This document provides information about a lesson plan titled "Who's the Pollinator" for 4th grade students. The lesson teaches students about the relationships between different types of pollinators (e.g. bees, butterflies, bats) and the flowers they visit. Students will examine flower samples, learn what attracts each pollinator, and then design and construct a new flower to attract a specific pollinator. The goal is for students to understand how flowers and pollinators have adapted to benefit each other.

1. WHO’S THE POLLINATOR
Grade Level: Grade 4
Description
In this activity students will meet a variety of different pollinators and learn what characteristics
attracts each to a specific flower. They will then create a new flower to attract a specific pollinator.
Guiding Question
What is the relationship between pollinators and the flowers that they visit? How have these flowers
adapted to benefit from these pollinators?
Big Idea
Plants are unable to move from place to place. While some flowers are pollinated by wind or water,
Plants are unable to move from place to place, so they must use other means to distribute their pollen
to other flowers. While some flowers are pollinated by wind or water, many others are assisted
by honeybees, bumble bees, solitary bees, wasps, beetles, flies, mosquitoes, butterflies, moths,
hummingbirds and even mammals such as bats. They utilize the help of these pollinators to help
spread their pollen, facilitating production of fruit and seeds. The pollinator collects the nectar and
pollen for food for itself and other members of its colony. While collecting pollen and nectar, it also
transfers pollen from flower-to-flower.
To attract pollinators at just the right time, many flowers have developed adaptations such as
specialized colors, size, shape or fragrance. Some flower faces offer a set of instructions as to how
to enter the blossom and procure the nectar or pollen. A bright and showy surface or alluring scent
catches the pollinator’s attention from a distance. Closer-up, the convergence of petals to the center
shows them exactly where to go. Petals may be further accented with markings, such as: converging
lines; contrasting colors; a bull’s eye that reflect only ultraviolet light; dots that position the insect
or handholds that direct pollinators to the right position. The shape of the flower may be specially
modified to match the pollinators tongue or body shape.
Learning Objectives
To understand the role of pollinators and their relationship to the life cycle of the flower.
Materials
* Samples of a variety of flowers with varied shapes, sizes and colors.
* Images of pollinators and the flowers that they pollinate.
* Pencil and paper
* Construction paper, crepe paper, tissue paper, pipe cleaners, scissors, markers, paint, felt, cotton,
fabric, clay, sculpee, glue, tape and other materials that students could use to construct a new flower
Lesson supported by a Specialty Crops Grant from the Massachusetts
Department of Agricultural Resources.

2. Preparation
Collect a number of sample of flowers from the garden or schoolyard and bring them into the
classroom. Assemble picture of different pollinators and the flowers that they prefer to visit. Provide a
diverse assortment of materials that students can use to construct a new flower.
Introducing the Lesson
Activate prior knowledge: Ask students if they can name any pollinators. What do these pollinators
do? What types of flowers have they seen these pollinators visit in the garden? What do the
pollinators gain from visiting these flowers? How do the flowers benefit? Use images to introduce the
various types of pollinators. Discuss the type of flower each visits and how they access the pollen and
nectar. (10 Minutes.)
Engage Student Interest: Tell students that they are going to investigate a number of different
pollinators - insects, birds and mammals - and examine the types of flowers that each prefers to visit to
determine the characteristics that each pollinators seeks.
Procedure Total Time approximately sixty minutes.
In the Classroom:
1. Use images to introduce a variety of different pollinators. Discuss the type of flower that each
pollinator prefers to visits and how each accesses the pollen and nectar in these flowers. (10 minutes.)
2. Divide the class into working groups. Give each group of students an assortment of flowers to
investigate. Ask them to look closely at each flowers to find the flower parts including the pollen.
Have them make a guess as to what type of pollinator might be attracted to this flower. What
characteristics did they use to make their supposition. (10 minutes.)
3. Challenge each group to design a flower to attract that would attract a specific pollinator. Tell
them once they build their flower, they will present it to the rest of the class so that they can guess the
pollinator. Suggest that each member of the group create a drawing of a potential flower, The group
should then work together to pick one flower that they will build together. (10 minutes.)
4. Provide a variety of materials so that each group can construct their flowers. (20 minutes.)
5. Invite each group to present their flower to the rest of the class. They can tell a story or even act out
the pollination process. Ask the class to guess the pollinator that each flower is meant to attract. (10
minutes.)
This lesson supported by a Specialty Crops Grant from the Massachusetts
Department of Agricultural Resources.

3. Wrap Up
Ask each group how they might consider adapting their flower to make it more attractive to a specific
pollinator.
Assessing Student Knowledge:
Project images of flowers and ask students them to identify the process of pollination. Show images of
pollinators and ask what attracts pollinator each to flowers.
Extensions
Ask students to go outside in the garden and observe a specific flower. Watch carefully to see who
visit the flower. Draw pictures of the flowers and pollinators. Review the pollination and fertilization
process and how seeds are formed.
* MA Department of Education Standards in this lesson *
Life Science Standard 2. Identify the structures in plants that are responsible for food production,
support, . . . (etc.)
Life Science Standard 3. Recognize that plants and animals go though life cycles.
Books and Resources
Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom Newsletter on Pollination
http://aginclassroom.org/Newsletter/spring2006.html
Botany for All Ages by Jorie Hunken, Globe Pequot Press, 1993.
Project Seasons by Deborah Parrella, Shelburne Farms, VT, 1995.
Grow Lab Activities for Growing Minds from the National Gardening Association, 1990.
Please visit the Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom website at www.aginclassroom.org
to tell us how you used this Pollination Garden-Based Lesson
Lesson supported by a Specialty Crops Grant from the Massachusetts
Department of Agricultural Resources.

