The Honey Bee's Hive: A Thriving City (Spectacular Animal Towns)
Spectacular Animal Towns Series
on Goodreads (9)
What’s inside...
Tour one of nature's coolest towns—the honey bee's hive! Thousands of honey bees live and work in their hive. These intricate towns are made up of hexagonal cells that can store honey and pollen, or serve as the nursery. In their highly structured society, work is divided among queen, drone, and worker bees. Each of the honey bees has a job to do, and when they all work together, their communities thrive! Jaw-dropping photos, a habitat map, and fascinating information will captivate young readers as they learn about these truly spectacular animal towns.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
7-12
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Character compass
Queen Bee
Drone Bee
Worker Bee
Discussion points
What similarities do you notice between a bee's hive and our city?
How do you think teamwork helps the bees in their hive?
Why is each bee's role important for the hive's survival?
What would happen if the queen bee wasn't there?
Can you think of ways we can help protect the bees and their hives?
Tip: Role play these questions
Before reading, briefly explain the concept of animal habitats and communities to set the context.
While discussing the questions, relate the bees' roles to family or community roles the child is familiar with.
Encourage your child to imagine being a bee for a day and describe what they would do in the hive.
After reading, explore more about bees together, whether through online videos or a visit to a local nature center.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Teamwork and Cooperation
Explanation: The book describes how bees in a hive work together harmoniously to support the hive's wellbeing, highlighting roles like workers, drones, and the queen.
Real-World Application: Children can apply this lesson by participating in group activities at school or collaborating with siblings at home, understanding the importance of each member’s role in achieving a common goal.
Example Lesson: Responsibility and Duty
Explanation: Each bee has a specific role that contributes to the survival of the hive, such as gathering pollen or protecting the hive.
Real-World Application: This can teach children the importance of personal responsibilities, such as completing homework or chores, which contribute to the welfare of their family or class.
Example Lesson: Importance of a Healthy Environment
Explanation: The book shows how bees depend on their surrounding environment for resources, emphasizing the necessity of a clean and safe habitat.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to be mindful of maintaining clean spaces at home and school and understand the broader impact of environmental care on community well-being.
Example Lesson: Adaptation and Problem Solving
Explanation: Honey bees often encounter challenges such as weather changes or threats from predators, and they adapt to overcome these.
Real-World Application: This teaches children the skills of adapting to new situations or solving unexpected problems, which they can apply in their academic and personal lives.