Bringing Mason Bees to the Classroom

This March, Sara Marshall, a first-grade teacher at South Ridge Elementary in Ridgefield, Washington, reached out after seeing publicity for Anne Bulger’s mason bee presentation featured in the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Workshop and Lecture Series in February.

As a board member of the Friends of the RNWR and an Oregon State University Extension Service Master Melittologist,  she brought that work into the classroom.

That connection led to a series of classroom visits, where Anne presented to seven first-grade classes on mason bees. Each session included a 30-minute presentation supported by real materials and visual aids to bring the mason bee life cycle into clear view.

What stood out most was the level of engagement. Students were attentive and asked thoughtful questions that went well beyond the expected. While curiosity about stingers certainly came up, many questions reflected a growing understanding of how mason bees live, nest, and support the environment.

Feedback from all seven teachers was overwhelmingly positive, noting both the students’ engagement and the value of introducing this topic at an early age.

This experience reinforces that even very young learners are ready to engage with the natural world in meaningful ways when given the opportunity.