Tiny Creatures, Big Jobs: The Bugs That Make Food Possible

Provided by: The Nature Conservancy |Published on: May 2, 2026

Lesson Plans

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Synopsis

In this three-lesson module with hands-on activities, students will explore the insects and decomposers that work to produce the food we eat.
Students will identify organisms in the soil, act as bees dispersing pollen, and create compost in a bottle.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Science

Authors: Nature Lab by The Nature Conservancy

Region: Global

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

This resource details the ecosystem services of pollinators and decomposers, with a focus on mutualism.
Each activity contains a helpful, quick assessment that teachers can perform to assess students' understanding.
Students will love the hands-on activities, especially if they are able to get to know the soil outside.

Prerequisites

For the first activity, students will need magnifying glasses, small trowels or spoons, shallow bins or trays, an outdoor soil patch or soil-filled container, and somewhere to record class findings.
For the second activity, students will need cotton balls, paper cups or clothespins, paper flowers, and something to represent pollen.
For the third activity, students will need clear 2-liter plastic bottles or clear jars, soil, food scraps, leaves or shredded paper, spray bottles with water, and labels.

Differentiation & Implementation

Before going through the activities, teachers can spend a class period on the vocabulary terms. It may benefit students to have a word wall or flash cards to refer to throughout the lessons.
Teachers may need to expand on some of the ideas touched on in the activities. For example, students may benefit from a more complete lesson (like this one) to understand the role of pollination in food production. Teachers may also need to explain the importance of healthy soil.
These activities can be used to explain the connection between Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero Hunger, and Sustainable Development Goal 15, Life on Land.

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About the Partner Provider

The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. The Nature Conservancy has grown to become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world.

Scientist Reviewed

This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.

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