Bees and Wasps Preschool Lesson Plan

The Bees and Wasps preschool lesson plan uses bees to practice patterns and sorting.  It also includes a craft, song, snack, and story.


1. Freeplay

2. Circle/Whole Group: Show the kiddos a bee or wasp you have caught in a mason jar or other large glass jar. Discuss the body parts you can see and review why it is an insect. Ask if anyone has seen bees or wasps before and share stories. Explain how bees collect nectar from flowers to make honey. Answer any questions kiddos have about bees and wasps. Release the bee when done.

3. Song: The Bees Go Buzzing--follow the melody and format of The Ants Go Marching. For example, "The bees go buzzing one by one. Hurrah, Hurrah!..." Stand and act out the words.

4. Story: "Buzz, buzz, buzz," Went Bumblebee by Colin West. Discuss how to be a good friend. Act out story.

5. Craft: Bees on a Flower. Paint thumbprint bees around a shape flower. Kiddos can glue pre-cut shapes to form the flower. A flower may, for example, have a square center and triangle petals. Paint their thumbs yellow and let them make thumb prints around the flower for bee bodies. Heads can be made from a painted finger-tip. After the yellow dries, they can add bee stripes, antennae, and faces with black paint, markers, or pens.

6. Learning Activity. Patterns and Colors. Match the patterns on the bees to the patterns on the flowers. Use the Beautiful Bees patterns at filefolderfun.com.

7. Snack: Smiling Bee Faces! Place small squares of cheddar cheese on whole-grain crackers to make a bee head. Draw a thin smile with cake-decorating icing. Let children add raisins for eyes.

8. Learning Activity. Sorting Honey Pots. Remind kiddos that bees make honey. Give each child a honey pot card. (Prepare cards in advance by drawing or printing honey pots on cardstock. Each pot should be either tall or short AND either red or yellow. Prepare a small variety. Also prepare 4 signs that read "tall," "short," "red," and "yellow." Each sign should be illustrated.) Place tall and shot signs in different sides of the room and have kiddos move to the sign that matches their card. Switch cards and repeat 2-3 times. Change signs and have kiddos match their card's color to the sign. Switch cards and repeat 2-3 times.

9. Freeplay outside. Begin with Follow The Bee. Explain how bees sometimes show or tell other bees where to find flowers. Pretend everyone is a bee and play Follow The Bee (just like Follow The Leader). Give everyone a turn. End with freeplay.

10. Circle to review and summarize day.

Supplies for the day:

caught bee or wasp

"Buzz, buzz, buzz," Went Bumblebee by Colin West

shapes for flower

glue sticks

yellow paint

paint brushes

black markers or pens

paper

bees and flowers with matching striped patterns

whole grain crackers

cheddar cheese

cake-decorating icing

raisins

honeypot cards (red or yellow AND short or tall)

illustrated signs: "tall," "short," "red," "yellow"