Educator Guide: Geometric Hives and Renewable Energy Sources

August 26, 2023

About this guide

Check out lesson plans paired to recent news articles from the August 26 Science News issue covering how bees and other hive-makers have evolved with efficient hive geometry to accommodate changes in their colony’s needs and the progress and major challenges the U.S. is facing as it transitions away from coal-fired power plants to renewable energy sources.

This Guide Includes:

Bee Geometry

How clever! Bees use geometry tricks to make the most of their hive’s space. Learn how bees, wasps and other hive-makers accommodate changes in their colony’s needs, answer questions about evolution’s approach to problem-solving and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of analogies as literary devices.

Syncing the power grid to renewable energy

How is the U.S. doing in its transition away from coal-fired power plants to renewable energy sources? Analyze state and national data to learn about the transition and one of the major challenges: keeping the grid stable as large power plants shut down.