8th Grade Science at Holmes Jr High
Home | Weathering and Soil | Earth Day | Meteorology | Tornadoes & Hurricanes Web Search | Search Engines | Astronomy | Insect Links | Meet Your Teacher | Assignments | Study Skills | WebQuests.... | Test Preparation
WebQuest: Honeybees

Honeybees, Honeybees Where have you gone?

A WebQuest for Middle School Science

Designed by:  Lisa Johnson

Copyright  2002, Lisa Johnson

Horizontal Divider 24

INTRODUCTION

Ever had a bee buzz your head or leave behind a stinger in your skin?  Most people have had a personal experience or two with a bee.  A few people are extremely allergic to bee stings (ever see the movie My Girl?) that can cause death if not treated immediately.  But have you ever thought about life without honeybees?  Would our life be the same, maybe better or possibly worse?

Horizontal Divider 24

TASK

Researchers have been worried about the declining population of bees for the past 10-15 years.  It is the year 2020 and an unfortunate finding has just been made, the Honeybee population has become extinct on the North American Continent. 
 
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has assigned you to a special research team.  Your job is twofold, one, find out the cause of bee eradication and two, predict how the extinction of the bees will affect our food supply and other living things in the future.  You will write a report to the U.S. and Canadian Departments of agriculture explaining your findings.
 
The U.S. government is sending private plane to pick you up, so pack your bags. Your team will be convening in the heartland of America...that's right Iowa.

Horizontal Divider 24
honeybee.jpg

Airplane Taking Off

PROCESS

The international research team will have 4 members.

Assign each team member to one of the following roles:

A.      Extinction Biologist- scientist who studies species extinctions and their causes and effects.

B.        Environmental Entomologist- scientist who specializes in the study of insects and their relationship in the food web.

C.       Economic Agronomist a specialist who understands the dollars and cents of how food crops like corn and soybeans are dependent upon insects for pollination.

D.     Beekeeper person who knows and raises bees for a living.

Keep in mind the TASK QUESTIONS when conducting your research.

·        What are the most plausible reasons for the extinction of the honeybees on the North American continent?

·        How will the extinction affect food crops like corn and soybeans?

·        How will the extinction affect other living things in the ecosystem?

If there is a term you do not understand, try this site for a glossary of bee terms. 

Horizontal Divider 24

Individual Research

Research links and questions for each role is found by clicking  on each role above.  For each role, there are several questions and Internet sites for each expert to peruse and surf through individually. 

  • Remember you need to become the expert by reading and studying the information. 
  • Take notes on what you learn, by hand or use a simultaneously running word processor.  Keep in mind you will need to answer the questions for each Internet site. 
  • The notes will be turned in at the end of the WebQuest. 
  • When following links within the sites listed, be aware of the source.  You may linked to information from an unreliable source.

GOOD LUCK!

 

Horizontal Divider 24


Individual Presentation

Once you have completed your research, your teacher will ask you to present your findings to the other group members. 
 
Please do not start the presentation until directed to by your teacher. 
 
Refer to the rubric #1 to see how you (individually) will be evaluated. 
  •  The presentation will last at least 10 minutes and feel free to use your notes and refer to the questions and answers that were part of your research. 
  • Team members listening to the presentation should ask questions if something is unclear. 
  • All roles will present at the direction of the teacher
Horizontal Divider 24
Writing the Report
 
Now click to find out what is required to write the report to the U.S. and Canadian Department of Agriculture.  See Rubric #2 to see how your group will be graded on the written report.
Horizontal Divider 24

Conclusion

Is if possible that honeybees could go extinct in the future?  The fact is bees have been declining in population in the past 10-15 years.  Will there be another animal, other than bees, that could fill the pollination niche of honeybees?

Humankind has not woven the web of life.
We are but one thread within it.
Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves.
All things are bound together.
All things connect.
... Chief Seattle