# Observation Hives in school classrooms?



## Bonterra Bees

I; http://www.bonterrabees.com/home.html have teachers asking about public school policy and attitudes toward my Observation Hives in a classroom.
Does anyone have comments or experience with ObHs in public schools and public centers?
Mark

You can't think like a bee but you can watch them think.


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## sqkcrk

Every cpl of yrs our local elementary school has Conservation Days. I take a one frame observation hive, my suit and gloves, a suit that is kid size, helmet veil and gloves, a smoker, a hive tool and picture posters of bees and such. Oh, and some honey.

I like to ask the kids about what they might know. You'd be surprised. One year I got a Trucker out of the deal. A young girl brought me some pictures of her Dad and his semi loaded w/ bee hives, Hackenburgs hives. He has hauled for me ever since.

School Policy? I don't know. Individual or School District Policies I imagine. All different.


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## papamoose

You have to ask and be willing to go the extra mile in the education aspect. I offered to teach the first graders their yearly insect class, and to be part of any other teacher/school bee talks, and I have a complete hive at the school in the outdoor learning lab. I go out, put a few frames in my ulster hive and bring it right into the classroom.


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## mherndon

I also use an Ulter Observation hive. Teachers and kids are all wide eyed when they look into to window. There is so much to be learned from an observation hive. If the school does not allow such a learning experience, they are not educated enough to know how safe a properly constructed observation hive can be. I have kids from two years ago that say, "Look there goes the bee man". This does stick in there heads.

Mark


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## Rick 1456

I posted this on another thread about a teacher that asked about this:scratch: 
I remember one when I was in 9th grade biology OBH that is. FACINATING Better than an aquarium and so much more to understand. It is unfortunate that in this litigious society,,the decision makers fear the remotest scenario consequence. It's not their fault,,,,it's the parents,,,and the children are the lessor for it. My wife is a teacher, and I think you would be blown away at the politics that have entered the education system. sorry,,,I'll get off the soap box.
My 3 cents
Rick SoMd


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## sqkcrk

Seeing the observation hive in The Castle at the Smithsonian Institute on the Mall in Washington, DC layed the ground work in my brain that lead to what I do for a living. At least that is the first time I can recall seeing bees up close as a kid.

Was it design, coinsidence or a matter of not having more room, but the Wright Brothers plane, The Spirit of St. Louis and bees were all in the same museum. Connecting thread being that they all fly. Maybe I'm reaching.


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## beekeeper1756

Initially, this is very tricky.

I can speak directly to this point.

I think observation hives that are safe and secure are a fabulous idea for elementary classrooms. The opportunity to expand the classroom with some hands-on activities would teach a lesson that the kids could remember for the rest of their lives.

On the other hand, students and adults who may or may not have anaphalactic allergies to bee stings, etc. make this prospect a law suit nightmare or a lawyer's dream suit. I can literally hear the legal questions in my head: Did you inform the parents, did you have permission slips signed by the parents with informed consent, etc.

Still, I'm all for observation hives if they are under constant adult supervision at all times and I mean, at all times. It would only take one curious boy to accidentally break that hive and yes, 9 times out of 10 it would be a boy.

This could be done but it would have to be done right. 

Personally and professionally, I think it should be done.

I speak from a unique perspective.


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## sqkcrk

That being said, one of my most fond memories was when Lew LeCompte, my mentor, and I went to a local elementary school to collect a swarm from a poplar tree that was on the edge of the school parking lot. 

Imagine the two of us in our 18th century clothing. 

We collected the swarm onto a sheet and into a hive while school kids watched us. Then we put the hive near one of the bushes in the front yard of the school. 

After it had been there for a week or two, Lew and I returned and a number of times that day we showed each class what the bees had done by way of drawing comb and we showed them the queen. We did this by opening the hive while the children were at a distance and then taking the comb w/ the queen over to them w/in their sight distance. Fun for them, fun for us.

But, times have changed , I guess.

I take a single frame observation hive to church each year for Flower Communion or Harvest Sunday. Used to creep one of our co-ministers out, but he endured the experience.


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## Bonterra Bees

Bravo Mark Berninghausen
You give meaning to what I often tell people: "beekeepers are characteristically
great people"
My childhood experiences with my bees left an indelible attitude in my brain that has served me well and I hope has made me one of those better people.

I would still like to hear from others who've had recent experience with classroom ObHs.
Mark
http://www.bonterrabees.com/home.html


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## devdog108

Hey Bonaterra, Have you met sq? Sorry I couldn't resist after how some of the recent threads......anywhooooo Last year for Career Day i was asked to bring in an OB. Little cool to be breaking their cluster, but I went ahead and did it anyway. I taught 5 classes for the school for 5 hrs and lugged that heavy thing around everywhere.....it was awesome. I am called the beeman at their school and plan on doing it again this year. With the amount of things that beeking has taught me in such a very short time(I am living proof God has a sense of Humor) I feel compelled to pass it on and have fun doing it!

Dev


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## D Coates

I did it for my kids school with a Ulster hive and a bunch of other touch and feel items. It's the second time I've done it. It's a private school so I don't know if their regs are different than the others. I am probably overly cautious but I know bees freak some people out so I try to be concious, and careful of this.

Unknown to me I did have some hitchhikers (100+) under the screen of my Ulster hive the first time I presented. They got loose in my car and I capped off the bottom before the presentations. All went well but it could have been an absolute disaster. After this I put another screen (about 1/2 of an inch separates them) under the Ulster hive to ensure feeding couldn't occur through the screens and to make it easy to check before moving. All has been well since.

I do have a 5-frame OB hive, similar to your Bontera set-up, that's permanently installed in my office. Here too, I've worked hard to minimize any potential bee related risks the employees could be exposed to by installing additional back up safety mechanisms and putting the exit/entrance up and away from potential interactions.


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## duck_nutt

I also plan on taking an observation hive to my kids school next year...I've already talked to several teachers who said they'd love for their kids to see it...guess I better do a little homework and get a presentation ready...It's a small private school too. We'll check with the headmaster before I bring the hive to the school, but they'll probably be OK with it.. i'm taking notes


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## sqkcrk

devdog108 said:


> Hey Bonaterra, Have you met sq? Sorry I couldn't resist after how some of the recent threads......
> Dev


Watch it dev, my burning house might just fall on your dawg. Heh, heh.

What happened to numbers 1 through 107?


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