Insects may be regarded as a nuisance to humans, but if they all disappeared every ecosystem would feel the impact of their loss. Insects are a critical component in any ecosystem, pollinating plants as they drink their nectar. Help your class understand the importance of the interdependent relationship between plants and pollinators and how all elements of an ecosystem are integral to its balance.

Using the Internet or field guide books, ask your class to research different pollinating insects that live in your local environment. Students then each choose an insect and create a poster describing its connection to local plants.

Display the posters and then remove the insects one at a time. Discuss the impact that removing an insect might have on the ecosystem, especially on the plants and animals in your area. Identify which plants and animals would have to move to another location in order to survive and which would probably die as a result of the changes in the ecosystem. Discuss what other changes in an ecosystem might affect the survival of the plants and animals that children have identified -- changes in rainfall or temperature, for example.

Learn more about the important relationship between plants and animals.

Scientists are discovering that tropical plants depend on the hungry animals that eat their fruit as much as the animals depend on plants for their nutrition. While feasting on the plants' sweet nectar and fruit, animals help spread their pollen and seeds. In fact, many plants have flowers that attract specific pollinators with their shapes, scents, colors and nectar. We commonly think of bees as the insects most involved in pollination, but wasps, moths and butterflies also play an important role in pollination. Fig wasps, for example, pollinate figs. And some species of cactus have long tubular flowers that hold nectar at the base of the blossom. The petals open only at night, when they are visited by hawk moths whose long tongues are able to reach the nectar. Plants are not only pollinated by insects, but birds and bats as well.

Learn more about plants and pollinators by visiting the species profiles pages.

Not only do commercial bees produce honey, they pollinate agricultural crops including apples, blueberries, cherries, avocados and cranberries. Beekeepers and farmers across the nation are increasingly concerned about the unexplainable decline in bee populations across the United States, which scientists are referring to as Colony Collapse Disorder. Beekeepers in over 22 states have reported loosing over fifty percent of their colonies. In addition, the national bee population has been threatened by a parasite that has devastated the wild bee population in recent years.

The best way to protect wild bees is to preserve the habitats where they feed and nest. Your class can plant a garden with native plants that attract bees. Research the plants that help attract native bees, such as impatiens, milkweed, mint, daisies and sunflowers. Remember that most bees love the sun and prefer dry places. Encourage your students to help protect these important and imperiled pollinators by providing a good habitat for wild bees, needed now more than ever.

A letter writing campaign is a great way for your students to proactively support conservation while sharpening their language arts skills.

In our April Earth Day issue, we highlighted Scholastic's announcement to print Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows using Rainforest Alliance Certified responsibly produced paper. Students from Rockland County, New York wrote congratulatory letters to Scholastic. Second grader Marissa wrote:

Dear Scholastic,
Thank you for printing some of the paper from the Harry Potter book on paper that will not hurt the rainforests. I think that it is a wonderful idea! If the animals could talk they would be very happy! Keep up the good/hard work!
Sincerely,
Marissa

After working on their Scholastic letters, several students were inspired to contact other publishers and suggest that they follow Scholastic's lead.

Students from the Principia School in St. Louis, Missouri held a similar letter-writing campaign, addressing their correspondence to McDonalds. The company's United Kingdom restaurants recently began serving Rainforest Alliance Certified coffee.

Read a few of these inspirational letters and encourage your students to practice their writing skills and make their voices heard.

Through their Nature of Learning Grant Program, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation awards grants to organizations and schools to start or expand environmental education programs in their communities. Up to $10,000 can be awarded to first year grants. The deadline to submit applications is June 15.

The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) announces the creation of the Richard C. Bartlett Environmental Education Award to honor an individual committed to environmental education. A $5,000 cash award will be given to an outstanding 5^th-12^th grade educator for his or her integration of environmental education in the classroom. Deadline for nominations is June 30, 2007.

The Goldman Sachs Foundation and the Asia Society are sponsoring awards for high school students who submit projects that address problems affecting local and international communities. Winning entries receive $10,000 and travel to New York City to receive the award. Deadline for submitting a written, audio, video or animated feature is June 11, 2007.

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