Pollinator Puppet Show

Introduction: Begin by telling the students that they will be producing a Puppet Show with the purpose of telling the story of a group of friends: Barry the Hummingbird, Eugene the Bee, Diva the Butterfly, and Karen the Bat. But before they begin, they have to learn who they are and what they do

Part 1: The Characters.

• Tell them the animals they just observed are called pollinators. They visit flowers to collect food (nectar). As the pollinators collect their food, they get pollen grains all over their hairs. As they fly from flower to flower, some of those pollen grains fall into the tube inside the flower. This process, called pollination, allows plants to make seeds! Without pollinators, we would not have several of the food we eat, like apples, blueberries, or chocolate.
• Ask students what they think makes a good pollinator. (A good pollinator: (1) is able to travel from flower to flower; (2) has hairs, scales or feathers; (3) has specialized mouth parts for collecting nectar from the plants they visits. )
• As you introduce the three concepts that make a good pollinator, ask them why they think each is important. (Being mobile and traveling from flower to flower helps plants make more plants. Having hairs, scales or feathers allows pollinators to collect pollen grains and transfer them to other flowers. Having specialized mouth parts encourages pollinators to collect nectar and visit multiple flowers).
• Create Your Puppets: Color each of the puppets. Cut and wrap the puppets around the finger (the rectangle area should wrap around). Use tape or glue stick to hold it together.

Part 2: Set Design. Tell students that because these animals have special characteristics that allow them to feed on different types of plants, the “set” for their show must include their favorite types of flowers. The Theater: Follow the steps below to set up the box.

1. Open the box from all sides (You can use any kind of box).
2. Place box sideways, so the shorter wings are on the side
3. Fold the longer wings on the top toward each other, tape together so it stays upward
4. Fold the longer wings on the inside toward each other, tape together so it stays upward
5. Decorate the sides and top to your liking.

• Props: Cut the Flowers provided and paste them along the inside edges of the box.
  • Alternative: draw or add your own (but keep the color scheme same)

Part 3: The Performance. Select students to be each a pollinator. Access the Pollinator Story Handout. There is a K-2 Level short story and two versions of a 3-5 Grade Level story:

1. Ad lib version, where students are able to include their own dialogue as the story progresses, and
2. A full story version, where the narrator tells the story while the students listen and act out everything that is being told.

Conclusion:

• After the show: Ask, which flowers do each of the pollinators like in the story?
  • Hummingbirds: scarlet, orange, red or white tubular-shaped flowers with no distinct odors.
  • Lesser long-nosed bats: dull white, green or purple flowers that emit strong musty odors at night.
  • Native Bees: bright white, yellow or blue flowers and flowers with contrasting ultraviolet patterns that have fresh, mild or pleasant odors.
  • Monarch Butterflies: bright red and purple flowers with a faint but fresh odor.
• Recap – ask students what makes a good pollinator (travel, hairs, special mouth parts).  Ask students how pollen moves from one flower to another (hairs, scales or feathers).  Ask students if they can remember the different types of pollinators (birds, bats, bees, and butterflies).