fin- assessment.) tures) to illustrate the story of ished, each group will perform the play. Students should include the scene they wrote for the rest at least three of the human of the class. (If they need more Extensions threats facing pollinators today, actors for the scene, they will how human activities harm the need to ask for help from the ✔ The loss of domesticated pollinators, the consequences of other groups.) Have them accept honeybees would heavily impact losing pollinators and a way that comments from others and ask humans. Research honeybee pol- people can help pollinators. For how well all the scenes flowed lination of crops. Which crops older students, read the written together. Making some small rely on bee pollination? How version of play. changes in the scripts may help many bees have been lost in the scenes work together better. recent years? Why? What are ✔ Research local pollinators, Ask students if they want the farmers doing in response? their habitat requirements, and same actors to play the parts all There is more information on threats that face them. Create a through the play, or if each this in NWF’s Pollinators in bulletin board with the facts stu- group will perform its scene. Peril video (see Web site). dents have discovered about the They should also consider threats facing pollinators today. whether they want costumes, ✔ Go out to your schoolyard See if the class can post it in an and look for pollinators during area of the school where many different seasons of the year. students can see it. What pollinators can the students find? What can they do to support them? Have them

| Activities WORKSHEET

The Pollinators’ Journey Narrator It is early fall in the beautiful Sonoran Desert of Arizona. Long-nosed bats and monarch butterflies live here in the summer. Soon, they must start a long journey south where they live in the winter.The nights are starting to get cooler.The flowers that bats and butterflies feed on have begun to fade. It is time to begin their journey to Mexico.

Stage Directions Bats pretend to fly while feeding on cacti. Butterflies will fly and land next to milkweed flowers to feed.When students hear the word “cooler” they should begin to shiver (although these animals do not shiver in reality, this is a good tool for conveying the idea of the changing season).As the bats and butterflies try to continue to feed, the cacti and milkweed flowers sit down and drop their heads. The butterflies and the bats all know it is time to begin the journey. They leave the scene. Suggestion: There is no role for humans in this scene. Perhaps have that group be wind or act as flowers just for this scene. Narrator Each year the pollinators follow the same route to Mexico, called a nectar corridor. They stop at the same places each year to rest and feed on flowers. But this year, one of the rest stops is missing! A new golf course stands where there were once hundreds of flowers to feed on and cover to hide in. A few flowers remain, but many of the pollinators have nothing to eat. Without food, some pollinators get very tired.They don’t have the energy for the long trip. Some bats and butterflies die. Others move on.

Stage Directions Have bats and butterflies start on one side of the room and move together across the room. The flowers stand facing each other, forming a corridor for the group of pollinators to move through (as the pollinators pass, the flowers should move to the front of the corridor line. The Humans group should form a football huddle to represent the new golf course, right in the nectar corridor. Flowers nearby have died during the construction and sit on the floor with their heads dropped. One cacti and one milkweed will remain standing. Bats and butterflies feed on the flower, but all of the pollinators are tired and moving slowly. One out of three of the pollinators should lay down on the floor to show they have died (they should act as humans in next scene).The other pollinators leave to continue the journey.

The Pollinators’ Journey continued Narrator Arriving at their winter home, there are fewer bats and butterﬂies than usual. New buildings and highways have destroyed some of the usual rest stops along their journey. Herbicides sprayed along highways may poison butterﬂies. Breaking up habitat into smaller areas makes the journey harder, as cities, houses and highways fragment wild habitat into smaller pieces. But those that have made it can live in peace for awhile.

Stage Directions The remaining bats and butterflies arrive at their winter home, where the flowers are all in bloom. As the teacher talks about the threats facing pollinators, the humans should act out the actions of: building, spraying herbicides and cutting down trees and shoveling over wild habitat. Narrator In spring, the weather warms. It’s time for pollinators to begin their return journey to Arizona. The flowers have started to fade. The bats and butterflies depart.

Stage Directions Bats and butterflies are feeding on flowers. Slowly, flowers begin to sit down and drop their heads to show they are not in bloom anymore. The bats and butterflies may use human cues to show they are getting hotter, such as wiping sweat from the brow or fanning themselves (like shivering, this is a human way to deal with heat, but will help get the ideas across). Humans sit out during this short scene.

The Pollinators’ Journey continued Narrator Near the end of the journey, the bees and bats are very tired.While some stop-over spots are still rich with nectar, others have been destroyed. If only there were a flower-filled field over the next hill. Suddenly, they see flowers in bloom. It’s a rest stop lost years ago to development and it looks inviting again. The flowers sit in a garden next to a large school building. Students have been working hard to create wildlife habitat on their schoolgrounds.They’ve selected the exact plants that they know these migrating pollinators are looking for, and they have added bat boxes to their habitat. Hungry, the pollinators fly down to the garden to feed on flowers. In the garden, they see children weeding around the cacti and milkweed and watering young plant seedlings. The pollinators all get enough to eat. They are ready for the final miles of their trip, well-fed and prepared to go on. Flapping their wings, the bats and butterflies fly away, leaving the children quiet with awe and happy that they have helped to make the pollinators journey a successful one.

Stage Directions Humans and flowers should all be on one side of the classroom. Flowers are in bloom, while humans are tending to the Schoolyard Habitat. The bats and butterflies are flying, obviously tired and slow, toward the garden. They swoop down to the flowers and feed on the nectar. Once they have all had a chance to feed, they move much more quickly, and fly away with much more energy. The humans stare at them in awe and smile while the bats and butterflies leave the room/area.