4. Methods of Pollination
Self pollination: Some flowers self pollinate, producing off spring that all resemble that parent. Violets produce
two kinds of flowers. One is showy and insect pollinated; a second self-pollinating one never opens to insects.
Wind Pollination: Flowers of wind-pollinated plants
are small, odorless and colorless; most have no petals.
They produce large amounts of lightweight pollen that
floats on wind currents. Some pollen grains reach female
flowers of the same plant. Long stamens and long
feathery stigmas and styles help disperse and catch the
pollen. Grasses, oaks, willows, birches, alders, poplars,
beeches, hickories, nut trees and conifers are wind
pollinated. A birch catkin (male flower) can produce
over five million pollen grains
Water Pollination: Rain water and dew can carry pollen
to other flowers.
Bee Pollinators: Bees are attracted to nectar and pollen as well as
sweet fragrant flowers. They visit flowers that are white, yellow,
lavender or blue, but can’t perceive red. They do however, see special
patterns that reflect ultraviolet light.
Many flowers that are attractive to bees have an irregular shape that
provides a landing platform. They also have flower markings that
guide bees in to land on the part of the flower where it can deliver
and collect pollen grains. Horse-chestnut tree flowers are cream
colored with a yellow honey-guide patch on the petals. When nectar
dries up, the yellow patch turns pink, becoming invisible to bees.
Bees visits only the flowers that need pollination.
When bees crawl
inside flowers
to suck nectar,
they also collect
pollen, carrying it
on their bodies and
their proboscises
(bee mouthpart).
Native bees include
bumblebees and a
large array of solitary
bees, slightly smaller
than the honey-bee,
which is not native to
N. America.

5. Wasp Pollinators: Wasps are also attracted to flowers that provide
nectar. Many orchids are pollinated by wasps. In some cases they
may lay their eggs on the orchid. Fig wasps carry pollen from
male to female flowers, which are located deep in the middle of
the fig.
Mosquito Pollinators: Mosquitoes are attracted to small, white
or green flowers.
Fly Pollinators: Flies are attracted to heavy musky smells; some
are also attracted to nectar. Many flies lay their eggs in decaying
flesh. Some fly- pollinated flowers are maroon with strong,
unpleasant odors. The flies lay eggs in the flower, inadvertently
pollinating it. The Eastern skunk cabbage and red trillium are
pollinated by flies.
Beetle Pollinators: Beetles are attracted to large bowl-shaped
flowers. They have strong biting jaws and feed voraciously on
pollen, but do not eat nectar. While feeding, they pollinate the
flowers. Beetles do not maneuver well when flying. They crawl
over the stamens, depositing pollen that they collected while
feeding on a previous flower. Flowers depending on them for
pollination are often large, so that there will be something left
over after the beetles have dined. Poppies, magnolias and waterlilies
are beetle pollinated.
Butterfly Pollinators: Butterflies are attracted to nectar, but do not
collect pollen. They perch on the flower and unfurl a long tongue,
which they insert into the floral tube to collect the nectar. Butterflies
prefer flowers with strong perfumes and brilliant colors, especially
red, pink, orange, blue or yellow. They often visit the same flowers
as bees.

6. Moth Pollinators: Since moths are nocturnal, the flowers they
pollinate tend to be pale white or yellow, more visible at night,
and very fragrant at dusk. Flowers are often tubular, so that the
nectar is accessible to long moth tongues. Many orchids are
pollinated by moths. Yuccas cannot develop seeds without the
help of their moth pollinator. The moth lays her eggs on the
flower and the caterpillars eat some of the Yucca seeds.
Hawkmoths or hummingbird moths prefer white or pastel
flowers that are fragrant and open as the sun goes down. The
striped hawkmoth is active during the daytime. It prefers blue
flowers.
Bird Pollinators: Most birds have a poor sense of
smell, so flowers depending on them for pollination do
not need to be fragrant. Hummingbirds are attracted
to red flowers. Many are long and tubular, often
borne sideways or drooping rather than upright. They
contain abundant nectar, so that the hummingbird
can hover before the flower and insert its long bill
and tongue to sip the nectar. Once in the garden,
hummingbirds will visit flowers of any color in
search of nectar and small insects.
Bat Pollinators: Bats are important
pollinators in tropical areas. Flowers adapted
to pollination by bats are large and pale with
lots of nectar. They have a strong fruity
fragrance, particularly at dusk when bats
begin to fly. Agave hides nectar deep inside
the flower. As the bat licks up nectar with
its long tongue, it collects pollen dust on its
head, carrying it to another flower.