And Another Thing CURRENT EVENTS, Robotic Beehives (ANNUAL)

🔒 Annual Member Version If you can see it but can’t click it, it’s a VIP thing. Login if you are a member or UPGRADE to join the club. - - - ABOUT THIS WEEK'S CURRENT EVENT ARTICLE ⤵ 🐝 Current Events: Robots, Beekeepers, and the Fight to Save the Bees A tiny parasite smaller than a sesame seed has helped wipe out more than 60 percent of America's honeybee colonies in two years. This article introduces students to the crisis facing honeybee colonies and two very different responses, a solar-powered robotic hive and the hands-on skills beekeepers have relied on for over a century. Students will explore this current event through: How varroa mites damage a colony, feeding on bee fat tissue and driving record losses above 60 percent How the BeeHome robotic hive uses cameras, sensors, and heat to fight mite infestations automatically Why bees matter to the food supply, adding well over 15 billion dollars in crop value each year The hands-on tools beekeepers still use, including the smoker, hive tool, and sugar roll and alcohol wash mite tests Why queen breeding decisions still depend on human judgment, not automation A great tie-in for: agricultural technology, animal science, entomology, and current events units. Utilizing current events in agriculture is always just another thing to do that you probably don't have time for. We got you. Hitting those literacy standards just another thing to do? We got you. The Student Handouts consist of reading passage, an informational graphic, associated vocabulary, comprehension questions, and a word puzzle. All answer keys included. Use it as a Bellringer Activity, Class Finisher, or save it for a Sub or on those interrupted/shortened schedule days that inevitably come up.