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This article emphasizes the importance of pollinators, specifically the Rusty Patch Bumblebee, an endangered species in Illinois.
Opportunities exist through embedded links to extend learning about the Rusty Patch Bumblebee and make connections to local climate change by examining data and interactive maps.
A flow chart details the life cycle of the Rusty Patch Bumblebee while explaining the process of pollination.
Connections between changes in temperature and precipitation and the endangerment of bees are clearly laid out.
National interactive maps are embedded in the online version of the article that allow students to zoom in on Illinois and focus on their locations to see how climate change has affected the local populations of bees.
Vocabulary associated with pollination and the bumblebee life cycle is emphasized.
Prerequisites
Students should understand what an endangered species is.
In order to interact with the maps, ensure that students know their general location on a national map.
Access to a device and internet is required for interactive portions of this resource.
Broken links exist in the Footnotes 1 and 2.
Teachers can also access a PDF version of the article.
Differentiation & Implementation
Students can learn more about endangered species and the Endangered Species Act in this lesson.
To solidify the connection between extreme temperatures and climate change, students can research and graph the high temperatures for their local communities during periods of pollination to provide evidence for the declining number of bumblebees.
To extend this resource, students can design a pamphlet or poster on a local endangered species that is impacted by climate change.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Related Teaching Resources
All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.
