PIERRE, S.D. — A South Dakota Ag Foundation grant enabled a third grade class in Pierre to dive into the world of honeybees and their importance to agriculture.
The class secured the Ag Innovators Youth Education award this year, according to the foundation. Funding supported a hands-on unit covering honeybees, pollination, bee adaptations, the life cycle, agricultural commodities, and career paths in beekeeping and honey production.
Students received nonfiction books about bees, life cycle models and supplies to make beeswax lip balm. Materials also helped them study the adaptations that allow bees to thrive.
South Dakota Ag Foundation grant supports hands-on learning
The beeswax lip balm project quickly became a favorite, third grade teacher Amber Stout said. Students blended beeswax with coconut oil and shea butter, then poured the mixture into empty lip balm tubes.
“Students took a raw agricultural product, beeswax, and transformed it into a finished product they could take home,” Stout said. “This helped them understand value-added agriculture in a way that was exciting, tangible and relevant.”
Another activity used Cheetos, juice boxes and paper flowers to demonstrate pollination. Playing the part of bees, students “flew” around the room collecting Cheetos, then “landed” on their flowers. The orange dust helped visualize how pollen moves from place to place.
Stout said hands-on lessons help third graders connect academics to real life. “I am able to tie in science, reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, problem-solving and collaboration,” she said.
Exploring bee biology and beekeeping
The unit also featured footage from inside a hive to study the honeybee life cycle and discuss the roles within a colony. On another day, classmates dressed one student as a bee to highlight traits that aid in survival.
Literacy remained central throughout. Students read National Geographic titles on bees and completed writing assignments linked to the lessons.
The project concluded with a visit from a local beekeeper who brought a hive, tools and protective gear. Students sampled raw honey and asked questions about beekeeping practices.
Stout, who also farms, said she hopes the experience builds appreciation for agriculture and its reach. “I want them to realize that agriculture is so much more than crops and livestock. It involves science, innovation, problem-solving and the people who work hard to provide the food and products we depend on,” she said.