Summary Look closely at real hornets, their nest and pieces of the nest Science content Biology: Features, Adaptations of Living Things (K, 1, 3, 7) Materials dead hornets in petri dishes magnifiers hornet nest flashlight to look inside nest pieces of hornet nest shell to look at closely hornet nest cells to look at closely images of wasps developing in their cells Procedure Several stations for students to rotate through: Station 1: Look at real hornets closely. Draw them. Materials: Wasps in petri dishes with magnifiers Station 2: Look at the outside of nests. Peer into the complete one to see the cells inside. Station 3: Look at the outside of the nest with microscopes. Materials: 6 microscopes, whole outside of nest, tape to put some nest in journal Station 4: Look at the inside of the nest. Draw how they built it. Materials: Nest inside, individual cells in magnifier boxes. You tube video of nest building: layers of nest being added over time: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cymGYvpKGOg&feature=related time lapse of outside of nest being built: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JF25K9yg8oQ half a hornet’s nest, see larvae being fed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=v4h_DIQKPPI Notes Some children are allergic to wasp venom. This activity may need to be avoided, or at least the materials contained. Grades taught Gr 1 Gr 2 Gr 3
