Background:
The aim of this session is to teach children the principles behind pollination of
flowers by insects.
Learning Objectives:
• Understanding the process of
pollination
• Explore and discover
interesting features of
habitats
• Improve understanding of
conservation and biodiversity
Key Topics Science, PE and Games
Links to the National Curriculum
Programme of Study
Science Y3-4: identify the function of
different parts of flowering plants,
explore the part that flowers play in
pollination and seed dispersal, name a
variety of living things in their local
environment
Y5-6-describe the life process of
reproduction in some plants, describe
the differences in the life cycles of an
insect and a bird, classifying animals
based on specific characteristics i.e
invertebrates.
Location: Indoors or outdoors
Equipment:
 A4 Sheets with a picture of
a flower on one side, and a
(insect-pollinated) fruit on
the other (1 per child)
 Pom poms (can be bought
from art and craft shops) or
cotton wool balls
 Strong, double sided sticky
tape (eg carpet tape) to
attach the pom poms to
the flowers and the sheets
to the children’s clothing
 Optional: Sets of wings for
the children who will act as
the pollinators
Key Words:
Pollinator, Flower, Pollen,
Nectar
Instructions:
Choose a couple of children to be pollinators (in a class of 15, 4 pupils acting as
pollinators works). The other children have a flower stuck to their chests. If you
can, don’t let them see the fruit on the other side, as it makes it more fun for
them to discover what they turn into once pollinated. A piece of double-sided
tape should be placed in the centre of each flower, and a pom pom attached.
This is the pollen.
The pollinators now chase the flowers in a game of tag.
When a flower is tagged, they must give their pollen to the pollinator. If the pollinator
is already carrying pollen, they give this to the flower they have just tagged to
pollinate it. When this happens the flower can turn over their piece of paper and turn
into a fruit. They are now out of the game.
( You can add an extra ‘wilting and turning into a seed’ action for the
children to perform after they hand over their pollen, just for fun!)
There isn’t a winner as such, you just keep going until all the flowers have
been pollinated and turned into fruits.
Before playing the game, explain pollination very simply in class.
For differentiation or for older students, you can add restrictions such as
only blue flowers can be pollinated by blue pollen, by using coloured
cotton wool balls.