Tapestry of Faith: Creating Home: A Program on Developing a Sense of Home Grounded in Faith for Grades K-1

Activity 1: Introducing Beehives

Part of Creating Home

Activity time: 5 minutes

Materials for Activity

Preparation for Activity

  • Review the rhyme and the hand movements that accompany the rhyme so you will be comfortable leading this activity.
  • Optional: If you would like to know more about bees before leading this session, read Leader Resource 1, Background on Bees and Beehives. Optional: Review the story, "Aesop's Fable of the Worker Bee, the Drone, and the Wasp." If you have time and think the group might enjoy it in addition to the rhyme and hand movements, use Alternate Activity 1: Story - Aesop's Fable of the Worker Bee, the Drone, and the Wasp directly after this activity.

Description of Activity

Show children Leader Resource 2, Beehive Poster, the poster you will use to decorate your meeting space. Identify the beehive on the poster.

Say in your own words:

Today we will learn about the animal that lives in this home. Do you know what it is? That's right: bees. Our poster shows the home, the beehive. But where are the bees?

Recite this rhyme to the children and perform the hand movements indicated:

Here is the beehive

(Raise your closed fist with the back of your hand to the children.)

Where are the bees?

Hidden inside where nobody sees.

Now they come creeping out of the hive.

(Slowly begin to unfold your hand.)

One, two, three, four, five...

(Quickly pop up one finger for each number.)

Buzzzzzzzz!

(Move your fingers to imitate bees flying.)

Teach the rhyme, line by line, without the movement. Ask the children to repeat the words after you say each line.

Then ask them to follow your hand motions as you repeat each line, with the movement. Finally, lead the group in saying all the lines together with the movement.

If you have decided to present Alternate Activity 1: Story - Aesop's Fable of the Worker Bee, the Drone, and the Wasp, invite the children to hear you tell the story now. See Alternate Activity 1 for questions to guide a follow-up discussion.