Published March 24, 2008 01:24 pm - The students were surprised about the mysterious disappearance of bees, which farmers rely on to grow their fruits and vegetables.
Save the bees, save the world
Students tackle decline in population
By John Basilesco
THE EAGLE-TRIBUNE (NORTH ANDOVER, Mass.)
PELHAM, Mass.
—
"Save the Bees" is the title of a brochure a group of Pelham High School students created as part of an unusual science project.
After learning how billions of bees have been disappearing mysteriously, a science class decided to take it on as a research project. The students learned of the issue from a "60 Minutes" segment last month.
The students were surprised about the mysterious disappearance of bees, which farmers rely on to grow their fruits and vegetables.
With approval from science teacher Janet Holden, the class of 20 students divided up into groups of five to look into different aspects of the topic.
Sophomore Allie Masson, 15, called California beekeeper David Hackenburg to interview him. He first noticed the problem and was featured on the original "60 Minutes" segment last year. Other students contacted local beekeepers and local golf courses to see if they use the chemical blamed for the bee problem in their fertilizers and insecticides.
They also created their own Web site and a brochure, which is helping them sharpen their computer and writing skills.
"This started as a simple discussion in class and they took off on it. This is their project," Holden said. "It was one of the best teaching experiences because I did not have to say, 'This group is going to do that.' They volunteered. We kept putting things up on the board and groups volunteered to do different things."
Jen Negron, 15, said tackling this project is a fun way to learn.