Over the last two years of on-and-off distance learning, the FFA motto of 鈥淟earning to Do, Doing to Learn鈥 has been nearly impossible to achieve. As students returned back into the classroom, they are eager to step away from the screen and work with their bare hands. With this in mind, I am requesting funding for my Buzzing to Success Project. Engaging in beekeeping will allow students to implement State AFNR (Agricultural, Food, and Natural Resources) Standards of AS.02 through AS.07. Students will engage in lessons of bee nutrition by creating pollen patties for feeding, food processing lessons by harvesting honey, reproduction lessons by creating a queen farm to create new queens, and maintenance lessons by checking for capped brood, queen health, and honey production.
Through this project, students can engage in the one animal production operation which they could implement at their homes, even those living in town: beekeeping. Currently, we have an observation hive set up where students can see the beehive operate from behind plexiglass. However, students cannot work with their hands by splitting a hive or processing honey; participating in these tasks will provide students with ownership of the agricultural production process. Heading into spring, we have three hive boxes and sets of bees donated to our program, but we are lacking the personal protection equipment needed for students to engage in beekeeping without concern for safety.
What is truly powerful with this project is a return to learning excitement for students. The COVID-19 pandemic not only set students behind on mastery of state standards, it has also zapped the love for education and learning from so many. Projects, such as this one, need to be implemented in school systems to help reengage students and help them rediscover their love of learning.
About my class
Over the last two years of on-and-off distance learning, the FFA motto of 鈥淟earning to Do, Doing to Learn鈥 has been nearly impossible to achieve. As students returned back into the classroom, they are eager to step away from the screen and work with their bare hands. With this in mind, I am requesting funding for my Buzzing to Success Project. Engaging in beekeeping will allow students to implement State AFNR (Agricultural, Food, and Natural Resources) Standards of AS.02 through AS.07. Students will engage in lessons of bee nutrition by creating pollen patties for feeding, food processing lessons by harvesting honey, reproduction lessons by creating a queen farm to create new queens, and maintenance lessons by checking for capped brood, queen health, and honey production.
Through this project, students can engage in the one animal production operation which they could implement at their homes, even those living in town: beekeeping. Currently, we have an observation hive set up where students can see the beehive operate from behind plexiglass. However, students cannot work with their hands by splitting a hive or processing honey; participating in these tasks will provide students with ownership of the agricultural production process. Heading into spring, we have three hive boxes and sets of bees donated to our program, but we are lacking the personal protection equipment needed for students to engage in beekeeping without concern for safety.
What is truly powerful with this project is a return to learning excitement for students. The COVID-19 pandemic not only set students behind on mastery of state standards, it has also zapped the love for education and learning from so many. Projects, such as this one, need to be implemented in school systems to help reengage students and help them rediscover their love of learning.
Read more