Beekeeping & Pollinators - Block
Course Description: Bees pollinate our crops and orchards; they are an environmental quality indicator species and they provide honey. Explore beekeeping using onsite hives; explore pollinators and habitats, and network with local beekeepers. This hands-on class will use our school land lab to teach you basic skills to start or enhance your own native gardens, or pollinator habitats while maintaining our school hives and earning credit through NWTC.
Ongoing Resources:
The Honey Files Additional Worksheets (Link).
Week One - 4/3 to 4/4:
Intro. NWTC Syllabus (GDoc). MHS Syllabus (GDoc). Bee Waiver (PDF). Bee Memories/Intro.
Basic History. Notes (GSlides).
Bee Biology. Biology Notes (PDF).
Week Two - 4/7 to 4/11:
Bee Biology. Honey Bee ID (PDF). Bee Dissection (Link).
Hive Types, Tools, Terminology. Terms Worksheet (GDoc). Hive Types Notes (to draw) (Link). Tools Notes (Link). Tool Use FYI (Link).
Pollinator Safety. No Fear of Stings (Link). Bee Fact Sheet (Link).
Epi Pen Training. Epi For Dilly (Link).
Week Three - 4/14 to 4/17:
Pollinator ID. Wisconsin Bee ID PDF (Link).
Hive Inspection. Inspection Guide (GDoc). Queen ID Tips (GDoc). Inspection Worksheet (Link). Inspection Checklist (Link).
Marketing Hive Products & ByProducts. Honey Benefits Reading (GDoc). Notes (Link).
Week Four - 4/21 to 4/25:
Equptiment Grants and Building. Obtain Bees Methods Notes (GDoc). Buying Bees Article (Link).
Extraction. Q/A (GDoc). Notes 1 (Link). Notes 2 (Link).
Hive Signage, Safety, and Placement. DATCP Regulations (Link).
Week Five - 4/28 to 4/2:
Bee Budgets. Budget Task (GDoc). Capital Bee (Link).
FYI - Winterizing and Cold Climates for Bees. Feeding Bees Reading (Link). Winter Tips (Link).
Year In the Life of a Bee Keeper. Notes Start Page 16 (Link). Bees By Month (Link).
Week Six - 5/5 to 5/9:
Pests and Threats to the Hive. Pest Notes (Link). Pest Best Management Practices (Link). Notes Start Page 17 (Link).
Varroa Mite Inspection. Sugar Roll Method (Link).
IPM. Protecting Bees At Home (Link).
CCD. Notes (GSlides).
Week Seven - 5/12 to 5/16:
Native Pollinators - ID - WI Plant ID List (PDF). Stone Silo Site (Link). UW Extension (Link). WI DNR (Link).
Week Eight - 5/19 to 5/23 (National Convention):
Native Pollinators - Planting & Invasive Removal and Threats. Article (Link).
Week Nine - 5/27 to 5/30:
Work Time on Finals & Bee Movie & The Pollinators Movie & Long Term Impact Plan (Grant/Project/Add-On)
Week Ten - 6/2 to 6/6:
Finals & SAE Presentations
Ongoing Resources:
The Honey Files Additional Worksheets (Link).
Week One - 4/3 to 4/4:
Intro. NWTC Syllabus (GDoc). MHS Syllabus (GDoc). Bee Waiver (PDF). Bee Memories/Intro.
Basic History. Notes (GSlides).
Bee Biology. Biology Notes (PDF).
Week Two - 4/7 to 4/11:
Bee Biology. Honey Bee ID (PDF). Bee Dissection (Link).
Hive Types, Tools, Terminology. Terms Worksheet (GDoc). Hive Types Notes (to draw) (Link). Tools Notes (Link). Tool Use FYI (Link).
Pollinator Safety. No Fear of Stings (Link). Bee Fact Sheet (Link).
Epi Pen Training. Epi For Dilly (Link).
Week Three - 4/14 to 4/17:
Pollinator ID. Wisconsin Bee ID PDF (Link).
Hive Inspection. Inspection Guide (GDoc). Queen ID Tips (GDoc). Inspection Worksheet (Link). Inspection Checklist (Link).
Marketing Hive Products & ByProducts. Honey Benefits Reading (GDoc). Notes (Link).
Week Four - 4/21 to 4/25:
Equptiment Grants and Building. Obtain Bees Methods Notes (GDoc). Buying Bees Article (Link).
Extraction. Q/A (GDoc). Notes 1 (Link). Notes 2 (Link).
Hive Signage, Safety, and Placement. DATCP Regulations (Link).
Week Five - 4/28 to 4/2:
Bee Budgets. Budget Task (GDoc). Capital Bee (Link).
FYI - Winterizing and Cold Climates for Bees. Feeding Bees Reading (Link). Winter Tips (Link).
Year In the Life of a Bee Keeper. Notes Start Page 16 (Link). Bees By Month (Link).
Week Six - 5/5 to 5/9:
Pests and Threats to the Hive. Pest Notes (Link). Pest Best Management Practices (Link). Notes Start Page 17 (Link).
Varroa Mite Inspection. Sugar Roll Method (Link).
IPM. Protecting Bees At Home (Link).
CCD. Notes (GSlides).
Week Seven - 5/12 to 5/16:
Native Pollinators - ID - WI Plant ID List (PDF). Stone Silo Site (Link). UW Extension (Link). WI DNR (Link).
Week Eight - 5/19 to 5/23 (National Convention):
Native Pollinators - Planting & Invasive Removal and Threats. Article (Link).
Week Nine - 5/27 to 5/30:
Work Time on Finals & Bee Movie & The Pollinators Movie & Long Term Impact Plan (Grant/Project/Add-On)
Week Ten - 6/2 to 6/6:
Finals & SAE Presentations