Pollinators and Native Species

Overview

In lesson 6 of 9, students explore how flowering plants, pollinators, crops and native habitats are connected. They use evidence from diagrams and farm scenarios to explain how native biodiversity supports ecosystem stability and primary production, then propose practical protection or restoration actions.

Learning intentions

• WALT explain a pollination relationship.
• WALT describe how native biodiversity supports healthy ecosystems and food production.
• WALT identify management actions that protect or restore biodiversity on farms and orchards.
• WALT justify why native species and habitats should be protected.

Success criteria

• I can describe what happens in one pollination relationship.
• I can name a realistic biodiversity management action.
• I can explain how the action could benefit a farm, orchard or native species.
• I can justify why protecting native biodiversity supports a healthy ecosystem and primary production.

Curriculum links

• Biological Science — Ecosystems: human activity can cause habitat destruction and biodiversity loss.
• Biological Science — Ecosystems: human activity can alter environments faster than some species can adapt.
• Biological Science — Ecosystems: sustainable agricultural methods can reduce or offset environmental impacts.
• Biological Science — Ecosystems: interpreting diagrams and data to evaluate how human activity influences ecosystem stability and biodiversity.

Lesson structure (45 minutes)

1. 0–5 min · Hook and prior learning. Teacher displays the opening farm pollination image showing a flowering crop beside native vegetation and asks, “What might happen to this crop if pollinators and native habitats disappeared?” Students make an individual prediction, then share one idea with a partner. Invite two or three responses and connect to the previous lesson’s learning about biodiversity and ecosystem stability.

2. 5–12 min · Direct teaching: connected systems. Teacher uses the pollination relationship diagram to model a relationship such as mānuka flower → bee → pollen transfer → seed or fruit production. Clarify that pollination is the transfer of pollen between flowers, often by insects, birds, wind or other animals. Explain that native plants can provide food, shelter and nesting sites for pollinators, while pollinators can support both native plant reproduction and crop production. Students annotate the diagram on the pollinators and native species worksheet by adding arrows and labels for flower, pollinator, pollen, fruit or seed, and habitat.

3. 12–22 min · Collaborative relationship sorting. Teacher places students in groups of three or four and gives each group a set of relationship images and statements from the worksheet, such as “native shrubs provide shelter”, “bees transfer pollen”, “flowers provide nectar”, and “pollinated crops produce more fruit”. Students sort the items into a chain or network, draw connecting arrows, and discuss where farm management could strengthen or weaken the relationships. Circulate and ask, “What evidence shows this relationship?” and “What could interrupt it?”

4. 22–32 min · Farm scenario investigation. Teacher assigns each group one scenario from the farm management scenario slides and reads the instructions aloud. Scenarios may include removing hedgerows, spraying during flowering, planting native margins, retaining wetlands, or creating shelter and nesting areas. Students complete the worksheet table: human activity, effect on habitat or pollinators, likely effect on biodiversity or production, and a management response. Each group prepares a brief explanation using the frame: “If the farm…, then…, because…”.

5. 32–40 min · Share and justify. Teacher facilitates a rapid group report-back, recording actions in two columns: “protect” and “restore”. Students listen for links between biodiversity, ecosystem stability and primary production, and add one useful idea to their worksheet. Challenge groups to consider possible trade-offs, such as production space, spray timing, weeds, cost or maintenance. Ask, “Why is this more than simply helping one species?”

6. 40–45 min · Individual exit response. Teacher asks students to complete the final section of the individual explanation and exit response independently. Students answer: “Describe one pollination relationship, name one action a farm or orchard could take, and justify why native biodiversity should be protected.” Collect responses to assess the success criteria and address misconceptions in the next lesson.

Resources

• the Pollinators and Native Species slide deck
• the Pollinators and Native Species investigation worksheet
• Projector or interactive display
• Board and markers
• Coloured pencils or highlighters
• Optional real flowers, leaves or photographs of native plants, crops and pollinators
• Audio versions of worksheet text
• Headphones and speech-to-text access where required

Assessment

• Listen to partner predictions and group discussions for accurate use of pollination, habitat, biodiversity and ecosystem stability.
• Check group diagrams and scenario tables for clear cause-and-effect relationships and realistic management actions.
• Use the individual exit response to assess whether each student can describe a relationship, name an action and justify protection of native biodiversity.

Differentiation

• Provide visual diagrams, photographs or real specimens, colour-coded arrows and a word bank including pollination, pollen, nectar, habitat, native species, biodiversity and primary production.
• Give sentence frames: “The pollinator helps the plant by…”, “This action protects/restores biodiversity because…”, and “This matters for production because…”.
• Offer dyslexia-friendly fact sheets and worksheets with a clear sans-serif font, generous spacing, limited text per section and reduced visual clutter. Read instructions aloud and provide audio text.
• Allow students to respond through labelled diagrams, oral recording, speech-to-text or supported writing. Pair students strategically and assign roles such as reader, sorter, evidence finder and reporter.
• For students ready for greater challenge, ask them to evaluate a trade-off in their scenario and compare two management actions using evidence about both production and native biodiversity.

Extension

• Design a pollinator-friendly planting or habitat plan for a local farm or orchard. Include at least three plant or habitat features, the pollinators or native species supported, and a justification linking the plan to ecosystem health and primary production.
• Add a labelled annotated sketch showing how the plan could fit around crop rows, waterways, shelterbelts or boundaries.