Blue Colour Group- Intermediate
Pollinator Relay Race
Time: 15 min
Activity Overview
Students will learn about the important relationship plants and pollinator insects share. They will have the
chance to search for pollinators and learn all about cross pollination through a relay race.
*This activity will be led by a Toronto Regional Conservation Authority (TRCA) Staff member. You will be
assisting with the activity. Students will take part in a relay race.
Objectives
Students will learn about cross-pollination and why it is important.
Setup
Place the large purple flowers next to the spinners. Have each group line up behind their spinner. Place the 8
flower magnet boards at least 10 feet from the spinners and main Purple flowers. This will represent the
meadow the bees travel to.
Materials
-
2 bee puppets
8 flower magnet boards
Magnets representing pollen
2 spinners
Safety
Ensure students are aware of their surroundings.
What will I be doing? (Procedure):
Before you start your presentation check with the teacher or chaperone that the entire group is present
and ready to start.
Instructions
Divide the group into two teams and have them line up in a line. The first person in the line is to wear
the bee puppet and spin the flower wheel. The wheel will direct the bee to the flower.
There are three different flowers: Red, Blue and Yellow. Whichever colour the spinner lands on is the
flower the bee is to go to. Once the bee arrives to the flower it must remove one pollen chip and bring
it back the home flower. It then is to go to the end of the line and sit down.
Once everyone on the team has had a chance to spin the wheel the game is over. To see which team
won look at the home flowers. The flower that is more diverse in pollen wins. Most participants will
think this is a relay race, when in fact the goal is to visit all three flowers.
Debrief by asking students what would happen if there were no pollinators. Would there be seeds
created? What happens when there are no seeds?
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Blue Colour Group- Intermediate
Background Information
Before flowers can produce, they must be pollinated. Pollination is the transfer of pollen by pollinators,
wind, or other means. This process occurs when pollen, which is produced in the plant’s male
reproductive organ, or stamen, is exposed to the pistil found within the female’s reproductive part.
Once pollination takes place, seeds begin to develop. Pollination is an important part of a plant’s life
cycle, from flowering plants to non-flowering ones. Without pollination, most plants could not produce
fruit or set seeds.
Flowers smell good and are beautiful colours so they can attract pollinators. One common pollinator is
the bee.
Pollen Takes a Ride

The bee forages around inside the flower looking for food (nectar and pollen). As the bees
move around, their feet slip into tiny grooves, grooves that are filled with sacs of pollen. The
pollen has come from the anther of the flower, the anther being the male part of the flower.
When the bee's feet fall into these grooves, the pollen sacs stick to the bee's leg. When the
honeybee flies off, the pollen from the anther flies off with it, literally taking a ride.
Delivering the Pollen

When the bee arrives at another flower, the bee forages around and the pollen may fall off or
get rubbed off of the bee's leg onto the stigma (female part) of that flower. The flower has just
been pollinated by the honeybee. This process results in the creation of a seed a short time
later.
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