Curriculum Connection - Middle school; can be used in science curriculum when studying bees or life cycles 

MBallenger 5/3/08

 

 

APA Citation	Hosler, J. (2000). Clan Apis. Columbus, OH: Active Synapse.
ISBN	0-9677255-0-X	Rating	5Q/5P	Top 10	Yes
Media	Ink, computer		Grades/Subject	5+; biology
Annotation	With the use of cheesy humor and factual tidbits in small doses, the story follows the lifespan of a bee named Nyuki from larva through death.

 

 

TOP TEN (#1.) - Hosler, J. (2000). Clan Apis. Columbus, OH: Active Synapse.

ISBN-10: 096772550X

 

ISBN-13: 978-0967725505

 

The life cycle of a bee, her sisters, brothers, nieces, nephews, and their colony told in a humorous and touching story that encompasses the entire circle of life.

 

*Use in Science classes (life science unit) [6^th – 8^th grade].

 

Media: Ink/Computer

 

6Q/6P

 

Clan Apis Lesson Plan

 

CJS 4/30/08

 

 

 

 

 

Art: Black and white comic book style art

 

Age Range: Grades 5 - 8

What the book is about: This story follows the life of Nyuki, a clever bee with a corny sense of humor, through her complete life cycle.  Her friendships and desire to overcome her fears make this bee especially lovable.

Notes: Orginally ran as a series of five comic books.

Rating: P4/Q5

 

 

JMB 04/30/08

 

 

 

Genre and Themes: Fiction, Biology, Bees

 

 

 

Clan Apis, by Jay Hosler. Active Synapse, Columbus OH, 2000. 978-0-9677255-0-5

Summary: The life cycle, evolution, behavior, and anatomy of bees is explained through the story of Nyuki, a worker bee.

Analysis: Another completely awesome graphic novel. The author is a biologist who's studied bees for many years, so he incorporates all sorts of obscure and wonderful facts into a funny and touching story. There are all sorts of little surprises in the names of the characters (Nyuki means "bee" in Swahili. Also present are Dvorah, Hachi, Zambur, Melissa, and Sysiphus the dung beetle). The story is told with sophisticated yet not overly academic language, defining unusual terms unobtrusively. The evolutionary cosmology myth as told by bees at the beginning is worth the price of the entire book in its amusement value.

Illustrations: very accurate pen-and-ink line drawings.

Curricular Connections: biology or ecology class, anywhere from 5th grade up. 

 

-- SLH 

 

The Bees' Knees (Sarah Hartman)

Key Text: Clan Apis, by Jay Hosler.

Materials: Copies of the text for each student, pots, potting soil, and bee balm plants.

Grade Level: 5th grade

Subject: Interdisciplinary, but focusing on biology/ecology

Time allotted: 1 month

Goals:

    * Students will learn about the honeybee and pollination of plants

    * Students will select topics that interest them and research further information

    * Students will work in groups to present information on their topic in a creative manner

    * Students will identify bees in the wild

Students will read "Clan Apis" for homework, and discuss the book in class the next day.  Honeybee lifecycle and plant pollination will be discussed in greater depth to make sure all students understand the major concepts discussed in "Clan Apis".  An overview of the wider ecology of honeybees will also be covered, along with other bee species that students might have encountered in their area.

Students will break into groups of 3-5 and select a topic from elements in "Clan Apis" suggested by the teacher.  Possible topics might be

    * Honeybee communication

    * Jobs in the hive

    * World mythology about bees

    * Predators of the honeybee

    * What flowers attract honeybees the most

    * How bees make honey

    * How beekeepers manage a hive

Students will research their topics using the school and/or public library, and create a display and short presentation explaining what they have learned.

Student groups will present their topics in class and answer questions.

As a followup activity, the class will take a field trip to a farm or arboretum (in this area, the Arnold Arboretum would be ideal) and identify bees and other pollinators that they have learned about. 

Modifications: If any students have beesting allergies, extra care should be taken on the fieldtrip.  If a student is seriously phobic of bees, they could chose to research butterflies, bats, or other pollinators instead.