Module 4 – Bee Friendly Environments (UB)

Class Discussion

Access the Geelong Data Exchange website to conduct an investigation of your school area.  The Geelong Data Exchange is an open, publicly accessible data platform managed by the City of Greater Geelong which allows you to search plants in your area.

• How to use the Geelong Exchange website
• Geelong Data Exchange website

The City of Greater Geelong is working together with the community to use data to solve big problems and to become a smart city.

Activity

Visit the Geelong Data Exchange website and search the area where you live. Record some plants and their quantities below.

Class Discussion

Conduct an audit of the school yard to assess if it is a bee friendly environment.  Explore and take photos around the school, collecting data and interview relevant people in the school e.g. Principal, landscape gardener or school grounds person.

Print the PDF below and use it for your audit.

• School Yard Checklist

Create a checklist of the requirements for a bee friendly environment and assess how well your school meets the requirements. Use the resources below to help you.

• Bee friendly environments
• Indigenous plants of Geelong Region 
• Why Honey bees need water 

Activity

Upload your completed audit below.

Class Discussion

Share your finding from your schools audits

• What’s something new you discovered?
• What’s something interesting you discovered?
• What’s something alarming you discovered?

Activity

Brainstorm some actions you and/or your class can take to make your school yard a more bee friendly environment. For example; presetting your findings to the school landscaper; organise a seed fundraiser; undertake some gardening activities.