Cross Curriculum

priorities of
Sustainability
Native bees are crucial to our ecosystems as they pollinate native plants which can’t
always be pollinated by introduced bee species. Australian native bees ‘buzz
pollinate’ which is essential to some native plants, as they need vibration to pollinate
(Good living, 2017). This is why I thought getting the students to design a native bee
hotel was a very useful task to complete as part of their STEM project for the term.
The Australian native bees are losing their homes due to habitat destruction, as a
result of increased human population growth. Clearing of the native vegetation
to build housing and commercial sites leaves the bees with no safe places to
find food and live.

Throughout the design brief and the lesson plan students are instructed to critically
think about how they can construct a native bee hotel, that will encourage native
bees back into the area. During this project the students look at using recycled
materials to create their bee hotels. This teaches students that it is important to
repurpose materials, therefore reducing waste and the necessity for landfills
(Australian Curriculum, 2019). Students also look into the impact humans have on
the population numbers of the Australian native bee. The bees are needed to help
preserve the native biosphere. This helps the students become aware of the intricate
connections between all living elements (Australian Curriculum, 2019).

This project meets the United Nations Sustainability Goals of ‘Life on land’ and ‘Zero
hunger’ (Sustainable Development Goals, 2019). Life on land looks at protecting and
restoring the population of native bees which has a direct impact on native
vegetation regeneration, which provides food and habitat for existing native animals
and humans. This project also connects with zero hunger as bees pollinate plants
that produce food. Without the bees, this cycle would not be possible leading to
potential starvation of the human population. The understanding of the dynamic
connections within the ecosystem is an important part of developing future
sustainability for the ensuing generations.