Overview
Are honey bees still dying off? The media seems to think so. But what if they’re wrong? Are they doing enough research? Does the media run negative stories for a reason? Explore these ideas as we investigate how the media is presenting the status of the honey bees, the current reality of the honey bee population, and the need to think critically and question the information provided from all sources.

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Lesson Insights

Grade level and subjects
• Recommended for grades 6-12
• Subjects: Science / Technology
• Works in Classroom, Hybrid, and Homeschool settings

What students will learn
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
• define the term "colony collapse disorder" and explain its significance in the context of honey bee populations;
• summarize the main arguments presented in the video regarding the media's portrayal of the honey bee population crisis;
• compare and contrast the information provided by media sources with scientific data on honey bee populations discussed in the video; and
• critique the media's role in shaping public perception about environmental issues.

Key concepts and terms covered
Colony Collapse Disorder, Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), Neonicotinoids, and Pesticides.

Sample discussion questions
• What is colony collapse disorder?
• What differences did you notice between how media and scientists explain the honey bee population trends?
• What happened to food production and prices in Sri Lanka when they were forced to go organic “overnight?” Are the consequences good or bad? Explain.
• Why are the anti-pesticides, anti-GMO movements called anti-capitalist movements in the video?
• Why is it important to question and fact-check the information you consume?

What’s in the free teacher’s guide
This printable 40-page Teacher's Guide includes a lesson description, learning objectives, key vocabulary, a fill-in viewing guide with answer key, discussion and analysis questions, and classroom activities.

Standards alignment
Aligned to state standards — use the SITC Standards Tool to match this video to the standards in your state.