Bees at the School

In May of this year, a buzzing wonder moved into the green classroom at Meerane International Grammar School. Around 40,000 new inhabitants - bees - found their new home there. The professional care provided by Mr. Kötz and the practical commitment of the students in the school's beekeeping and bees working groups, under the guidance of GTA head Mr. Delic, ensured a flourishing experience as part of the practical lessons.

The students of the GTASs from Grade 5 to Grade 7 had the opportunity to further develop their skills in GTA beekeeping, especially in the art of honey production. During the summer vacation, a detailed plan was drawn up to provide the bees with the best possible care. In addition to Mr. Kötz, some students and their parents were in the green classroom in July and August to ensure that the bee colony's flowering period was successful.

The bees were attracted by the enticing scent and colors of the flowers and rewarded the pupils with their indispensable contribution to pollination through nectar and pollen. In September, the pupils learned the steps of varroa treatment and how to handle bee food. As soon as Mr. Kötz announced that the honey was ripe (low water content), the honey harvest was on the agenda.
After the autumn vacations, the final phase of honey production began in the school kitchen with bottling. The pupils took on various tasks, from preparing the jars to working on the scales and packaging. The creative minds Henriette Koch and Tamara Neumann from class 5a designed the label for the product "IGM Honig - Sommertracht". A total of 29 kg of honey from certain jars will be presented under this name as the result of this year's bee harvest.

Summer honey" is a general term indicating that the honey was obtained from nectar and/or honeydew of the summer. The students also received theoretical lessons, including topics such as the life of the bee and bees in the temperate zone, given by Mr. Kötz and Mr. Delic, respectively. These GTAs took place both in the workroom and in the green classroom.

More exciting projects are on the agenda for November. The pupils will be making candles, lipsticks and wax cloths with the bees' wax. All of these products will then be proudly presented at the Christmas market in December and at the open day in January. Beekeeping and bees at Meerane International Grammar School are not only an educational experience for the pupils, but also a successful example of sustainable and practical education in the field of environmental protection and agriculture in the afternoon.