HELP NEEDED for a class presentation

[beemaster]

Hello there,

I am so impressed with your website and very excited to have found it.  I hope that you don't mind my asking you a few questions.

I am a former Peace Corps Volunteer who recently returned from Paraguay South America where I was working as a beekeeper with Africanized Bees.  I am now going into the school systems to give science-based bee presentations to K-5 (in Los Angeles).  I'd like to inspire children with how fascinating bees are as well as educate them to what fundamental components of our existence these little creatures are.

I was researching on the internet and it seems as though you might be a good person to ask to point me in the right direction for educational outreach materials.  I'd like to make my presentations as interactive as possible using oversized photos, bees in resin, honeycomb samples but I don't know where to obtain those materials.

If you have the time and would like to let me know, I have my first presentation scheduled for Sept 7 in my home town in New Hampshire.  I live in Los Angeles now but I grew up on an apple orchard about 40 minutes outside of Boston.   I'm very excited and nervous.  I'd like the presentations to be first class and I know I will need a little help from those with more experience than I!

Thanks for your consideration,

Alanna

[BigRog]

Try to find a beekeeper
You might get lucky and find one with a obeservation hive.
Which would mean that you could bring a live hive with glass panels to watch the hive.

[pkoski]

Dadant & other bee suppliers sell study prints that show honey bee casts, behavior, life cycle, swarms, etc. The prints are about 18"X24" on heavy paper with text on the back. Cost is about $30. We use them for bee classes and exhibits.

[Beth Kirkley]

Like BigRog said, find a beekeeper in your area, and they'll most like be very willing to help you. A small hobby beekeeper would probably be more willing to help than someone with a large production..... but that wouldn't mean you should avoid a larger operation. Beekeepers are really friendly people, and usually love showing someone new about bees. (Sort of like converting everyone into beekeepers.)

Once you get into learning about them, you'll probably get hooked too. :)

Beth

[leominsterbeeman]

I recently (6 months ago) made up a presentation for this age group.  I need to upload it onto my website when i get it running.
http://www.leominsterbeeman.com

But these are the sources that I found useful.

download  the teachers' guide athttp://www.honey.com/education

for The honey files: a Bee's Life  

there are games at this site too.

Another good site is:

http://cyberbee.msu.edu/